HOCKEY
Comvita Kia Kaha lead Wairarapa Hockey’s Men’s Division One after winning the battle of the unbeaten sides, 6–2, over Gladstone Bulls. Carterton Vets are also unbeaten after their 6–3 defeat of Tremains Red Star. JNL scored their first of the season, comfortably beating Old Boys 5–0, and Featherston were 3–0 winners over Dalefield Dodgers.
Dalefield easily retained their lead in Women’s Division One, thumping Comvita Kia Kaha 7–0. Gladstone Gold also posted a big score in beating Feathertson 8–0, and East Coast edged Tremains Red Star 2–1.
Featherston Foxies won the club derby 3–2 over Force to lead Women’s Division Two. Property Brokers beat Gladstone Heifers 5–1, Eketāhuna Tuis were 2–0 winners over Martinborough, and Coasties were made to work hard in their 3–1 victory over Wairarapa Mitsubishi.
INDOOR BOWLS
Neville and Julie Mikoz took the honours in the Central Wairarapa Cusack 2-4-2 Pairs played on Anzac Day.
Four of the 12 teams qualified for the playoffs, with the Mikoz pair beating Alex Butler and Kelly Simonsen in the semifinal, setting up a decider against Gail Miller and Murray Larkin, who defeated Athol Smith and Gwen Pocock.
On Sunday, two Wairarapa combinations qualified and were drawn to meet in the playoffs at the Ashhurst Fours, one of the biggest fours tournaments in the lower North Island. The team of Rob Fuge. Cynthia Melville, Roger Melville, and Pat Wootton needed an extra end to edge the four of Donald Leighton, Mathew Day, Alex Butler and John Duncan.
The Fuge combination went on to make the final, where they were beaten by a Whanganui combination.
Wairarapa will play in the Horn Trophy against Horowhenua and Bush-Ruahine in Levin on Saturday, followed by the Burton Bates Trophy fixture against Upper Hutt on Sunday.
FOOTBALL
The Wairarapa local leagues took a break for the preliminary round of the Wairarapa Knockout Cup. Carterton Redbacks defeated Progressive Engineering Masterton Athletic 4–2 on penalties after the match finished at 4–4, Featherston were 6–2 winners over Carterton Goal Diggers, Douglas Villa Vets were easy 9–2 winners over Carterton Reapers and Greytown Umbrella Group Spartans thrashed Carterton raiders 9–0.
ATHLETICS
Organisers were thrilled with the success of the ACM Wairarapa Times-Age 5km series, which culminated with 100 runners and walkers finishing the eighth and final race in the series on Sunday, April 21. It is estimated that about 500 different people took part in the series.
Darius Simpson led home the field in a time of 17 minutes 59 seconds, ahead of club rival Whana Gordon and Andrew Hayes. Brooke Miller was the best of the female runners and finished fifth overall in 20min 32sec, followed by Brooke Duffy and Helen Gard’ner.
Oscar Brider was first home over 2 km in 9min 33sec, well ahead of Jackson Kosena and Hendrix Charters.
The club’s next event is the start of the winter cross-country season on Sunday, starting from the ACM clubrooms at the Sports Bowl at 10 am.
