MORE GOLD

NZ SECOND ON MEDAL TABLE AT WORLD TAEKWON-DO CHAMPS IN ARGENTINA

New Zealand has added three golds to its medal haul making it No 2 on the medal table of 60 countries at the Taekwon-Do Federation World Championships in Argentina.

With one day of competition to go, Argentina leads the medal hunt with New Zealand second, followed by Germany.

Taekwon-Do, which has its origins in Korea, is the most popular form of martial arts in the world with an estimated 180 million practitioners of the sport.

The New Zealand team now has eight Golds, six Silver and eight Bronze medals.

Team star Carl van Roon, of Auckland, won his Gold medal in the Senior Male Speciality division, making him fourth time consecutive World Champion in the division, while Luke Thompson, also of Auckland, clinched a Gold, making him second-time consecutive World Champion in the Senior Male Individual Power division. The last Gold medal was won by Stuart Maden, of Wellington, in the Junior Male Power competition.

Silver medals come from the SPARC-sponsored Auckland -based athletes Mark Trotter and Luke Thompson in the Senior Male Pre-arranged Sparring competition and Jeremy Hannah, of Auckland, in the Junior Male Heavyweight Sparring Division.

The third Silver was taken out by Kristy Leong in the Junior Female Power division while the last of the Silver Medals was won by SPARC-sponsored Carl van Roon in the Senior Male Heavyweight Sparring competition.

Bronze medals were won by Aucklanders Carolina Dillen in the Senior Female Lightweight Sparring Division and Courtney Meleisea in the Junior Female Heavyweight Sparring Division.

Mark Trotter won a Bronze medal in the Senior Male Micro Weight Sparring division and Amanda Clealand secured a Bronze in her Senior Female Power division. Anna Yates, of Palmerston North, won her bronze medal in the Junior Female Power division.

The four-day event has drawn over 800 competitors with large teams from the United States, England, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Germany and Poland.

The World Championships will be held in Wellington from the 10 – 13 March 2011.

“The excellent performances by the Kiwi team will make us very competitive on home soil in 2011,” says 2011 World Champs Organising Chairman Nick Lourantos.

CHAMPS BACK HEAL AND PROTECT

We are delighted to announce some serious support for the project to rebuild the community centre in the tsunami ravaged village of Poutasi in Samoa . Project Heal and Protect will also raise funds to install a Tsunami warning system throughout the island.

Stars swing in behind Project Heal & Protect

Media Statement 22 October 2009

For immediate use

128 rugby and league stars and enthusiastic golfers will be swinging at the Miramar Golf Course next week (Wednesday 28 October) to raise funds for the Samoa tsunami relief effort.

Wellington businessmen, Ian Klinac, and Steven McLauchlan, (Wellington New World) have put the tournament together to raise funds for Project Heal and Protect. (Poloketi Toe Fa’alelei ma Puipuia)

"We could have sold enough teams to fill two golf courses; it’s been a very generous show of support by the people of Wellington,” Mr Klinac said.

Former All Black great 'Smokin' Joe Stanley will travel south for the event with sporting greats Monty Beetham, Frano Botica, Peter Fatialofa, Logan Swann, Stacey Jones, Olo Brown, Frank Bunce and Junior Tonu'u. They will be joined by Wellington heroes Alama Ieremia, Christian Cullen and Norm Hewitt.

Mr Klinac said as well as the stars who will be playing, exclusive sporting memorabilia is on the way from overseas.

“Tana Umaga, Filo Tiatia and Pita Alitini are sending 'limited edition' items to be auctioned.

“Michael Jones, Inga Tuigamala and David Tua have also pledged their support by donating pieces of memorabilia,” he said.

Pacific Blue Airlines have kindly sponsored the flights with the Abel Tasman Hotel, Wellington sponsoring the accommodation.

“The support we have had from so many Wellington companies to make this event happen at no cost has been overwhelming.”

The golf tournament starts at 12 noon. Spectators welcome.

All monies raised at the event will go the Project Heal and Protect Charitable Trust which is to rebuild the community centre at Poutasi Village and purchase and install tsunami warning sirens across Samoa.

Project Heal and Protect is the brainchild of Wellington telco support company Oceanic Group and Director Locky Mulholland, said he was over the moon with the generosity and support shown by Wellington businesses.

More information about Project Heal and Protect (Poloketi Toe Fa’alelei ma Puipuia) can be found at http://www.oclgroup.co.nz/project-heal-and-protect/ or you can ring on +64 4 384 7266 or email healandprotect@oclgroup.co.nz

Ends

For further information contact Chris Wikaira 027 45 22 472 or Tina Nixon 027 22 32 789

WE DEPLORE VIOLENCE

But like it or not a good old fashioned post match rugby brawl is just sooo damn sexy. According to the NZ Herald, Rugbuy Southland is investigating a scrap at a weekend rugby match in the deep south. Now in our days of Southern rugby watching , brawls were a common occurrence. There was a bit of biffo, everyone would stand and watch and goad them on and when someone looked like they were getting a bit hurt, it would be stopped. Bloody noses and black eyes, and a bit of winding - That was about the strength of it.

What sets this one apart was it was between spectators. Now that's just not the done thing. But it was at the match between Wyndham and Mataura - lots of cousins there - not ours - just lots of cousins kissing and fighting all the time..

Tesoriero stacks up the medals

Battered and bruised New Zealander Paula Tesoriero wins another one !!!

another medal - this time a bronze - stuff has the details.