Leisure marchers in step with friends
MANY leisure marchers came from competitive roots, but now it is all about the ‘‘fun, friendship and fitness’’.
‘‘That’s the motto,’’ Otago Leisure Marcher Lexie St John, of Dunedin, said.
Nearly 700 women from 65 New Zealand teams paced through the Edgar Centre in colourful garb yesterday to open the 26th National Leisure Marching event.
Mrs St John had marched with her team for about 20 years. As a teenager, she did so competitively.
‘‘That was when I was a lot younger.’’
The team strode perfectly in time through the hall with arms locked and eyes forward.
‘‘You need to keep straight and keep in time to the music; that’s the main thing,’’ Mrs St John said.
Teammate Sheree Mason said she enjoyed the discipline of the sport.
‘‘I’m an ex competitive marcher so I’ve always enjoyed it. That’s one of the reasons I’ve come back.’’
It was less stressful than the batontwirling world of competitive marching.
Good posture was essential and marchers needed to pull up from the diaphragm, Mrs
Mason said.
‘‘Keep that nice and firm. You don’t necessarily want to have your shoulders back.’’
The goal was to feel good and know you had marched your best, she said.
‘‘They’re pretty steady for some older women.’’
The event will continue today from 10am to about 3.30pm and is for free for public viewing.
Organiser Jan Hoad said the individual routines could be everything from oldfashioned marches to struts to the latest pop songs.
The only males there were those who came along with their wives, she said.
‘‘We’ve had a few men in among the teams in the past, but not now.’’
Leisure marching began in Tauranga about 30 years ago and had greatly increased in popularity since, she said.
The event ends with a ‘‘grand old kneesup’’ at the centre tonight.