2 February 2009

The quartet of Vaughan Coley (Havelock North), Don Le Page (Christchurch), Gary Cooper (Tauranga) and Alicia Urlich (Hamilton) have collected their second badminton doubles gold medals at the 20th ACC New Zealand Masters Games in Wanganui.

They all won mixed doubles titles on the first day of play and  have doubled that success.

Coley teamed up with Kyle Tostevin (Napier), Le Page with tournament organiser Graham Feist (Wanganui) and Cooper with Bob Bain (Tauranga) to win their men’s doubles age grades.

Cooper, Feist and Urlich, who linked up with Jan Giffney (Auckland), retained titles they won at the last games in the city in 2007.

Grant DeMenech (Paraparaumu) also retained his doubles title, this time with Neville Robb (Levin).

The big winners in the entertaining rock ‘n’ roll championships were Wellington’s Bob Mazoyer, 67, and Kay Hitchcock, 61, who scooped the pool by winning the 60 and over A grade restricted title, after being runners-up two years ago, and also added the open and freestyle titles as well.

Wanganui dancers to claim two titles each were defending champions Gary Pratt and Karen Bullock (40 and 50 plus restricted grades) and Shane Williams and Kathy Hylton (30 and 40 plus open grades).

Both the youngest and oldest competitors claimed gymnastic gold medals.

Otago student Ricky Bing (Wanganui - 20) collected the highest artistic points of 64.400 and Manukau’s Theodore Gotz, 63, improved 3 pts on 2007 to retain her 60-plus title.

Wanganui gymnasts Maria Simmons, Janet Hartley-West and Elizabeth Smith  also retained their titles.

Craig Thiele, 47, racing on his home track, rode the fastest time in the downhill mountain bike racing with a run of 1m 46.39s, faster than his 1:54.74 in winning his age grade two year ago.

The other golds went to Wayne Gedye (Wanganui) and defending champions Bryan Eckersley (Rotorua – 64) and Raewyn Knight (Feilding – 42) who was 14sec faster than 2007 with 2:12.35.

In the cross-country racing Te Aroha’s Geoff Buysman, 50, was a minute quicker in retaining his age grade title in 40m 28s, 7min clear of his closest rival.

Stephen Humphries (PN) and Beverley Foster (Wanganui) also retained titles with Chris Morrison (Wanganui) and Rachael Pedley (PN) the other champions.

Wanganui again held onto the indoor bowls fours title with Donald Galley, Graeme Biggar, Bill Quickfall and skip Les Hayward winning from Marton’s Shirley Wallace with Ross Porter (Taupo) and Dianne Haswell (Upper Hutt) third equal.

The most prolific title winners in dance sports, which attracted 135 entries, were Kapiti Coast’s 68-year-olds John and Faith Lawton who returned home with eight victories.

Peter Holmes, 73, from Manukau, collected five titles with three Auckland partners – his wife Barbara, Wendy Soutar and Jill Nicholson.

Nicholson (Glenfield), who also gained success with Barrie Roberts (Auckland), and the Wanganui combination of John and Nanette Maslin won four titles each.

Triple champions were Martin Neylan and Rosemary Cha (Wellington), Norman and Rosemary Coker (Whangaparoa) and Wanganui couples Graeme and Prue Paulger and Mark Glastonbury and Barbara Barron.

Lyall Lister (Auckland) and Grant Miller (Christchurch) handled the hot and blustery conditions well to win the opening two-day petanque tournament from locals Sue Gurr and Mark Wilson with Chrissy Allan and Dale Whitaker giving the host city the consolation honours.

Although the fourth and final day was abandoned because of the wind there was some close racing in the four-day yachting regatta.

Former Wanganui journalist Mike Coupe (Porirua), a NZ Yachting official, his wife Kay and defending champion Lindsay Stevenson (Wanganui) teamed up well to win the over-60 Farr 6000 T.Y. title with Taupo’s Philip Kitson and Paul Mayer taking the younger age grade honours.

David Feek (PN) and 1972-76 Olympian Jock Bilger (Auckland – 72) won divisions of the Lasers with city sailors John Goodare and Linda O’Keeffe (Open Class) and Leanne and Roy Annabell (470’s) taking their classes.

Goodare and O’Keeffe were the only combination to emerge with four straight wins.