1 February 2009

The outstanding effort of evergreen Raumati school teacher Paul Forster  to again claim fastest time in the 10km road run was the highlight of the opening weekend of the 20th ACC New Zealand Masters Games in Wanganui .

The 50-year-old, who claimed fastest times in both the 10-km and half marathon races at the previous five Masters Games in the city, was in fine form in windy conditions.

Although his times are naturally slower as the years go on Forster, who on Friday night was inducted as one of the first NZ Masters Games life members, still covered the Whanganui River circuit in 37m 56s – 34sec faster than Ohakune’s 48-year-old Grant MacLeod who was second fastest of the 344 starters.

Third fastest, 51sec behind Forster, was Chris Johnson (Waipukurau), aged 40.
MacLeod, Forster and Robert McPherson (Te Puke – 67) retained their titles from 2007 when the Games were last held in the city.

Sally Gibbs (Katikati – 45) was fastest woman runner again with 42.35 compared with 43.16 two years ago.

Hunterville’s Christine Voelkering, 43, also improved on her 2007 time with 43min for second fastest time.

Next fastest were Kylie Allpress (Wanganui – 37) 43m 58s and Patricia Stitchbury (PN -50) in 43m 59s.

Only Gibbs and Pat Taylor (Tauranga – 63) retained their titles.

Fastest walker was Ian Bailey (PN – 56) with 1hr 48s, just 9sec quicker than Taupo’s 64-year-old Bob Hopkins with Raymond Jenner (Christchurch – 65) third fastest male in 1:05.04. Jenner was the only male to retain his title.

Dick Tayler (Christchurch – 50), the 1974 Commonwealth Games running champion, was placed fourth in his age grade walk after winning in 2007.

He has being recovering from injury and clocked 1:10.06, 2min slower than in 2007 in a tough age grade that included Hopkins.

The finest walking time of the day came from Feilding’s Lisa McDonald, 44, with 1hr 1m 5s – third fastest of all the walker.

Her time was only bettered by the two quickest males.

Robyn Galloway (Napier  - 53) was second fastest woman in 1:01.41 and Gai-Marie Smart (Wanganui – 46) third fastest in 1:01.42.

Women to retain titles were Sue Robertson (Wanganui – 32), Gail Bernard (Wanganui – 69), Kathy Morton (PN – 74) and Melba Cook (PN – 78).

A strong NZ Army side drawn from Christchurch, Blenheim, Trentham and Linton proved too classy for the opposition in the two-day touch tournament which featured  312 players from four countries.

Army, including the youngest male player, 30-year-old Nicolas Vairaktaris (Trentham), beat  Wanganui’s Jandals 7-0 in the final of the 30 plus grade.

Melville Masters (Waikato), Castle Lager (Auckland) and Albert 49ers (Manawatu) but including Brisbane’s Gary Guilford, won the men’s older grade titles.

Local teams Maxx and Hoof Hearted took the women’s grades with the Crew, including former NZ rugby colt Jerome Nahona, 38, and Coogars, both from Wanganui the mixed grade champions.

Gisborne’s 55-year-old John Gisby collected his second Games legends surfing title with the competition switched from Castlecliff to Waitotara for better conditions.
Wanganui surfers claimed the other titles – David Goldsbury adding gold to his silver in 2007, Vaughan Coveny taking the youngest age grade title and Antony Rountree won the long board.

Visiting players, including England’s Magdalene Davis, picked up 12 of the 17 B grade tennis singles in a field of 269 players from four countries.

Davis, 68, from Birmingham won the women’s 65 and over singles.

Players to defend their titles from 2007 were John Gisby (Gisborne), Kevin Savage (Tauranga) and Joan Aupouri (PN).

Tauranga’s Bob Walls, 80, played steady tennis to win the 70 and over men’s singles.

Two runners-up from the last Games in the city, David Goldsbury (Wanganui) and Wendy Mackevics (Wellington), turned silver into gold this year.

Former internationals, Kevin Ross (Wanganui) and Robyn Macfarlane (Northcote), both 51. proved too strong in the 45 and over badminton mixed doubles

Players to retain their titles from 2007 were Gary Cooper (Tauranga) and Pauline Courtney (Auckland) 65 plus, Alicia Urlich (Hamilton) with a new partner Don Le Page (Christchurch)  55 plus, and Levin’s Shane Taylor and Adele McCartney 35 plus social grade.

Apart from Kevin Ross all of the four mixed doubles titles went to visiting players.

The Upper Hutt combination of Ian and Lorretta Roffe, in their late 60s, headed off a field of 151 players to win the indoor bowls mixed pairs title.

Locals Nora Tunbridge and Garry Pedersen took the social grade competition.