Year of many highs in South Canterbury sport
Climbing one mountain is a big enough achievement, let alone 10.
However, a South Cantabrian achieved just that in 2018. In May, Timaru-born mountaineer Chris Jensen Burke added Mt Kanchenjunga to her list of conquered peaks. Jensen Burke climbed the 8586-metre mountain – the 10th peak she had conquered with summits over 8000m – which sits on the border of Nepal and India, after a failed expedition in 2017. In conquering Mt Kanchenjunga, Jensen Burke has now climbed the world’s six highest peaks – Everest, K2, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho-Oyu.
At the end of May, Timaru’s Mike Small was awarded one of MotorSport New Zealand’s (MSNZ) premier trophies.
The Lupp Trophy recognises a competitor from classic and historic racing who has demonstrated exceptional levels of sportsmanship, vehicle presentation, and who embodies the spirit and values associated with classic and historic racing.
Small, a longserving member of the South Canterbury Car Club, races a replica of the 1967 Mustang raced by Australian Pete Geoghegan in the Mainland Muscle class.
Small, who has been racing since 1977, told Stuff it was a real surprise to be honoured at MSNZ’s annual awards night in Wellington.
While a veteran was showing us how it’s done in the motorsport scene, a young talent continued to show us how it is done on the rugby field. Despite missing the first half of this season through injury, Timaru Girls’ High School student Jorja Miller was selected in the under-18 New Zealand Dutch Barbarians Sevens team.
Timaru’s Reon Park then qualified for the 2018 World Ironman Championships after a stunning debut in the gruelling swim, cycle and run event.
Park headed into the Ironman Asia-Pacific Championship in Cairns in May having never competed in an ironman.
The West End football team further staked an early claim as the club’s team of the century in July.
After winning their first South Canterbury senior title in 18 years in 2017, they produced a quality performance to thrash Pleasant Point 6-1 at West End, securing the league for the second year running.
The club bagged their first title in 1989, before three further titles in a four-year period during the 1990s.
Waimate cyclist Holly Edmondston was back making her mark on the world stage after injury ruled her out in 2017. Edmondston was competing in Italy and won the Torino sixday scratch and points races before riding to second in the omnium event.
It was the Celtic senior rugby team who were in the winners’ circle at the end of July – and it was in style. Just when it seemed Waimate might end Celtic’s streak as South Canterbury’s champion rugby club, Celtic showed why they have held the Hamersley Cup crown for a decade, winning a tense affair. To the delight of their supporters at Alpine Energy Stadium, Celtic’s 25-22 victory – the team’s 10th title in a row – further cemented their spot in New Zealand club rugby history, as the most successful club in the modern era in winning consecutive club titles. Only Southland’s Star club have managed a better record, notching 16 straight titles, but they started their run way back in 1888.
At the ripe of old age of 76, Timaru’s Barrie Walsh can still swing a golf club pretty well.
In fact, he can do better than that. After a team of four stableford round at the Timaru Golf Club’s Levels course in August, Walsh signed for a round that matched his age.
As a child, Timaru’s Simon Peterson was given little chance of survival after being diagnosed with leukaemia. But that hasn’t stopped the now 20-year-old from tackling life and making the most of his opportunities. In August, the Fonterra Clandeboye apprentice competed in his first natural body building competition in Tauranga, placing second in the 20-23 age group. Having been diagnosed with the illness when he was just 2 years old, Peterson has come out well on the other side of his ordeal.
Ron Collins finally achieved what most golfers set out to do from the moment they pick up a club.
After 43 years on the course, the Timaru 70-year-old nailed his first hole-in-one at a round at the Pleasant Point Golf Club course, claiming the achievement in August on the fourth hole – a par three.
A few days later, Northern Hearts’ dominance of the South Canterbury Cup football competition continued with a 9-3 trouncing of Timaru Boys’ High School in the final.