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Close battles at day 2 of Uni Games
Thursday, April 20th, 2006
The second day of competition at the New Zealand University Games saw some spills, falls and a lot of fantastic play.
The onsight sport climbing competition provided exciting entertainment for spectators at the Climbing Centre in Lower Hutt, with some “great climbs, big falls and scary clippings,†according to competition manager Merewyn Ellis. Onsight competitors are roped but only have one climb attempt.
A tough battle between two accomplished male sport climbers took place at the HangDog Climbing Centre in Lower Hutt. Nineteen-year-old Ben Whitton, from Auckland University, won the men’s title after a close competition with Denanto Harry Putra from Massey Wellingon.
“Winning was a real kick and a great buzz,†said Whitton, who has been climbing competitively for three years.
The women’s onsight climbing title was won by Angelika Merkel from the University of Canterbury and Abigail Allan (Massey Palmerston North) came second.
The mountain biking competition also concluded today with the downhill event at Maidstone Park in Upper Hutt.
Canterbury University students won the top two titles, with Stephen Butler winning the men’s event and Hayley Robertson taking out the women’s title. Yesterday, at Makara mountain bike park, John Gray of Waikato and Victoria’s Kate Wilson won the men’s and woman’s cross-country titles respectively.
Auckland University students excelled in the fencing competition, which also wrapped up today.
The students competed with three weapons, foil, epée and sabre. In the foil, Landon Watt from Auckland University was placed first in the men’s competition and Fiona Carman, from Otago University won the women’s title. In the epée, Auckland University’s Angus McMorland won the men’s event and Victoria University’s Helen Ma won the women’s. In the sabre, Hamish McCracken from Auckland won the men’s title and Canterbury University’s Katherine Taylor, who is the current overall national women’s sabre champion, won the women’s event.
The remaining sports—including all the finals—will be played out tomorrow. See the attached sports schedule for details. The event is organised by New Zealand University Sport, in partnership with Victoria University, Victoria University Students’ Association, Wellington City Council, Sport Wellington Region and the New Zealand Community Trust.
Full results are updated daily at www.universitysport.org.nz/events/domestic/nzug/draws-results-06/
To attend the Uni Games, in Wellington, or to find out more about the programme, contact New Zealand University Games Media Manager, Kate Doran, on 027 563 5105 or email kate.doran@vuw.ac.nz.
