That was 20 years ago.
ANDY JACKSON/Stuff
Opunake High School acting principal Andrea Hooper arrived in Opunake 20 years ago. “Out of all the places we have visited, Opunake, Taranaki, is just paradise – where the community really does raise a child. The black sand, seaside town is on the southwest coast of Taranaki, 61 kilometres from New Plymouth and an hour-and-a-half drive from Whanganui. And if a base salary ranging from $95,175 to $166,272 isn t enough to make you move to this secluded town, maybe the community will. The town has connections to some of New Zealand s most well-known achievers including Olympic gold medallist Sir Peter Snell, former prime minister Jim Bolger, and All Blacks Graham Mourie, Mark Robinson, Don Clarke and the Barrett brothers.
Whanganui athletes take part in Snell s Mile Challenge at Cooks Gardens
31 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM
2 minutes to read
Six weeks after his fifth hip operation, the concept of walking a mile on crutches didn t faze Whanganui athletics coach Alec McNab.
McNab was one of around a dozen keen athletes in the over-60 category at the Snell s Mile Challenge event on Sunday, taking to the famous Cooks Gardens track alongside his wife Susan.
The event is held every year to commemorate Kiwi runner the late Sir Peter Snell breaking the world mile record at the ground in 1962. Participants from all age groups complete a one mile walk or run on the track.
Sunday, 31 January 2021, 6:16 am
Few athletics venues in the world are as synonymous with
the mile as Cooks Gardens in Whanganui, and Camille Buscomb
and Sam Tanner lived up to that rich tradition by claiming
the New Zealand Mile Championship titles on a historic night
of action at the Cooks Classic.
After a 52-year
absence, both national mile crowns were re-introduced with
the men’s race following the script as the gifted
20-year-old Tanner added the national title over the
‘classic distance’ to the New Zealand 3000m crown he
snared last weekend in Hastings.
Producing a
performance the great, late Sir Peter Snell – who smashed
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
In a year in which international sport was severely disrupted due to Covid-19, the Olympic 49er Champions retained their World Championship title.
Just two months after winning the title in Auckland, Burling and Tuke showed their pedigree in Melbourne in February, winning seven of the 13 races to finish 28-points ahead of their nearest rivals and claim a staggering sixth World Championship title.
NZOC CEO Kereyn Smith says Burling and Tuke are deserved winners of the Lonsdale Cup. Winning six world titles is an amazing feat. A huge amount of dedication, skill and hard-work is required for every campaign and these athletes have proven time and time again that they are a cut above the rest.
Athletics: Cooks Classic hooks major sponsor
18 Dec, 2020 04:00 PM
4 minutes to read
Pak nSave Whanganui store owner Gareth Jones (left) has joined the party with athletic gurus Alec McNab and Russell Sears to ensure smooth running of the new upgraded Cooks Classic.
Pak nSave Whanganui store owner Gareth Jones (left) has joined the party with athletic gurus Alec McNab and Russell Sears to ensure smooth running of the new upgraded Cooks Classic.
New ingredients have added to the flavour of the 2021 Cooks Classic in Whanganui next month.
For the first time in several years the important event on the New Zealand athletics calendar has a major sponsor, with the arrival of Pak nSave Whanganui.