Opotiki College Kapa Haka, Kura ki Uta, are the 2007 Mataatua Regional Secondary School Champions and will compete at the Nationals in Wellington in 2008.
The event was hosted by Opotiki College and our group represented their school whanau, hapu and iwi proudly and performed a magnificent programme to the highest level.
In assembly today I was able to acknowledge the fine work of their tutors, Hemi and Paula Pirihi, and their support crew and the continued outstanding support and guidance given by DP Robyn Abraham-Harris. I was also able to acknowledge the great organisation put in place by DP Hone Green, who led the committee that organised the event. It was also great to take the opportunity to thank the staff of the College who provided awesome background support.
These young people set a high goal and, more importantly, showed the discipline and determination to succeed. We are very proud of them.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Restorative Justice Conference
This is the view from the conference venue, Twin Waters Resort, on the Sunshine Coast in Australia. The venue was great and the conference itself was inspiring.
I attended workshops on Evaluation and Research of Restorative Practices, A School's Journey, The Role of RJ in Engaging Students and Overcoming Barriers to Implementation.
I soon came to realise that there are a small group of New Zealand Secondary Schools that are leading the way globally in implementing restorative practices; and that Opotiki College is one of them.
I still found a great deal to learn to build on our practices.
More photos are on flickr.
I attended workshops on Evaluation and Research of Restorative Practices, A School's Journey, The Role of RJ in Engaging Students and Overcoming Barriers to Implementation.
I soon came to realise that there are a small group of New Zealand Secondary Schools that are leading the way globally in implementing restorative practices; and that Opotiki College is one of them.
I still found a great deal to learn to build on our practices.
More photos are on flickr.
The face says it all!
Click here to see a series of photos of me, lea and Tina who all competed as individuals.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Motu Challenge 2007
Congratulations to Lea who completed her first ever solo Motu coming in comfortably under 11 hours. There, that's out of the way, now it's about me!
There will be more to follow, especially when I upload the photos, so this is just a short post. I'm off to Aussie tomorrow so there might be a little wait before the next exciting post.
I had never trained better and more consistently (181 days in a row yesterday) and was certain that I would go close to my PB of 10hrs 18 set when I was a much younger early 40s! The MTB was going really well and seemed quite effortless. It took me just under 32 mins to climb Meremere which is my fastest ever and I was in a good group with Dr Kerr and Trevor Standen. Then I got a puncture and the bloody rims on my bike (ask Hedley) meant it took 12 minutes to change the tyre. Huge thanks to Ross Steele who interrupted his race to help. Thanks mate. It was heartbreaking to see Lea and Tina and other superstars go past. I biked in a pretty grumpy fashion to Motu in about 3 19. I was aiming for 3.10 and honestly felt that without the puncture I could have gone quite close to 3 hrs.
The run was agony. The only highlight was finally catching Lea at the Falls Bridge and then picking up Kelvin Harford who was in one of the school teams. Took about 1 40 on the run plus a few minutes in the transition. My support crew of Leigh, Lucy and Kurt were awesome because I was a bit low at the end of the run. I knew that despite the puncture I still could have had a shot at my PB if it wasn't for the wind that I knew was waiting for me at Matawai.
I biked quite strongly (despite cramp kicking in a few times) but found the wind very tough and a bit scary in places - actually getting blown off the tarmac at one stage and almost coming to a halt 3/4 way up Traffords. I picked up Trevor Standen again and we completed the stage together. The full leg took 1.59 so I suppose with transition time I was in the low 1.50s.
Into the waka. The river was great and some of the rapids were quite gnarley. Lots of people in fast boats were tipping out. I caught Trevor after he tipped and he went past again and then had another swim. Fortunately for me while he was chasing me he hit a rock and tipped again. Kurt had to haul me out of the waka at the end and I had a strong cycle and run to hit about 10.24 which is 6 minutes outside my best!!!!!****&&&%%$
Big thanks to Kurt, Leigh and Lucy who kept me going. Thanks again to Ross and to the many locals who took part. It was great seeing everyone congratulating each other etc.
Jan and his crew came from Hamilton and did quite well, though I didn't get much of a chance to catch up with them later. Jan about 3.30 on MTB, Tasha about 1.40 on the run and Ross abou 1.35 on bike (then he rode to end of kayak). I didn't catch Richard's kayak time but I think he smoked it.
Photos to come.
Oh yeah. Well done again, Lea. I might let you put your own posting on.
There will be more to follow, especially when I upload the photos, so this is just a short post. I'm off to Aussie tomorrow so there might be a little wait before the next exciting post.
I had never trained better and more consistently (181 days in a row yesterday) and was certain that I would go close to my PB of 10hrs 18 set when I was a much younger early 40s! The MTB was going really well and seemed quite effortless. It took me just under 32 mins to climb Meremere which is my fastest ever and I was in a good group with Dr Kerr and Trevor Standen. Then I got a puncture and the bloody rims on my bike (ask Hedley) meant it took 12 minutes to change the tyre. Huge thanks to Ross Steele who interrupted his race to help. Thanks mate. It was heartbreaking to see Lea and Tina and other superstars go past. I biked in a pretty grumpy fashion to Motu in about 3 19. I was aiming for 3.10 and honestly felt that without the puncture I could have gone quite close to 3 hrs.
The run was agony. The only highlight was finally catching Lea at the Falls Bridge and then picking up Kelvin Harford who was in one of the school teams. Took about 1 40 on the run plus a few minutes in the transition. My support crew of Leigh, Lucy and Kurt were awesome because I was a bit low at the end of the run. I knew that despite the puncture I still could have had a shot at my PB if it wasn't for the wind that I knew was waiting for me at Matawai.
I biked quite strongly (despite cramp kicking in a few times) but found the wind very tough and a bit scary in places - actually getting blown off the tarmac at one stage and almost coming to a halt 3/4 way up Traffords. I picked up Trevor Standen again and we completed the stage together. The full leg took 1.59 so I suppose with transition time I was in the low 1.50s.
Into the waka. The river was great and some of the rapids were quite gnarley. Lots of people in fast boats were tipping out. I caught Trevor after he tipped and he went past again and then had another swim. Fortunately for me while he was chasing me he hit a rock and tipped again. Kurt had to haul me out of the waka at the end and I had a strong cycle and run to hit about 10.24 which is 6 minutes outside my best!!!!!****&&&%%$
Big thanks to Kurt, Leigh and Lucy who kept me going. Thanks again to Ross and to the many locals who took part. It was great seeing everyone congratulating each other etc.
Jan and his crew came from Hamilton and did quite well, though I didn't get much of a chance to catch up with them later. Jan about 3.30 on MTB, Tasha about 1.40 on the run and Ross abou 1.35 on bike (then he rode to end of kayak). I didn't catch Richard's kayak time but I think he smoked it.
Photos to come.
Oh yeah. Well done again, Lea. I might let you put your own posting on.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
175 days in a row which includes a swim!
Thomas turned 21 last week so Leigh, Sam, Lucy and I went over to Hamilton on Friday and took him out to tea where we had fine Thai and a few too many beers. He really liked his pounamu - one from Lucy and another from the rest of us.
Came back on Saturday to find Lea had had a good day up the Motu. She MTBed up in about 3.30 and then ran from the Motu Falls Bridge in about 1 26. This would give her about a 2hr run which is great after the MTB and considering her 2 weeks of flu. The boss did a great job looking after her.
On Sunday after the devastating rugby!!!!!! Lea and Andrew biked up to Oponae and then Lea and I paddled the full course. The river was good at about 1.7 but there was a strong head wind all of the way. Lea made it down without swimming which gives her an average now of 3.4 swims per paddle. 17 on the first and then none since.
I made her day by falling out. In an ttempt to avoid running in to her I cut out of the white water through the eddy and flipped. It made her day. My average is now 0.2!!!!
We were stoked to paddle in a fraction over 2 hr 30!!
Predictions for the day:
Lea 11hr (3.15, 2hrs, 1.55, 2.50, 20min, 20min + 20 min transitions)
Maurie 10hr 25 (3.10, 1.35, 2hrs, 2.40, 20min, 20min +20min transitions).
There! That's setting me up for a fall!
175 days in a row today.
Came back on Saturday to find Lea had had a good day up the Motu. She MTBed up in about 3.30 and then ran from the Motu Falls Bridge in about 1 26. This would give her about a 2hr run which is great after the MTB and considering her 2 weeks of flu. The boss did a great job looking after her.
On Sunday after the devastating rugby!!!!!! Lea and Andrew biked up to Oponae and then Lea and I paddled the full course. The river was good at about 1.7 but there was a strong head wind all of the way. Lea made it down without swimming which gives her an average now of 3.4 swims per paddle. 17 on the first and then none since.
I made her day by falling out. In an ttempt to avoid running in to her I cut out of the white water through the eddy and flipped. It made her day. My average is now 0.2!!!!
We were stoked to paddle in a fraction over 2 hr 30!!
Predictions for the day:
Lea 11hr (3.15, 2hrs, 1.55, 2.50, 20min, 20min + 20 min transitions)
Maurie 10hr 25 (3.10, 1.35, 2hrs, 2.40, 20min, 20min +20min transitions).
There! That's setting me up for a fall!
175 days in a row today.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Didn't Fall Out But We Bailed Out
After a hard day's training and feasting the day before (see previous post) Hedley, Lea and I with Marg's support headed out to paddle the Waioweka. The river was at about 1.7 so there was quite a good flow and we were looking forward to a good time.
There was a little bit of drizzle just after the start but we pressed on and enjoyed the better water flow. The rain and wind kept getting heavier and stronger and for those of us without wetsuits it was getting colder and colder. Our highlight was passing a group of six paddlers in flash boats with two of them in the water while we charged through the rapids!!
As we reached the gravel pit the rain and wind got stronger and we decided to bail out. There will be many versions of how we came to that decision. Lea will claim that the boys whimped out. An alternative worth considering is that the decision was made to ensure our recovering co-competitor didn't make her flu return. Most will find this version difficult to accept because how could someone suggest something so supportive when they were badly let down the day before by said recovering co-competitor (see previous post).
Pete from Auckland also bailed out and we were able to cart him down to the bottom of the paddle.
Training will be quite low key now so not too tired on the day.
We're off to Te Kaha for 3 day's break then to Hamilton to have dinner on Friday with Thomas who turns 21 tomorrow.
There was a little bit of drizzle just after the start but we pressed on and enjoyed the better water flow. The rain and wind kept getting heavier and stronger and for those of us without wetsuits it was getting colder and colder. Our highlight was passing a group of six paddlers in flash boats with two of them in the water while we charged through the rapids!!
As we reached the gravel pit the rain and wind got stronger and we decided to bail out. There will be many versions of how we came to that decision. Lea will claim that the boys whimped out. An alternative worth considering is that the decision was made to ensure our recovering co-competitor didn't make her flu return. Most will find this version difficult to accept because how could someone suggest something so supportive when they were badly let down the day before by said recovering co-competitor (see previous post).
Pete from Auckland also bailed out and we were able to cart him down to the bottom of the paddle.
Training will be quite low key now so not too tired on the day.
We're off to Te Kaha for 3 day's break then to Hamilton to have dinner on Friday with Thomas who turns 21 tomorrow.
Jan and Dave "I'm not much of a runner!!"
Jan and Dave visited from Hamilton to do some Motu training this weekend. We sussed each other out over a few beers on Friday night and then set off for a big day on Saturday.
After watching Tonga fall to the Poms the boss, Jan, Dave and myself headed off on the MTB course. On the Whitikau Dave and I got a bit of a jump on the other two. Just before Dave dropped me he asked me waht my strongest discipline was and I foolishly said running to which he replied "I'm not much of a runner." I thought nothing more of that.
I should've been suspicious when he not only dropped me but after getting to the end rode back to meet me 500m from the finish!!
It was another fantastic ride on 3hrs 9min! There were many other riders and one guy had a fall after hitting a weka. He bloodied his knees but we hope the weka is OK.
Lea had driven up to meet us as she was still out with the flu. She drove us to the Motu Falls and Jan Dave (I'm not much of a runner) and I started the run in the bush. Dave and I dropped Jan who bailed out and headed back without telling us. We waited for 15 min at end of the bush before other runners telling us he had gone back.
With that Dave (I'm not much of a runner) and I loped off with 5k to go. From that point Dave floated on and disappeared into the distance. The only consolation was that he did not run back to meet me after he had finished!
Lea and I then road biked from Matawai. Of course, I was a bit shagged by this point and there was a howling gale as a head wind. And of course Lea was as fresh as daisies not having trained for over a week.
She dropped me on the first hill and when I caught up I gave her a little test. I told her to go on and not wait for me. After having looked after her for several months of training I fully expected a response of "No we'll stick together and I'll pull you through." Her response was "OK" and took off!!!! Test failed.
For the next 1 1/2 hours I slogged manfully and lonely into the head wind!!!!
I got over my disappointment by having a spa, a few beers, a BBQ of venison etc with Pete and Lea, Marg The Boss, Jan, Dave )I'm not much of a runner), Dad, Hedley and Teleri and old Mad dog Telfer and Faith.
Have to go and have a coffee at 2Fish now so I'll let you know about the Sunday paddling in the next post.
All of the above is true.
After watching Tonga fall to the Poms the boss, Jan, Dave and myself headed off on the MTB course. On the Whitikau Dave and I got a bit of a jump on the other two. Just before Dave dropped me he asked me waht my strongest discipline was and I foolishly said running to which he replied "I'm not much of a runner." I thought nothing more of that.
I should've been suspicious when he not only dropped me but after getting to the end rode back to meet me 500m from the finish!!
It was another fantastic ride on 3hrs 9min! There were many other riders and one guy had a fall after hitting a weka. He bloodied his knees but we hope the weka is OK.
Lea had driven up to meet us as she was still out with the flu. She drove us to the Motu Falls and Jan Dave (I'm not much of a runner) and I started the run in the bush. Dave and I dropped Jan who bailed out and headed back without telling us. We waited for 15 min at end of the bush before other runners telling us he had gone back.
With that Dave (I'm not much of a runner) and I loped off with 5k to go. From that point Dave floated on and disappeared into the distance. The only consolation was that he did not run back to meet me after he had finished!
Lea and I then road biked from Matawai. Of course, I was a bit shagged by this point and there was a howling gale as a head wind. And of course Lea was as fresh as daisies not having trained for over a week.
She dropped me on the first hill and when I caught up I gave her a little test. I told her to go on and not wait for me. After having looked after her for several months of training I fully expected a response of "No we'll stick together and I'll pull you through." Her response was "OK" and took off!!!! Test failed.
For the next 1 1/2 hours I slogged manfully and lonely into the head wind!!!!
I got over my disappointment by having a spa, a few beers, a BBQ of venison etc with Pete and Lea, Marg The Boss, Jan, Dave )I'm not much of a runner), Dad, Hedley and Teleri and old Mad dog Telfer and Faith.
Have to go and have a coffee at 2Fish now so I'll let you know about the Sunday paddling in the next post.
All of the above is true.
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