HBSS Relay Championships
Once again the intermediate boys were the stars of the day for HNHS at the relays held at Te Awanga. They comfortably put away all comers in a decisive victory, after leading from start to finish. Dylan Kirk lead out, followed by Jarrod
Lobb and Sean Morrison finished. Best of the other teams were the junior girls’ team, who finished second, despite the
late withdrawal of their lynch pin, Olivia Wilkey. Imogen Moore, Flo Mills and Lauren Bell did the job. Flo filled in admirably, despite her greenness in the sport. Of the other teams, both boys’ and girls’ senior teams and the intermediate girls’
teams finished third. Unfortunately, the junior boys’ team failed to make the podium, as they had a mis-punch.
NZSS Championships
Two titles at the championships were an absolute highlight in this event hosted here in Hawkes Bay. Only one Hawkes
Bay student won an individual title of the twelve up for grabs and that was Sean Morrison, who replicated his victory
at the NISS champs, by winning the intermediate sprint. In the race around Splash Planet, he managed the win by the
slimmest of margins, triumphant by a mere two seconds. Despite its proud history in orienteering, this is only the second
NZSS individual title won by the school. The other one was two years ago, won in Dunedin by Sean Morrison. The
school has had four NZSS representatives, yet none have won a title, that is how difficult it is. To win, Sean had to fend
off 75 opponents, and as an early starter, it was a long wait to see if he was the winner.
The school has three place in the top ten in the long course, held in the Arborfield forest on Kahuranaki Road. Once
again, Sean Morrison had the best result with a 4th placing in intermediate boys, while Jarrod Lobb again had a top
10 placing, finishing 9th. Big improver this year has been Hamish Legarth, and in junior boys, running a fantastic race to
place 7th. Matthew Wilkey (senior) and Flo Mills (junior) both won their respective standard grades (the technical level
below championship).
The second title won was in the intermediate boys’ relay where after a titanic battle with Napier and Whangarei, the
team of Jarrod Lobb, Callum Wilkie and Sean Morrison prevailed by over a minute at the finish. With Callum Wilkie coming into the team at a late stage for the ailing Dylan Kirk it was a great effort. Jarrod led out and gave Callum a minute
buffer, Callum kept his nerve and despite being passed, held it together to tag Sean around a minute behind. As they
say, the rest was history.
Another bonus was the second placing behind Waiuku of F