Frustrating finish to season for the Turbos
Frustrating and heartbreaking can sum up the end to the Manawatu¯ Turbos’ season.
The Turbos were beaten 36-31 by Hawke’s Bay in Napier on Sunday, throwing away a 17-0 halftime lead, and will miss out on the championships semifinals for the second year in a row.
Manawatu¯ needed a win to get into the playoffs, but will be disappointed to throw the game away at Napier, which is a graveyard for Manawatu¯ , having not won there since 1955.
To make matters worse the Hawke’s Bay cricket team beat Manawatu¯ in the Chapple Cup final in Napier on Sunday too, just across the road.
Turbo Tonsils retires
It didn’t sound the same without the dulcet tones of Russell Harris at Palmerston North Speedway at the weekend.
Long-time speedway commentator Russell Harris has retired after 45 years, so it was a bit odd to hear someone else’s voice commentating on Saturday.
Harris is a former radio commentator and has covered many different sports in Manawatu¯ since the 1970s.
Pole position
When Palmerston North’s Brendon Hartley gets behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car for Toro Rosso next weekend, it will be a massive achievement for a Manawatu¯ sportsman.
Hartley, who is a Porsche driver in the World Endurance Championship, is driving in place of Pierre Gasly next weekend and there could be a chance for a fulltime recall to the sport by the Red Bull-owned team.
He would only be the ninth Kiwi to race in Formula 1 and would will be following in the footsteps of Manawatu¯ motorsport legend Chris Amon.
Caged in
The Counties Manukau women’s rugby team must have thought they arrived on a strange planet when they played the Manawatu¯ Cyclones at the Arena on Saturday.
The stockcar cage had already been erected for the opening night of Palmerston North speedway, so the visiting Counties Manukau players had to negotiate their way under the fence and over the barrier to get to the changing sheds.
The Cyclones wisely chose to stay on the field at halftime.