Orienteering was once again one of the most competitive
sports in the school. With a squad of around fifty, they
performed very well at national events, especially the boys.
Two national titles were picked up and the HNHS boys now
have the powerhouse of NZ boys’ orienteering, Napier
Boys’, looking over their shoulder. The future looks good
for the school in this sport, as the performance of the HN
Intermediate school was outstanding at the event. They
dominated and with most of them coming to the school
next year, it will be something to look forward to. Friday
night practices were well attended. Thanks go to Mr Armon,
who was always available to help at practices and at
events.
NISS Championships
Highlight of these champs was the victory in the sprint in
the Botanical Gardens at Manurewa of Sean Morrison in
the intermediate boys’ race. He covered the 3km course,
finding 18 controls in a tick over 15 minutes. Jarrod Lobb
was the only other top ten finisher, coming 10th.
The long course and the relays were held in Woodhill
Forest, and once again, Sean Morrison was the best
placed runner of the day, finishing 4th. A bad start cost him
a podium finish, and he only edged ahead of Jarrod Lobb
near the end to place 5th. Junior girls’ provided another
top 10 finisher, when Olivia Wilkey had a good run to
place 6th.
Often it is not so bad to be a back-up team in an orienteering
relay, especially when your A team is self destructing. That
happened for the intermediate boys’ team, who battled away
manfully, and to their delight ended up on the podium. Charles
Talbot, Nathan Miller and Callum Wilkie had started the day with
less than high hopes, but had bragging rights on the return trip
from Auckland, with their third placing under their belt, and by
far and away the best performance by any of the school relay
teams.
The boys team ended the competition in third place overall.
HBSS individual Championships
Two out of three boys’ champions on the farmland at Rotoma
Station were outstanding, considering one of the schools
opposing were the best in the land. Sean Morrison towelled up
his intermediate opponents by 4.5 minutes, while Hamish Legarth
turned a few heads with his victory by 28 seconds in the junior
race. There was a quiet satisfaction in the way the intermediate
boys had put away the Napier Boys’ team, as they were made
up of the same boys who had come third in the World Schools
event in April. The fact that Sean had finished 1st, Jarrod Lobb,
2nd, and Dylan Kirk, 4th, was emphatic.
The best run by a girl was in the junior race where Olivia Wilkey
made the podium in second place. Laurence de Burgh (5th
in senior), Annah McPherson (5th in intermediate) and Imogen
Moore (5th in junior) were other notable championship finishers,
while Harrison Gregory (senior), and Crystal Walsh (senior), both
won their standard grades.