Challenge Wānaka has announced new courses for its middle-distance Wānaka Half race next year which will “maximise spectator opportunities”, organisers say.Starting at Pembroke Park, bikers will head towards Glendhu Bay on the Wānaka-Mt Aspiring Road, turning around at Parkins Bay and returning to town. The race will be completed in three laps - a total of 90 kilometres.Meanwhile the run course will feature a two-lap route from Pembroke Park along the lakefront to Eely Point and Bremner Bay and out to Beacon Point before returning to central Wānaka.“We believe the new bike and run courses for the 2025 Challenge Wanaka Half will enhance the event by maximising spectator opportunities while minimising costs and traffic impact in the wider Wānaka area,” Challenge Wānaka event director Jane Sharman said. “These thoughtfully designed routes aim to provide exciting and accessible viewing experiences for fans, allowing athletes to fully immerse themselves in the breathtaking scenery and minimal disruption to local traffic and residents.”She said the approach “reflects our commitment to delivering an event that benefits both participants and the community”.If Queenstown Lakes District Council approves the route, the bike course will be closed to general public traffic from 7.00am until 12.30pm on race day (February 15). Next year the triathlon festival will return to Pembroke Park in 2025 after four years at Glendhu Bay.The festival's schedule will run from February 13-15, with events for everyone from preschoolers through to elite athletes, culminating in the Challenge Wānaka Half.Entries for the 2025 Challenge Wānaka are open now.PHOTO: Lennon Bright Photography

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has appointed a new general manager of assurance, finance and risk.Katherine Harbrow will start in the role on August 12, succeeding long-standing council manager Stewart Burns who is retiring after nearly 28 years’ service.QLDC chief executive Mike Theelen said there will be a comprehensive handover period of two to three months to ensure a smooth and informed transition. “Congratulations and a warm welcome to Katherine,” Mike said. “She’s an exceptional leader with proven local government experience who’ll be a great addition to our executive leadership team and council as a whole.”Katherine is a chartered accountant and holds an MBA from the University of Canterbury. She is joining QLDC from Te Pūkenga where she was the financial reporting and operations Director. Her previous roles include chief financial officer and director operations at Environment Canterbury, and finance business partner at Christchurch City Council. Katherine said she’s looking forward to building on her existing connections to the district. “I was born in Invercargill, had holidays in Frankton and Arrowtown, and met, got engaged and married my husband in Queenstown,” she said.“I have 28 years’ experience of leading teams and 11 years in local government. This has included leading or supporting four Long Term Plans, enhancing financial data accessibility, and working with the same core IT system used at QLDC.” Mike Theelen paid tribute to Stewart, who will retire later this year.Stewart Burns“On behalf of everyone at council, I’d also like to say a huge thank you to Stew,” he said. The knowledge he has built up over nearly three decades here is unparalleled, and his sage guidance has steered us through both calm and, at times, choppy waters.”  “While he’ll be a tough act to follow, I’m delighted that he’s staying on until later this year to share his wisdom and give Katherine the best possible foundation on which to build her own approach.” PHOTOS: Supplied

Former Te Kura O Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) student Ellesse Andrews has left the field in her wake to win gold in the women's keirin at the Paris Olympics.The 24-year-old dominated the six-woman final, proving untouchable over the closing lap as she added to the silver medal she won in the same event at the previous Games in Tokyo.She told Sky Sport she was honoured to become just the second New Zealand Olympic cycling gold medallist after Sarah Ulmer, who won the women's individual pursuit at the 2004 Athens Games."It will take a long time to process and a long time to sink in. Sarah Ulmer is an amazing bike rider, she's an amazing person so to be beside her is incredible," Andrews said."I think it's surreal. I tend to take a while to let things soak in, so right now it's just surreal."I'm very sore, I'm very hot and I'm very puffed."Ellesse Andrews celebrates her gold medal victory in the women's keirin. PHOTO: Sebastien Bozon/AFPAfter advancing through the semi-finals, Ellesse stayed as calm as possible in the lead-up to the final and on the start line."I like to try to not get myself too overwhelmed, or too over-worked, before the race."I was just thinking about the simple things and for me it was just another round - and I just needed to qualify, hopefully first this time!"And I managed to cross the line first."Ellesse hit the front on the penultimate lap and, despite the challengers lining up behind her, she could not be caught, winning by 0.062 seconds from Dutch rider Hetty van de Wouw. Great Britain's Emma Finucane took bronze.Andrews said her plan to hold the lead going into the final lap worked."On a track like this, it's great to be in number one coming into the bell."I remember seeing Finucane right on my hip, coming into the bell, and I knew I just needed to accelerate and keep going."She said having her father Jon Andrews - a former New Zealand track cycling representative - as her coach made victory all the more sweet."I think that's special. Most of the time your parents are on the other side of the fence, so to have one trackside, on this side of the fence with me, is pretty unusual I'd say for the sport, but very special."It was a second medal of the Games for Ellesse, who was part of the silver-medal winning team sprint on the opening night of track cycling competition in Versailles.It adds to a career tally that includes a world championship gold in Glasgow last year, along with a trio of golds on the track at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

The Wao Summit 2024 will offer attendees five days of inspiring workshops, masterclasses and kōrero, as well as a community festival.Taking place from October 29-November 2 in both Wānaka and Queenstown, this year’s summit will centre around the theme of ‘Better Together’, Wao Aotearoa director Monique Kelly said.“Better Together means we’re stepping up as a collective and putting resilience front and centre of the action, whether it be for climate, biodiversity, community, food or waste reduction.”The programme will ‘deep dive’ into topics including food resilience and food security, youth-focussed action, local biodiversity champions and the role businesses and the building industry can play in a regenerative future.Sessions will take place at a range of locations around the Upper Clutha. PHOTO: SuppliedSpeaking at the Wao Summit 2024 launch event at Rhyme X Reason on July 30, Monique said the summit is “first and foremost set up to cross-pollinate ideas”.“We're the kind of fire underneath people's bottoms, if you like, to get [people and businesses] going...” she said.“And we do this by bringing into the community experts, speakers, [and] people who maybe have a little bit more knowledge, to add to [questions around] how do we design, how do we build, and how do we navigate.”Like previous summits, the Wao Summit 2024 will feature “a lot of big picture thinking and workshops”, Monique said. PHOTO: SuppliedThere will be 44 individual sessions across the five-day summit.Events range from ‘Shifting Tides’, a lecture from Emeritus Professor Dr. Paul Spoonley on the change of demographics in New Zealand and the impact climate will have on where we live, to a ‘Climate Solutions Cafe’ designed to encourage open conversations about climate change.There’s also ‘The Better Building Day’, with a full day programme for building industry professionals focusing on innovative approaches to sustainable construction and design, and ‘Building Community Resilience’, a workshop where locals can learn from the Sustainable Hawke's Bay team about their experiences and actions following Cyclone Gabrielle.  Families may be interested in the ‘Festival of Nature’ - free for kids - which will feature live music, storytelling, films, interactive workshops and informative stands. View the full Wao Summit 2024 programme and book early bird tickets here.

Fish population densities in Otago's three largest lakes are relatively stable, new acoustic survey analysis suggests.Otago Fish & Game has completed analysis for acoustic surveys of lakes Wānaka, Hāwea, and Wakatipu, which rank in the top 10 most-fished lakes in the country.“Monitoring sports fish populations in big lakes is never easy,” Fish & Game officer Jayde Couper said. “These are big open spaces where fish can be widely dispersed.”Jayde said the latest acoustic monitoring used a highly sensitive ‘echo sounder’, following methods established by previous surveys led by NIWA in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2023.This graphic illustrates fish densities at each lake over time. (The survey is not designed to compare lakes, which would require randomised surveying.) IMAGE: Otago Fish & GameIn the latest analysis, Lakes Hāwea and Wakatipu showed a small decrease from last year's fish density count, while Lake Wānaka increased on a low count last year.A Fish & Game boat navigated precisely determined routes at various sections of the lakes to scan for fish at between three and 30 metres of depth.“While it's not possible to survey the entirety of each lake, previous studies have shown the areas that hold the most fish and by repeating these areas over time, we can get a picture of how lake populations are trending,” Jayde said."Fish were found mostly near the lake bottom, similar to that observed last year. That makes sense because it’s generally where the food is.”Fish densities were relatively stable across the five surveys covering 17 years.According to the most recent national angling survey, the three big lakes make up more than 30 percent of angling in the Otago region.A follow-up survey is planned for this summer to determine annual fluctuations and to build the long-term dataset to support management of the fishery.This was the first survey conducted by Fish & Game staff and it followed extensive training by expert scientists at NIWA, Jayde said.

Wānaka’s after-hours health service will be located at the Enliven Care Centre on Cardrona Valley Road, it was announced this afternoon (Thursday August 8).Health New Zealand/Te Whatu Ora and Central Otago Health Services Limited (COHSL) said the service will include two clinic rooms in a “secure facility” with accessible car parking.“The location is an ideal choice with other clinical staff in close proximity in the event of an emergency,” the joint statement said.Locals have been waiting for more information on the service since Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti announced in late June that a nurse-led after-hours service would run for a year from September.It will be run in a collaboration between Health New Zealand and COHSL.“Recruitment for the clinical nurse specialist roles is going well, and we are on track for a September opening date,” COHSL chief executive Hayley Anderson said today.Remote telehealth support will be provided by the Dunstan Hospital overnight senior doctor, she said. During his announcement in June Dr Shane Reti acknowledged the after hours service was “a starting point”.A more “focused discussion” on infrastructure for this area would not happen until early 2025, he said. Health New Zealand Te Waipounamu system integration group manager Cathy O’Malley said she was “pleased to see planning on this important service progressing well”.“This interim solution will assist with accessible urgent care while we work to define the broader models of care to be provided in the long-term, across the region,” she said. Community-led advocacy group Health Action Wānaka has said it is encouraged by the announcement of the “stop gap” after hours service but says it will continue to advocate for a “sustainable after-hours service, such as a publicly funded emergency department”.Further details on the nurse-led after hours service, including the opening date, fee structure and operating model will be shared in the coming weeks, the statement said.See also: Health services to wait for infrastructure & investment planPHOTO: Supplied

Readership of the Wānaka App hit an all-time high in July (2024) setting a new benchmark for reader engagement with the Upper Clutha’s local news and information publisher.The number of unique readers in the month was the second highest recorded in the App’s eight-year history at 34,269, and their engagement was the highest ever recorded with 169,600 reader sessions and more than one million page views.“Readership was extraordinarily high in July driven by news, road reports and snow reports,” Wānaka App managing director Tony O’Regan said.“The number of reader sessions surpassed anything we’d seen before with around 5,500 per day, and it is the first time we’ve recorded more than one million page views in a month.”Tony said readership of the Wānaka App continues to grow, recording seven percent growth in readership, 16 percent growth in reader sessions and 12 percent growth in page views over the past 12 months.“A lot of credit goes to our editorial team of Sue Wards, Maddy Harker and Diana Cocks, along with our podcast host Brent Harbour,” Tony said.“They consistently deliver accurate, balanced, and timely local news and people really appreciate that.“The growth is really encouraging and we will continue to innovate to provide a quality local news service for the community.”The Wānaka App is a locally owned media business publishing local news and information to a mobile app, website, podcast, and weekly newsletter.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Fallout has continued over the placement of a new crossing and traffic lights on Ardmore Street, between the Ballantyne Road/SH84 intersection and the Caltex roundabout.The traffic lights are being installed to provide a safe crossing for school students as part of the Schools to Pools route connecting schools to the Wānaka Recreation Centre at Three Parks.Some locals raised concerns in June that the lights and traffic crossing - which are about 60m from the busy roundabout - are too close, questioning their practicality and safety. Now Queenstown Lakes District councillor Barry Bruce has spoken out about the location for the crossing.“I am immensely frustrated the crossing and lights have been installed without any consultation or sign off from elected members,” he told the Wānaka App. Elected representatives Barry Bruce and Quentin Smith. PHOTOS: Supplied, Wānaka App“Restricting right turning traffic into Ballantyne Road is problematic during peak periods and the potential for emergency vehicle thoroughfare delays does not seem to have been adequately addressed before this construction proceeded.”While Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) yesterday stated the council consulted with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) engineers and the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) on the new crossing and its location, Barry emphatically denied that.Barry added that he had met with a number of affected parties who were not consulted and received minimal communication regarding the roading changes.His preference is to reconsider other crossing alternatives with a view to removing the traffic lights, he said.Retired Auckland city traffic engineer Graham Dickson told the Wānaka App he was surprised the design was approved by QLDC and NZTA.He pointed out that the centre-to-centre distance between the roundabout and the Ballantyne Road intersection is only 90m, while the between-the-intersection limits is only around 60m, “which will lead to queue lengths of about two cars before the adjoining intersection are blocked with resultant congestion”. Graham was also concerned that there will be three different types of intersection control: signals, a T intersection, and a roundabout. “Roundabouts work with continuous flows, signals give tight platoons. These can be incompatible,” he said.NZTA, QLDC anticipated ‘negative impacts’Documents and correspondence obtained by the Wānaka App via a Local Government Official Information Act (LGOIMA) request shows that QLDC and NZTA debated the pros and cons of the chosen site.A feasibility report prepared by Stantec NZ for QLDC in June 2023 concluded that representatives from NZTA and QLDC agreed that “although there were likely to be some negative impacts on road user delays, the safety benefits to active travel path users of a [mid-block] signalised crossing would outweigh those impacts”. “The inclusion of a raised safety platform with the signals was considered desirable to help reduce speeds in the vicinity of the crossing and would be in line with Road to Zero recommended treatments,” the report said.“The workshop did then further discuss the position of the crossing point and it was agreed that two locations should be investigated further and a final assessment presented for agreement.” No further report was provided as part of the LGOIMA request.A Stantec transportation team leader advised NZTA in January this year that: “Yes there will be negative impacts with potential queuing through the roundabout but the chosen option is considered the best at this point in time, although not the ideal layout.”“The visibility from Ballantyne Rd intersection is good and speeds should be slow but there are still some risks there too. A safety system audit is also being completed so will cover any other major safety concerns with the design.”Council respondsDeputy mayor Quentin Smith told the Wānaka App this week the council was implementing a much-requested active transport network, which is being delivered “according [to] design guidelines and by qualified transport engineers”.In a statement put out by QLDC yesterday (Wednesday August 7), QLDC property and infrastructure general manager Tony Avery said the crossing point over SH84 was a critical part of creating a safe connection children could use to move between local schools and the Wānaka Recreation Centre. “These new traffic lights will provide children with a designated place to safely cross this busy State Highway, but we acknowledge they may create minor delays for vehicles at peak times around town,” he said. “I’d encourage all drivers to take a bit of extra care once these new pedestrian crossing lights are activated, especially at times when children are heading to and from school and while we all get used to this change near Wānaka’s town centre.”Crews are expected to test the signals next Monday (August 12), before they’re activated the following Monday around midday.Read more: Concerns raised about new traffic lights near roundabout

A range of incidents were dealt with by local police over the past week, including violent crime, criminal harassment, speeding and dangerous driving.Wānaka Police were called to a serious assault in Hāwea in the early hours last Thursday (August 1).“The male victim received serious injuries requiring hospital admission,” Wānaka Police Senior Sergeant Fiona (Fi) Roberts said. The Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) is investigating the “serious” matter, she said. Two days earlier a female was arrested and charged with criminal harassment. Fi said the charge of criminal harassment relates to a pattern of behaviour that is directed against another person. The matter is now before the courts.According to Community Law it describes behaviour that meets two criteria: it must amount to ‘harassment’ in the Harassment Act, which includes a range of specific acts (eg. following the victim, contacting them or hanging around their house).To meet the ‘criminal’ criteria the harasser must intend to, or know that, the harassment is likely to make someone fear for the safety of themselves or their loved ones.A motorcyclist was caught driving at 171kph near Tarras last weekend.They have been charged with dangerous driving and their vehicle was seized, Fi said. Three people were caught drink driving in the Wānaka area last weekend, one of them with a breath alcohol level of more than 400 micrograms per litre, and the two others at between 250-400 micrograms per litre.Fraud and scams continue to be a problem and people can educate themselves about avoiding these types of incidents by following Netsafe advice, Fi said.Macpherson Street residents are angry about bad driver behaviour on the road and police will continue to focus on it, Fi said.They will also be focusing on people without helmets riding bikes, and Fi noted that people on bikes after dark should use lights and wear bright clothing.She also stressed the importance of continuing to drive to winter conditions.“We’ve had some fine weather but we’re still in the thick of winter,” she said. She reminded drivers that automatic car lights do not register fog and urges drivers to manually turn their lights on in foggy conditions.Citing the Tarras motorcyclist example, Fi said speeding was also a “concerning feature” of local driving behaviour.“...even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it is the single biggest determinant in whether anyone is killed, injured or walks away unharmed.”Two “well-intentioned” males travelled out the back of Treble Cone towards the Shotover/Mt Hyde area, Fi said, and “probably misunderstood” the extent of the trip they had planned.They were reported overdue when they failed to return as expected, Fi said. “Police deployed to the Shotover Valley to locate the vehicle to ascertain where the pair had intended to traverse to.”She said the pair found their own way back last Tuesday afternoon (July 30) after having been “caught out by darkness”.Fi said Wānaka Police were receiving a lot of lost property from local ski fields and encouraged anyone missing anything to visit the police station.Call 111 when you need an emergency response from police, fire or ambulance.Call 105 to report things that don’t need urgent police assistance.Call *555 to report road incidents that are urgent but not life-threatening.To make an anonymous crime report contact Crime Stoppers.PHOTO: Wānaka App

A fundraiser by Te Kura O Tititea Mt Aspiring College (MAC) hostel students in support of a friend who has undergone chemotherapy has already surpassed its organisers’ expectations.All 12 male MAC hostellers will shave their heads later this month in solidarity with another hosteller who had to leave the school last term and return home to Auckland for chemotherapy.“In support of him losing his hair we thought we’d all do it,” participant Hugo Gaddum told the Wānaka App.“It’s in support of him and everyone else who is going through something similar.”The hostellers have launched an online fundraiser via Shave for a Cure which has already raised close to $2,500.“I never thought it would be this big,” Hugo said.“At first I set the goal at $500 and then we passed that; then I set it to $2,000 and we passed that in the three days or so. It’s pretty impressive.”Hugo said the school community had been supportive of the initiative.“All the teachers have passed it around at staff meetings and things,” he said.“I’m waiting for the next school assembly where I’ll stand up in front of everyone and say what we are doing and how everyone can help.”Hugo and the other 11 male MAC hostellers will shave their heads on August 23.Learn more and contribute to the fundraiser here.PHOTO: Supplied

Work on a new roundabout for the intersection of Ballantyne and Riverbank roads is set to resume next week (Monday August 12).The roundabout project began in January this year but it has been on ‘pause’ since early June to allow motorists to use the intersection over most of the winter.The plans, estimated to cost $2.25M, have been designed to improve safety at the busy intersection and enhance connectivity for active travel along a section of Ballantyne Road through to Wastebusters with raised pedestrian safety tables leading into the roundabout.The roundabout should be “fully operational” by late October according to a statement from Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) and contractor Downer. The statement, which was sent to nearby residents, warned that during the ten-week period from August 12 there will be some temporary road closures, one-way traffic and ‘stop/go’ operations at the intersection.Between August 12 and September 23 the northern section of Riverbank Road will be closed to through traffic between Ballantyne Road and the Mt Iron roundabout.Resident access for the northern section of Riverbank Road will be available from the Mt Iron roundabout while all other entry points at the Ballantyne Road and Riverbank Road intersection will be reduced to one lane of traffic and stop/go will be operating.During this time, crews will work on entry points to the roundabout.From September 25 until October 25 the southern section of Riverbank Road will be closed to through traffic between Ballantyne Road and Orchard Road as work shifts to the other side of the roundabout.Resident access for the southern side of Riverbank Road will be available from Orchard Road and other entry points to the intersection will have one way traffic and stop/go operations.The project is partially funded by the Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).PHOTO: Wānaka AppRead more: Temporary roundabout in place at least until spring

An economic diversification plan aims to help the district move away from its reliance on the tourism and construction industries and help ‘future proof’ the local economy.According to a 2020 report by economist Benje Patterson, Queenstown Lakes is the least economically diverse district in the entire country.More than 60 percent of all workers over the last decade were employed in tourism or construction. Only 45 percent of residents say there is a long-term career path for them in the district. Mean earnings in Queenstown Lakes are also 12 percent lower than the national average and the cost of housing is almost twice the national average.Endorsed by councillors at last week’s full council meeting, the Queenstown Lakes Economic Diversification Plan is designed to help take on some of these challenges by fostering a wider range of industries and career opportunities.As well as Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), 18 other organisations have committed to the plan, which has an overarching goal to create “a resilient and sustainable economy offering a diverse range of career and income opportunities by 2040”.Actions within the plan, which sit under three ‘key pillars’, range from attracting, retaining and growing tech companies in the district to developing training opportunities that boost the capability of the existing workforce and identifying potential niche industries and supporting them to grow.Wānaka-based councillor Cody Tucker told the Wānaka App the plan, to him, was about creating “a hopeful future for young people to have a meaningful place here”.Councillor Cody Tucker says he wants younger people to have “a hopeful future” within Queenstown Lakes. PHOTO: Deanna GerlachHe wants more options for “meaningful” work which also keeps pace with the cost of living.QLDC economic development manager Peter Harris presented the plan to councillors last week and he stressed that the “long-term” plan would require a “collaborative effort”.Councillor Nikki Gladding questioned the value for money of the plan, which has a $0.5M budget, excluding salaries.“It's a big plan and it's hard to see where the money is going and if it's value for money from the public’s perspective,” she said. “Councillors need to have oversight.”Fellow councillor Lisa Guy noted that it was a “very large train to be driving”.QLDC staff will report back to councillors on progress on the plan every six months.Read more about the Queenstown Lakes Economic Diversification Plan here.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has been working with the community to develop a three-year Welcoming Plan for the district to ensure that all newcomers are able to thrive.  The wider public are now being called on to share their thoughts on the draft Welcoming Plan 2024-2027, including the key actions proposed for community partners and council to deliver together.QLDC councillor and community and services committee chair Craig (Ferg) Ferguson emphasised the importance of developing a Welcoming Plan and encouraged residents to join the conversation and provide feedback on the plan.“Over many decades, migrants from different parts of the world, as well as from all over Aotearoa New Zealand, have made Queenstown Lakes their home,” he said. “It's part of what makes our communities so diverse and vibrant.”Ferg said a Welcoming Plan provides “a pathway to support equality and grow inclusive local communities so we can continue to evolve as a place that celebrates diversity, supports wellbeing and fosters economic growth”.The plan sets out to achieve a standard for what a welcoming and inclusive community looks like, and a set of actions has been developed to support this standard to reflect the unique characteristics of the Queenstown Lakes District and help bring the plan to life.“It’s really important we hear from different groups and people from across our community on the draft plan, especially those interested in playing a role in delivering any of the proposed actions that resonate with them or their community groups, businesses and social networks,” Ferg said.Everyone is welcome to hear more on the draft Queenstown Lakes District Welcoming Plan 2024-2027 at an evening hui in Wānaka on August 14, where the Welcoming Communities team will share the plan’s actions, ask for insights and share ways community partners can be involved.Read the draft Welcoming Plan 2024-2027 and ‘Plan on a Page’ summary, share feedback and find out about joining a community hui here.Community feedback will close on Thursday August 22, and the final Welcoming Plan 2024-2027 will be presented to the Community & Services Committee for adoption in late September.PHOTO: Supplied

A four-week waste-prevention programme beginning soon will help local households cut down food waste.‘Every Bite’ is a programme providing in-person events plus tools, tips and industry tricks to help participants become more resourceful with their food and save money at the checkout.Working in partnership with the Zero Waste Network Aotearoa, Wastebusters is delivering ‘Every Bite’ locally for the second year in a row. Wastebusters campaign lead Toby Butland said participants from last year had described the programme as “game changing” and said it changed the way they shop and eat.“Every Bite is a fantastic programme to help households see how small tweaks and changes to their habits can drastically reduce the amount of food waste that they generate, saving grocery costs in the process,” Toby said.Registrations are open now and programmes (in Wānaka and Hāwea) will begin on August 13 and 14 respectively.Participants will get the chance to learn from professional chefs and zero waste champions including Dripping Bowl owner Evelyn Vallillee and threesixty restaurant head chef Alvaro, as well as the Wastebusters team.They will also receive resources, ideas and recipes to keep their household on track and gain access to a Facebook group to share their progress and ideas, ask questions and discuss challenges.The mission of ‘Every Bite’ is to reduce New Zealand’s waste by ten percent.“Homes in Aotearoa are throwing away over 157,000 tonnes of edible food every year - that’s enough to feed everyone in the Upper Clutha region for more than 20 years,” Toby said. “We know communities in the region care about minimising their waste throughout their households and we’re really looking forward to helping people move toward greater food resourcefulness.”Participating in ‘Every Bite’ costs just $10, with all proceeds going to local food recovery charity Kiwi Harvest.Register for ‘Every Bite’ or find more information here.PHOTO: Supplied

Nineteen enthusiastic young skiers improved not just their biathlon and Nordic skiing skills but a range of other life skills during a three day Youth Development Training Camp at the Snow Farm’s Musterers Hut recently (July 26-28).The camp was jointly organised by the Waiorau Nordic Sports Club and Wānaka Biathlon Club, and supported by Snow Farm NZ.Camp co-organiser Matty Graham told the Wānaka App the camp provided “a fun, inclusive, and engaging environment” to foster a love of cross-country skiing and biathlon.The young skiers, who ranged from Youth Olympians and New Zealand’s top junior skiers to those starting out in their first season, took part in sessions on biathlon shooting, range procedures, Nordic ski techniques, mobility and stretching, interval training, plus snow craft, where they built snow caves and learned about different snow structures and snow water content.Snow caving and snow craft were popular sessions.The group also went night skiing and “learned important life lessons about collaboration, teamwork, leaving places better than when you find them, and taking pride in everything you do,” Matty said.He said the camp also provided the opportunity for older and more experienced athletes to mentor and inspire the younger ones.Since its inception in 1999 by Mary Lee, CNZM, the Nordic Youth Development Programme (which the training camp is a part of) has nurtured many young cross-country skiers, including Junior World Championship gold medal winner Campbell Wright, who has recently transitioned to the US biathlon programme.Read more: Mary Lee, CNZM: ‘A very rewarding journey’Young Nordic skiers practising with laser rifles during the camp.“Plans to continue this amazing work and create a sustainable programme to support New Zealand's young cross country skiers into the future are well underway,” Matty said.He thanked the Snow Farm for its support for the camp and for “fostering the next generation of Nordic skiers and biathletes”, and the coaches and parents who worked hard to make the camp a success.The camp was based at the Snow Farm’s Musterers Hut.The camp was made possible by the financial support of the Waiorau Nordic Club Youth Development Fund.Read more: Supporting Wānaka’s young cross country skiersPHOTOS: Supplied

The road racing at the Paris Olympic Games may not have brought riches in terms of top placings for Kiwi riders, but it did bring some remarkable scenes in remarkable settings, Cycling New Zealand says.The 272km men’s course and the 150km women’s course both started and finished at the Eiffel tower and riders passed iconic locations and neighbourhoods in Paris during the race.Luggate resident Kim Cadzow was among the road cyclists representing New Zealand in Paris and she finished in 56th place.Kim said on social media it was “not the best day out for me but that’s road racing sometimes”.She had achieved an impressive seventh place during the time trial race the weekend earlier.The rising cycling star was selected to compete at the Olympics just a few years after she first took up the sport.She credited her former coach, Wānaka-based Patrick Harvey, with showing her the way into the professional world of road cycling.Kim is now a full-time professional cyclist employed with EF Education-Cannondale and she spends most of the year training and competing around Europe.All the Kiwi road cycling athletes missed out on podium finishes.More New Zealanders cyclists will compete in the track cycling from 5am today (Tuesday August 5), including former Wānaka resident Ellesse Andrews.PHOTO: SuppliedRead more: Luggate cyclist off to Olympics

As he was launched off a two-metre ramp and into Vaire-sur-Marne white water course, New Zealand's Finn Butcher, a first-time Olympian, in a first-time Olympic sport known as a demolition derby on water, was on a collision course with history.The 29 year-old paddler clinched the first ever kayak cross Olympic gold medal in Paris overnight with a thrilling win over British veteran Joe Clarke - considered the standard bearer of the new discipline - in the final.Charging through the final gate on the slalom course to take out the win, Butcher looked back behind him as if he could scarcely believe he won.After a pregnant pause, the Alexandra kayaker raised his arms in the air and celebrated wildly as his achievement sunk in."It's crazy, I still can't even comprehend it," an emotional Butcher said, gazing at the gold medal around his neck."As I exited the last upstream I was alone in front. It was wild, I just had this massive adrenaline dump, I think I'm still processing it."Kayak cross, essentially a demolition derby in plastic boats, is among a new wave of extreme sports added to the Paris Olympic programme as part of a shift by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to include more youth oriented action sports in the Games.PHOTO: Bertrand Guay / AFPThe event is an adrenalin-packed ride from start to finish. Grouped in heats of four, the kayakers plunge off a ramp more than two metres above the water and fight their way down the course. Along the way there are two upstream and two downstream gates for the paddlers to navigate, all while being bunted out of the way by their rivals.The additional slalom event was added to the schedule at the expense of one of the canoe sprint races, the K1 200m - an event dominated by Dame Lisa Carrington since she won her first world title in the distance in 2011.While it has meant Carrington will not get the opportunity to chase a fourth consecutive Olympic gold in the distance in Paris, in the end, the medal still went to New Zealand.Both Butcher and women's exponent Luuka Jones, who finished fifth in the women's event overnight, believed the inclusion of the event worked to the strengths of New Zealand paddlers. It represented a return to their roots - the days spent knocking about in plastic canoes on the river.Butcher said his results leading up to the Olympics also gave him confidence."I had some good results early on in the season, I was third in the first World Cup and sixth in the next one, so I knew I could battle with the top guys and once you're in the semi and in the final, anything can happen from there."One of the first to greet Butcher as he came off the course was his long-time friend and training partner Jones, who only minutes earlier endured the heartbreak of missing out on the final in the women's event after her second placed finish in the semifinal was downgraded to fourth due to a fault at one of the gates.

Symbiotic partnerships come in all shapes but the combination of an airport and a food rescue charity is not an obvious pairing so it’s a big deal for KiwiHarvest to receive substantial funding from Queenstown Airport.“It’s huge,” KiwiHarvest Queenstown branch manager Gary Hough told the Wānaka App.The gift of operational funding is rare so the airport’s commitment of $25,000 each year for the next three years is a lifeline for the charity, he said.“This is another huge step on our road to being a locally funded sustainable operation, so we can’t thank the airport team enough,” Gary said. “It makes it a lot easier to now concentrate on rescuing more food and helping those in our community in their time of need.”Queenstown Airport sustainability and corporate affairs general manager Sara Irvine said the airport was “big fans of KiwiHarvest’s work and see this partnership as a perfect pairing”.The funding fits well with the airport’s sustainability strategy by supporting the community’s needs and reducing waste, she said.“It also benefits our whole region, with surplus food collected from growers, supermarkets, and cafes delivered to charities in Queenstown, Wānaka, and Cromwell.”With Queenstown Airport’s funding announced last week (August 2), KiwiHarvest now has the finance to cover costs for fuel, wages, insurance and so on over the next three years, Gary said.He said not-for-profit organisations often struggled to secure operational funding. Grants for specific projects were easier to come by: “I could get funding to have trucks on the road but no money to put fuel in them.”Gary said he was a fan of local businesses supporting local charities and hoped other local businesses would consider adopting the airport’s model of funding.KiwiHarvest collects surplus food before it can go to waste from supermarkets, wholesalers, restaurants and cafes and redistributes it to those who can feed others, such as Community Networks’ Food Bank, Kahu Youth and Food For Love.It increased its operations in Wānaka about 18 months ago and now has six volunteers who use their own vehicles to collect and redistribute surplus food.Gary said KiwiHarvest Queenstown had secured a second truck which meant one could operate permanently in Wānaka. The truck will be delivered after spring and in the summer a KiwiHarvest e-bike will be operating in Wānaka as well, collecting produce from local cafes and restaurants. Last year Community Networks/LINK community development coordinator Joanna Perry told the Wānaka App KiwiHarvest’s contributions to the food bank were “absolutely invaluable”.In the 2023 financial year, the amount of food rescued and redistributed by KiwiHarvest’s Queenstown branch equated to 382,097 meals.PHOTO: Supplied

A new fifth constituency, as well as an extra representative, has been proposed by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) in response to the Otago Regional Council’s (ORC) representation review.ORC has acknowledged the population increase in its Dunstan constituency (which includes Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes District) and has proposed increasing the number of representatives from three to four at the 2025 local elections.Revealed at last week’s (Thursday August 1) full council meeting in Wānaka, the QLDC’s submission to the ORC indicated one more representative didn’t go far enough.Instead, it’s recommending the ORC adopt Option 2 in the ORC’s May 2024 representation report which proposes three elected members for a new Upper Lakes constituency (electoral area). The new constituency would incorporate Queenstown, Frankton, Wānaka and Cromwell and their respective environs. In its submission, QLDC said the proposed reallocation of ORC elected representatives (removing one from the Dunedin constituency and adding one to the Dunstan constituency) was “fair”.But representation was required to be fair and effective, QLDC said, and redrawing the boundaries to create a new fifth constituency approximating the existing Queenstown Lakes District boundary and including Cromwell “would enable fair and effective representation”.Effective representation recognised “community of interest” and QLDC argued the geographic scale of the existing Dunstan constituency creates too many divergent needs to consider the whole population as one community of interest. As a metro sector territorial authority, Queenstown Lakes District is an important area of growth, urban investment and development, a centre of increasingly diverse economic activity, and the base for an international airport - the fourth largest in the country.The challenges and needs of this district should be viewed as similar to those of urban centres, such as Dunedin city, and do not align with those of large, low population rural locations in the Dunstan constituency, such as Ranfurly and Alexandra, QLDC said.QLDC said aligning with Cromwell made sense as it has already forged close links in the form of employment, housing, roading and shared sports venues and its increasing growth and associated challenges mimic those of Wānaka, Frankton and Queenstown.This proposal would decrease the size of the existing Dunstan constituency and reduce its representation to one elected member.A representation review is required to be undertaken every six years: ORC currently has 12 councillors, elected from four constituencies: Dunstan (3), Moeraki (1), Molyneux (1) and Dunedin (6). At present, Dunedin’s six councillors represent just over 115,000 people compared with Dunstan’s three councillors covering a population of almost 79,000. Dunstan is the largest constituency and its population is also growing faster than Dunedin’s: “This rapid and sustained growth should be taken into consideration now when adopting a final arrangement for representation,” the submission stated.Read more: Extra councillor proposed for growing districtPHOTO: Supplied