Dean’s Decision
Dean Barker, Team New Zealand skipper, had ten minutes to make up his mind to take the hottest seat in sailing.
News of New Zealanders via Global Media
Tuaman
”I discovered at an early age that I had something special,” says championship contender David Tua. ”It’s a God-given talent I have to knock people out.” It is a gift rewarded only in one place. Only…
Phar Lap’s Hide on Display Again After Three Years in Storage
“The hide is in Melbourne, the heart in Canberra. The bones are in Wellington, the big delicate skeleton of a horse who used to mean business.” (from ‘Phar Lap’, by Bill Manhire)
Tiger’s Big Brother
“He walks with him, laughs with him, listens to him, and knows what to say to him and how to say it.” The New York Time describes Kiwi caddy Steve Williams as a big brother to…
Cycling Gold
New Zealand won two gold medals in the fifth and final leg of the Track World Cup Cycling Championship. Glen Thompson won in the 30km points race and Sarah Ulmer continued her superb Olympic preparation.
Sailing Away with the Kenwood Cup
New Zealand was officially named champion of the 12th Biennial Kenwood Cup Hawaii International offshore series, with Big Apple 3, after stopping to help a distressed boat, still coming in ahead of Australia, the USA and…
Sport of Kiwis
New Zealand beat South Africa 11-10 after withstanding an onslaught in the final chukka, to win the BMW polo series 2-0 in Durban. They won the first test 10-8 and showed the benefit of professional experience,…
Getting Jiggy: Bolstad Axes the Competition at ESPN Outdoor Games
Dave Bolstad “considered to be one of the world’s best” of Taumarunui won the most medals at the inaugural ESPN Outdoor Games held in the last week of July. The timber expert and world champion axeman…
Biking Versus Hiking and the DOC Peacemaker
Mountain biker Yuri Kuzyk takes issue with an Ottawa Citizen article claiming that mountain biking erodes mountain trails in Gatineau Park. He cites the hard science of a 1995 New Zealand Department of Conservation Study that shows…
A Bob Either Way
“The only cast-iron certainty in golf right now is that New Zealand veteran, Bob Charles, will finish in the top six in the British Seniors Open.” The Belfast Telegraph correctly placed its bet on the Kiwi left…
World Cup Win for Waddell
Kiwi World Champion Rob Waddell confirmed his Gold Medal prospects for the single sculls at the Sydney Olympics by winning the World Cup in Zurich. The Kiwi four also caused a oarsome upset becoming the first…
As Good as It Gets? Back in Black!
“The jagged edge is back to New Zealand’s game, the legal violence of execution beneath the blades of the All Black harvester,” writes the Sydney Morning Herald. We couldn’t have said it better. Shell-shocked Aussie captain John…
Bob Charles Swings into History
On the occasion of the millennium British Open the Royal and Ancient celebrated past champions, including Kiwi Bob Charles: “Thirty-seven years after he became the first left-hander to win the title, New Zealander Bob Charles still swings…
“The Greatest Game Ever Played? This One’s the Winner”
A world record crowd at Stadium Australia witnessed what was acclaimed as one of the great test matches. A waltzing Jonah scored the winning try in injury time in a miraculous end to a thrilling match,…
Fast Cat Dalton Borne on the Scud of the Sea
The New York Times scuds along at 31 knots on board the world’s quickest ocean-going sailboat. For Club Med, skippered by Kiwi Grant Dalton pushing the boundaries of speed is plain-sailing: “You never get sick…
The New Zealand Presence at Wimbledon
Unfortunately it wasn’t a tennis player: “New Zealand’s profound influence on international sport goes beyond the haka and influencing the bidding of World Cup football finals. Consider, for example, Aorangi Park, the area of the All England…
Kiwi Behind the Scenes Racing Legend
“She is perfect and I think most people agree.” Efficiency, accuracy, reliability and above all loyalty are the words the Sydney Morning Herald uses to describe Sue Hutchinson, the first female to hold the position of…
“I Never Thought the World Cup Was So Important to So Many People.”
Call it Kiwi modesty, call it naive call of the week, but we had to mention it somewhere. After all it may not be New Zealand’s proudest, or smartest, moment, but in terms of international achievements…
Chris Cairns Nominated for International Cricketer of the Year
Daniel Vettori was also nominated for International Young Cricketer of the Year. Unfortunately the Aussies took out the double with Glenn McGrath and Brent Lee taking the respective awards.
The White Sox’ Hurling Hope
As the New Zealand women’s softball team hopes to reclaim glory at the Olympics, they place a great deal of expectation on the shoulders of Gina Weber as the Vancouver Sun reports: “There was a -time…
“Absence of Cutting Edge” Proves Scots Undoing
The All Blacks proved the theory and continued with breathtaking conviction to erase uncomfortable memories when they trounced Scotland 48-14. As Andy Nicol, the Scotland captain remarked later, “that is as ruthless a team as I…
Mandy Smith: Hockey’s Answer to Anna Kournikova
In an article deploring the emphasis on sex over substance in the sporting press, the Irish Times compares New Zealand hockey’s Mandy Smith to Anna Kournikova. This, following a 3-0 drubbing of World and Olympic champions Australia….
“I’m Quite a Fearful Person Actually”
Sir Ed might have to do some convincing – he will go down in history as one of the Twentieth Century’s great adventurers. The Independent asks if the 81 year-old has any mountains left to climb,…
Danyon Loader: The Retiring Type?
New Zealand double Olympic swimming gold medalist Danyon Loader has announced his retirement, “I’ve been swimming competitively since 1987 … and the desire and incentive to race has diminished,” said Loader, 25, who won gold medals in…
Pete Sampras Follows Historic Kiwi Footsteps at Wimbledon
Kiwi contribution to a tennis legacy: “No man in this century has dominated the world’s only important grasscourt tournament quite like Sampras. Not Hugh Doherty. Not the dashing New Zealander Tony Wilding. Not Fred Perry. Not Rod…
Graham Henry First Non-British Coach of the Lions
Call it post-colonial, call it usurping, but New Zealander Graham Henry will be charged with giving the British Lions Rugby-Union team a new roar for their tour of Australia next year. Citing his will to win…
Dallas Cowboys in the Super 12?
Rugby, the sport of choice in countries like New Zealand and Australia is gaining a strong foothold in the States, and particularly in Dallas, Patricia Lowell finds out why. “Rugby may have a reputation for being…
Kiwi King is Queen of the Waves in Singapore
Jane King may only be 8 years old and 1.45 meters tall, but she is already a wakeboarding champion: in an adult category. She recently out-jumped and out-tricked four adults to win the Seventh…
j’accuse! Greg Turner and the European PGA
When Greg Turner left last week’s Wales Open before it even started he accused, in his unique way, the European Tour of stifling healthy debate by placing commercial interests before course quality. On the Ryder Cup…
Walking with the Gods: Tiger Wood’s Kiwi caddy
When Tiger Wood’s completed his historic US Open victory by an absurd 15 strokes the first person he turned to to celebrate was his advisor, New Zealand caddy Steve Williams. Earlier this year commentator Gary Koch…
All Black’s Blunt Edge in 95 World Cup Final Attributed to Poisoning
A former major in the South African Police has backed up claims that the All Black team was poisoned on the eve of the 1995 World Cup final, “I only have the evidence of my eyes but…
Raving About Dixon in Detroit
Motown: Scott Dixon has won the first two races of the Dayton Indy Lights series and history indicates that he is well on his way to a championship in his first season with PacWest Racing. “I…
Wilson Picked in All-Star Futures Game
Kiwi baseball player Travis Wilson, who is a rookie with the Atlanta Braves, has been selected to play in the US vs the World All-Star Futures Game – a strong indication that he’s on track to…
Bob Charles in Putting Pantheon
Las Vegas Sun columnist Peter Benton joins the end of century reviews and attempts to evaluate the world’s greatest putter, putting Kiwi left-hander Bob Charles up there with Woods, Nicklaus and Duval.
Catch Up Columbus: World Speed Record a Holiday in the Sun for Grant ‘Pure Speed’ Dalton
Dalton, captaining the maxi-catamaran Club Med has smashed the trans-atlantic 24-hour sailing record. Retracing Columbus’s historic East-West Atlantic Crossing, they broke the elusive 600 mile barrier for the first time, travelling at an incredible average speed of…
Coach Bracewell Has Opponents in a Spin with the All Black Way
Former New Zealand spinner John Bracewell, now in a coaching role, has turned the fortunes of underachieving Gloucestershire a full circle through preaching ‘the All Black way’. They are looking to complete a hatrick of one…
World set to discover the rigours of the Southern Traverse
“One of the world’s most prestigious adventure races, and the cornerstone of global media company announce a new partnership in adventure racing. Discovery Channel will be the exclusive media sponsor of the Southern Traverse (New Zealand),…
Windy Wellington Challenges the Eternal Spirit of the Olympic Flame
NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark was forced to take an unscheduled breather on the Olympic Torch Relay when “Windy” Wellington remained true to name. As the Prime Minister jogged down the stairs of Parliament House in the…
Tua Terminates Sullivan in Tysonesque Power Show
“Even Mike Tyson would have been impressed. Fighting with the savage explosiveness of the former champion, David Tua needed only 51 seconds to stop Obed Sullivan and firmly establish himself as the heavyweight division’s leading challenger.”
New Zealand No.8 Legend Farewelled
He changed the rugby ball in the same crazy way that Kiwi farmers altered fencing wire. “The career of Zinzan Brooke, a singular player in a uniform age, ended at Twickenham yesterday amid a sea of points…
David Tua Demonstrates Power
“In only 51 seconds, David Tua showed why the heavyweight division may become a more interesting place once again. In knocking down Obed Sullivan the squat Samoan from New Zealand also staked a claim alongside Mike Tyson…
Campbell Hits Record Breaking Haka of a Round
“The New Zealand Maori produced a spear-waving, chest beating, lip-curling, foot-stompin’ 63 in the first round of the English Open here yesterday”. Cambell’s nine under par round created a new European PGA record – no one has…
Wordplay No Game for Kiwi King of Scrabble
“Nigel Richards was something else. The man of the tournament, considered by many to be the world’s best scrabbler, thrilled everyone with his clinical skills and microscopic reading of the game.” Nigel has a record six straight…
Jonah the Barbarian: Tackled by Media Frenzy
“Images of him snarling, smiling and sneering as he tore through defenses like a crazy cartoon character were the most memorable of the tournament and his performance has gone down as one of the the most almighty…
They Shoot Horses Don’t They? Crusaders Put Down the Brumbies
The Canterbury Crusaders beat the ACT Brumbies 20-19 to win the Super 12 rugby union series for the third year running. New Zealand teams have now won all five editions of the Super 12…
Today in History: Hillary’s Everest Ascent Remembered
LA Times remembers Hillary and Tenzing’s historic achievement in being the first to reach the top of the world’s tallest mountain.
Sarah Ulmer Burns Up the Rubber in Columbia
Kiwi Sarah Ulmer won the gold medal in the 3000 metres individual pursuit at track cycling’s World Cup in Columbia and firmly set her sights on Sydney gold.
Word on the Street is That It Will Be a Tough Contest
Will Nigel Richards from New Zealand sweep the board and take home the biggest champion’s prize in Malaysian Scrabble? How far can the local champions take the game to the best in the world? The questions…
Tua Training to Become King of the Heavyweight Jungle
Las Vegas Sun columnist Dean Juipe’s boxing notebook profiles No.1 challenger to the heavyweight throne, David Tua, from his utopian home in Las Vegas – lions included.
Who Says Sport and Politics Don’t Mix?
US Senate Candidate John Ensign revived former UNLV basketball star Mark Dickel when the player struck his head during a pick-up game and went into convulsions. Dickel, from New Zealand, an honourable mention All-American point guard, was…
Superstar Jonah Shows that He’s got Grass-roots
Rugby superstar Jonah Lomu, shows he still knows what the game’s all about in the professional era, and will play for a local club in the Wellington second division club rugby competition.
Kiwis’ Towering Achievement in Kuala Lumpur
New Zealanders showed their domination at the Kuala Lumpur International Towerathon 2000 in both the men’s and women’s categories. Jonathan Wyatt broke his own record to win the event, climbing the 2,058 steps of the tower in 10.39s….
Remarkable Slight Back on Track after Brain Op
New Zealander Aaron Slight says he is ready to attempt one of motorcycling’s most remarkable comebacks … no one has ever had brain surgery then tried to race again at the top level three months later….
Record Breaking Brit Uses Kiwi Know-how
Brit Ellen Macarthur, 22, the youngest winner of the Europe 1 New Man Star transatlantic yacht race, is attempting the Vendée Globe around the world solo yacht race, its youngest competitor ever. As well as training…
Kiwis Romp to Victory in World School’s Golf Championship
New Zealand were runaway winners of the Golf Foundation team championship for schools international two-day final which ended at Royal County Down Golf Club on Wednesday. The New Zealanders won the R&A Trophy for the first time with…
The Race No Holiday for Club Med
New Zealander Grant Dalton, a winner of the Whitbread Round the World Race, is to skipper 110ft catamaran Club Med in ‘The Race’, a non-stop dash around the world starting from Barcelona on the last day…
