5 minute read
Sport
Wright gives sport a big boost
Lake Hāwea athlete Campbell Wright is being credited with a rapid growth in the sport in New Zealand.
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Wright was the youngest competitor in the Beijing Winter Olympics when he competed in the biathlon – which involves a combination of cross country skiing and shooting.
Biathlon New Zealand chairman Tim David said the number of competitors at the midAugust Wānaka championships illustrated the impact of the “Campbell Wright affect”.
The event attracted 27 competitors in all age groups from seven up.
“In the past 12 competitors would have been a good day and they would have all been juniors,” David said.
“The other interesting aspect is the numbers of youngsters in age groups which will ensure we can build a national team to compete in Australia and eventually should they stay in the sport to the world youth competition.
Further, it was much better than Campbell being ‘Man Alone’.
Wright is in a sport dominated by Europeans and he noted during the Olympics that as he is not yet regarded as a threat “lots of big countries can cheer for me and tell me my splits”.
At 19 he was the youngest of the 92 competitors in the men's 20km individual race, and then finished 75th out of 94 in the 10km race
Top athletes in the sport usually excel in the late twenties, in contrast to other winter sports events where Wānaka teenagers excelled in Beijing.
Ahead of his trip to Beijing Wright’s heroics in getting there were highlighted – it was reported that he had such a small budget compared to competitors in regular competition that they happily helped him out.
Campbell was New Zealand Team flagbearer at the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games. He has been named ‘Snow Sports New Zealand Cross Country Skier of the Year' every year since 2016 and went to the Olympics as the youngest athlete on the IBU World Cup circuit.
He is coached by Italian Luca Bormilini.
Wright is competing in Australia at the Kangaroo Hoppet and will return to ski in the 42Km Merino Muster on the September 3. Both races are part of the 16 race Worldloppet Marathon series.
The Merino Muster will be at Snow Farm.
The New Zealand NZ nationals are on September 11 and members of the national youth team will be keen to see how far they are off his pace.
Snow Farm trail and snow conditions are just exceptionally good this season and Campbell has had the benefit of training conditions that will give him a real edge when he heads north for the World Cup season.
Campbell Wright, pictured in training earlier this year.
Rui celebrates joint win
Rui Fakaya was a joint series winner in the sixth and final Head squash series in Dunedin last weekend.
More than 80 juniors competed, including a contingent from the Wānaka Squash Club.
It was a successful end to a successful series for the 13-year-old who performed well across all six tournaments this year and thoroughly deserved his joint first placing with a Dunedin player. The teenager is in the top 15 of the Otago under 19 junior rankings and club officials say at this rate he should move towards the top in the next few years.
In the other events, Thomas Jurczyluk had another fine competition by winning division seven, making it two tournament wins in a row.
In division two Oisin Corbett finished third, which is where he also placed in the overall Head series having competed strongly across the six tournaments. Brothers Kyan and Ethan Prince both had a good run through division third, finishing second and third respectively.
There was also a fine performance from Cody Armstrong in his first competition after
an injury – he placed third in division 4. Rui Fakaya underlined his promise again at the latest Head tournament.
Sports day ‘informs, promotes’
The Festival of Sport and Recreation next month represents the Upper Clutha Sports Community Trust’s main activity.
The have-a-go day is a cross between an expo and a sports gathering under the umbrella of an annual networking session.
“This community event is designed to inform, promote and celebrate the range of sport and recreational activities on offer in our Upper Clutha region,” festival coordinator Mylrea Bell said.
Trustees Bronwyn Coers and Diana Schikker, said it was a chance to chat with the locals and network amongst the community while being inspired by and involved in a fun day out.
More than 20 groups have been lined up to show off their activities and offerings at the Wānaka Recreation Centre on September 24. Organisations will have displays and members on hand to give information about their activities and how to get involved.
The day will revolve around have-ago style opportunities.
“It’s a free, fun chance to find out more about what is offered locally, and to celebrate the clubs, organisations and supporting businesses which help bind the community together,” Bell said.
Clubs and organisations also take part free.
Among those confirmed for the day are Aspiring Gymsports, Bike Wānaka, Challenge Wānaka, Disc Golf Wānaka, Kahu Youth Trust, LAN Club (e-sports), Mint Charitable Trust, Tri Wānaka, Upper Clutha Tracks Trust, Wānaka Arts Society, Wānaka Biathlon Club, Wānaka Lake Swimmers, Wānaka Camera Club, Wānaka Riding For the Disabled, Wānaka Rowing Club, Wānaka Samurai Karate, Wānaka Squash Club, Wānaka Swim Club,
Wānaka Toastmasters, Word - Youth MTB Adventure, Mount Aspiring College and Wānaka Library.
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