Latest news with #WakatipuHigh
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Huge honour for WHS head girl
Young Queenstowner Manuella Sanches Pedrosa. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Wakatipu High's head girl's been nationally recognised for being a "local leader and climate change trailblazer". Manuella Sanches Pedrosa, 17, has made the 2025 YWCA Y25 list, celebrating 25 wahine and gender-diverse change-makers, aged 15 to 25, "doing incredible things for their people, communities and planet". From 100-plus nominees, she's the second youngest on the list and one of only five South Islanders. Manuella says she was encouraged to "give it a go" by Girls who Grow co-founder Cath van der Meulen, who last year mentored her and three other Wakatipu High students to come up with innovative solutions to agricultural challenges, especially relating to increased droughts caused by climate change. The students won the 'Rising Star' award at October's Spirit of the Wakatipu community awards. A few weeks after applying for the Y25 list, Manuella says "I had completely forgotten about it, so when I received a call from Mary-Lynn Huxford, the organiser at YWCA, I was genuinely surprised". As part of her honour, she was invited to the launch event and three-day wananga (learning retreat) in Auckland last weekend, which she was able to take her mum to. "It was inspiring to be surrounded by trailblazers and change-makers who, like me, are pushing through the same challenges and striving to make a difference." Manuella, who intends studying law next year, says "I want to leave behind a legacy of support, where young people everywhere feel empowered to take bold action and help shape a more sustainable world". "I hope to create spaces where youth are encouraged to lead initiatives, embrace learning and have the confidence to advocate for the issues they care about, all while spreading love and joy." She thanks her teachers, school, mentors, Wakatipu Wild women's ice hockey team and friends "for their constant support and for always encouraging me to aim higher". Wakatipu High principal Oded Nathan says he's "super-pleased" for her. "We've been commenting internally about how special all of our head students are, but that Manuella certainly seems to have resonated with the community." A New Zealand women's under-18 ice hockey rep, she's suiting up for the Wild in Dunedin this weekend for the NZ women's league's finals series — see page 19 for more.
Otago Daily Times
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Off to Oz and maybe the US
Wakatipu High's Siena Mackley and James Weber. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Sensational performances at the recent NZ secondary school cross country champs in Whangarei have earned Wakatipu High students Siena Mackley and James Weber spots in the NZ XC team to compete in Australia in September. Siena, 17, won the senior girls' title, using her strength and skillsto power up the hills and pull away from her rivals in the 4km race. James, 16, in a field billed as the most stacked ever, staved off late challengers to finish 5th in his 6km race. The training buddies — who'd both won South Island titles a month earlier — the following day banded together with two Southlanders to win the 4x2km mixed senior cross country relay race. Their coach Neville Britton notes secondary schools XC is one of the most prestigious sports events in NZ — many previous winners have gained full athletics scholarships to top United States universities. Siena and James are also on the short qualifying list to make the NZ under-20 team to contest the world cross country champs in Florida next year.
Otago Daily Times
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Waka's pace-setting fullback
Conner Hamlin. PHOTO: PHILIP CHANDLER Give the ball to 'Vegas'. Wakatipu Premiers' speedy fullback Conner 'Vegas' Hamlin has been the rugby side's not-so-secret weapon this season, so far dotting down for seven tries after scoring nine in his first season with the team last year. The Dunedin-born 32-year-old, who moved to Queenstown early last year to be a PE teacher at Wakatipu High, would be one of the Central Otago comp's quickest players. But he also works well in tandem with Wakatipu's other pacy outside backs including Jamie Natapu and newcomer Jack Caunter. "It's good to be a part of like a back three where we can all rely on each other and we know where we're going to be and read the game really well," he says. At 78kg, Hamlin's also on the small side but doesn't lack for courage on defence. "I would say I would probably be on the lower side of most collisions I run into. The fact I've split my head open twice already this season is probably a good sign of that." The latest happened playing for Central Otago during the first half of their thrilling Topp Cup win over South Otago during King's Birthday Weekend, so he sat out Wakatipu's game against Matakanui Combined last weekend. Hamlin's played senior rugby for 12 years including about 85 games for Canterbury's Springston club, rep games for Ellesmere and Otago Country and even some games in the United States — his nickname springs from a 'court' session with Wakatipu team-mates when telling a story from his time in Las Vegas. Playing for Waka, he declares, "has probably been the most enjoyable footy I think I've played in my senior career, just because everyone gets along with everyone else". "And you enjoy turning up to Tuesday, Thursday trainings, no matter what the conditions are." He was on the field for the team's amazing come-from-behind win over Alexandra last month, but says his favourite was their White Horse Cup win over Upper Clutha last year. Handing it back this year was disappointing, Hamlin says. "[Veteran Bradley Cross] said, 'I think we were playing not to lose, rather than playing to win' — that's what you've got to. "If we could go and take it off Upper Clutha in the last round this year, that would be very handy." Hamlin, who'll be fit to take on Maniototo this Saturday, says it's healthy for the team and the club's future that five players who took the field last Saturday left Wakatipu High only two years ago. Out to square the ledger Having suffered a first-round away loss to Maniototo, 22-19, one of only two this season, Wakatipu will be out for revenge when they host the Ranfurly-based team at the Queenstown Recreation Ground this Saturday at 2.30pm. Wakatipu "warmed up" with a hard-fought 23-7 win over bottom-placed Matakanui Combined in freezing conditions last weekend — Waka's flying lock Josh Aperahama-Paenganui is pictured securing the ball during the game at the Rec Ground. Wakatipu's flying lock Josh Aperahama-Paenganui's pictured securing the ball during his team's game against Matakanui Combined at the Queenstown Rec Ground last Saturday. Co-captain and second-five Rube Peina starred by scoring all his team's points including two tries. Arrowtown, whose only win came in their season-opener against Matak, travel to play Cromwell this Saturday, seeking to go one better after drawing 26-all with them at home in the first round. Arrowtown lost 41-14 away to Alexandra last weekend.
Otago Daily Times
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Rowers on world stage
Wakatipu High's Seb Watson, left, and Harry Lightfoot proved their rowing chops with a record win in the U18 double sculls at this year's Maadi Cup on Lake Karapiro. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Two Wakatipu High 17-year-old rowers are furiously training and fundraising to represent New Zealand at world under-19 champs this winter. They are Arrowtowner Harry Lightfoot and Queenstowner Seb Watson, who sensationally broke a record of about 20 years' standing when they claimed gold in the U18 double sculls at this year's national secondary schools Maadi Cup regatta. Following trials, Harry's made NZ's team for the U19 worlds in Lithuania in August, which will be preceded by six weeks' training in Cambridge. He'll row in the double with Nathan Strachan, from Auckland's Macleans College, who won the U18 single sculls at this year's Maadi. Seb, meanwhile, has made the U19 NZ development team who are off to the Continental Challenge Cup regatta in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the United States, where he'll compete in multiple events including a mixed eight. Both trips are solely self-funded, Harry's costs reaching $20,000 and Seb's $8500 — a Givealittle page is running for the pair who are also fundraising themselves, including a raffle in Harry's case. Both have been rowing since year 9 at Wakatipu High, but have come on particularly over the past two years under Whakatipu Rowing Club coach John Morrison. Last year they won golds at Maadi in the U17 double and coxed quad, and they repeated the dose at U18 level on Cambridge's Lake Karapiro this year. For their upcoming worlds they've upped their training to 10 or 11 times a week including gym, rowing machine and on-water work. "Normally there's the big group trainings but at the moment there's just like me and Seb in a double or we'll be in singles, and it's freezing," Harry says. Both boys say they enjoy the social side of rowing — "I just enjoy being with my mates", Seb says — but also the competitive side. Both intend carrying on when they finish school this year, initially with the Whakatipu Rowing Club this next season — Seb's off to Canterbury University, and Harry's still deciding his next move. Harry follows in the wake of local rowing star Marley King Smith who competed at the past two U19 worlds.
Otago Daily Times
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Duo on caravan tour
From left, Charles, Olive, 4, Emily and Teaumarino Looker, 1. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Award-winning husband-and-wife duo Aro rock into Glenorchy and Queenstown for concerts next week on a caravan tour of the country with their two young tamariki. Aro comprises Charles Looker, whose first language is te reo Maori, and his wife Emily, who's learnt the language. Having formed Aro in 2017, the couple have released two albums, two EPs and numerous singles, and last year won the Waiata Maori Music Award for Best Pop Album. Their 'An Evening with Aro' gigs at Glenorchy's The Headwaters Eco Lodge next Thursday, at 6.30pm, and at Te Atamira next Friday, 7pm, promise to be "an intimate evening of original waiata blending jazz and folk", including their newest single, Te Karanga. Emily: "It's going to be a musical experience of harmonies, storytelling and our bicultural lifestyle. "Hopefully a whole lot of love and enjoyment can be had and felt by the listeners when they come along to the show." The Lookers, who travel with Olive, 4, and one-year-old Teaumarino, decided to rent out their Pukekohe home after the latter arrived and take to the road. Along with performing and writing songs inspired by Aotearoa's stories and nature, they take songwriting workshops. They'll take one at Wakatipu High — about the 20th since they designed them specifically for schools last year — and a public one at Te Atamira next Friday at 1pm.
