College sport: Westlake sail ahead of 12 schools to victory

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

Westlake Boys' High School have added the New Zealand yachting trophy to their national waterpolo cup.

Representing the North Auckland region at the Christchurch event, the three Westlake crews responded under pressure to topple defending champions Kerikeri High School, denying the Far North school a fourth consecutive title.

Westlake fielded a strong team this year, with captain Michael Bullot qualifying for the New Zealand Laser class championships at the national youth championships in Taupo on the way to the South Island.

Alastair Thompson was also in good form, having won the Optimist class at Taupo, with Chris Dawson runner-up.

Held in Lyttelton Harbour during the first week of the holidays, the New Zealand secondary schools championships attracted 13 colleges. Westlake pushed their sailing skills and knowledge to the extreme in the light, shifty winds, to win seven of the nine races, one more than Kerikeri.

The competition was raced in Sunburst yachts by three two-man teams.

Westlake were also able to draw on some true sailing pedigree, with their team including Sam Coutts, the nephew of winning America's Cup skipper, Russell.The Westlake side of Bullot and Dawson, Jamie Thompson and Duncan Sanders, Coutts and Thompson used all their personnel, including reserves Cameron Bullock and Gareth Ramage, during the competition.

Westlake have a record at the national event that would make the City of Sails proud. They have won the title seven times in the past 12 years and have been runners-up, according to coach Simon Smith, at least four times from 1989.

Northland's Mahurangi College finished third and Otumoetai College, from the Bay of Plenty, fourth, to complete the North Island clean sweep.

WATERPOLO

Auckland schools will be hoping to sink the tough Wellington college challenge at the New Zealand secondary schoolgirls' championships in Lower Hutt.

The in-form Rangitoto College are expected to be the region's best hope after their win at the Auckland championships.

However, they did themselves no favours when they bombed out in the North Island competition the week before the Auckland championships, failing to make the top four. They will find themselves in the same pool as the North Island winners, Sacred Heart College of Lower Hutt.

Avondale College, who were third at the North Island championships and second to Rangitoto in the Auckland competition, will be looking to better their placing, but will face stiff competition from Wellington schools Sacred Heart and North Island runners-up Wellington Girls' College.

Epsom Girls' Grammar are unlikely to push for their fourth consecutive title after their fourth place in the Auckland and North Island championships.

Westlake Girls' High School complete the Auckland foursome to take on the increasingly dangerous Wellingtonians.

THIS WEEK

Tomorrow

Auckland. - Golf: Kings College v Avondale College.

Friday

North Island secondary school equestrian one-day-eventing championships, Hamilton.

New Zealand secondary school girls' water polo championships, Lower Hutt. April 27-30.

Sunday

Auckland: orienteering.

Monday

Auckland: Intercollegiate teams competition.