A new director has been appointed for Otago Polytechnic’s central campus, which is split across locations in Cromwell in Wānaka.Drawing on the local environment, the central campus offers programmes ranging from high country farming, horticulture, and electrical trades through to outdoor education, avalanche safety and snowsports.John Christie, who will begin in his role on January 20, said he was excited to get started."I've really got an interest in making sure our young people have got good opportunities for training,” John said. “And not just young people, but anybody really that has got an interest in learning."He is joining Otago Polytechnic after 10 years as manager of Enterprise Dunedin (the economic development team at Dunedin City Council), which followed 20 years as chief executive of the Otago Chamber of Commerce.The role means a move from Dunedin to Cromwell for John."The location's fantastic,” John said. “Cromwell and Wānaka are great campuses, and there's real opportunity there to get close to the community. “Especially in those areas where you can see the industry growth, like horticulture and agriculture areas.""There's also your traditional trades like electrical, mechanical, and building which are much needed when you're seeing the growth in housing in this part of the country."Members of the Otago Polytechnic senior leadership team will join John later this month at a community event which is aimed at helping future-proof the central campus."This is Central Otago's campus. I think it can be anything they want it to be,” John said. "I think the community have got a lot of the keys to what the success will look like for the two campuses, and we'll be looking for their support.""So the first bit of this role will be listening to the local community and finding out where those needs are. And I'm confident if we're given the opportunity to deliver that, it'll be a very exciting place for people to study."PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka Freeskier Luca Harrington (20) has claimed another Freeski Big Air World Cup win this morning (January 11).This win follows Luca’s career first World Cup win last weekend.“This is absolutely incredible, I did not expect this to happen, it’s been such an honour to be here [Krieschberg, Austria] and to put down two runs again and walk away with the win is incredible,” Luca said. Luca dominated from the first of three runs, posting the highest single jump score of the day with a flawless switch right triple corked 1620 esco grab which was awarded a huge 95.75 points out of a possible 100. He immediately backed that up with the third highest score of the day (92.00) on his second run, stomping a right triple corked 1800 safety grab for a combined winning score of 187.75, nine points clear of his nearest competitor. “I switched up my game plan today so I was a little unsure coming in, but I am glad I did it and I am so grateful to everyone who has supported me to this moment, my friends, my family, Hamish McDougall [Luca’s coach], Snow Sports New Zealand and all my sponsors, I wouldn’t be here without them.” Luca said.Men’s Big Air World Cup Podium [L-R] Matej Svancer AUT (2nd), Luca Harrington NZL (1st), Leo Landroe NOR (3rd). PHOTO: FIS Park & PipeLuca was joined on the podium by local hero Matej Svancer of Austria in second and Norway’s Leo Landroe in third. Luca is now focusing on the LAAX Open World Cup where he will compete in Freeski Slopestyle.

Fish & Game has a new operations manager for the Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes.Jamie Ward (49) will be based in Cromwell and he will be responsible for overseeing Fish & Game’s operations in the local area, including fisheries and game bird management, habitat restoration, and community engagement.“I’m thrilled to be joining the team at Otago Fish & Game,” Jamie said.“I’ve always been drawn to wild places, and this role offers an incredible opportunity to work in and protect these environments.Born and raised in Southland, Jamie’s early experiences fishing in the Aparima River sparked a lifelong love for the outdoors.Having studied chemistry at the University of Otago, he honed his scientific expertise over 20 years at AgResearch, where he led the deer science programme, before joining Otago Fish & Game.Jamie’s connection to the land and his understanding of farming practices will be invaluable in fostering positive relationships with landowners, Otago Fish & Game said.Jamie said he was looking forward to connecting with the local community, licence holders and mana whenua, “and working together to ensure a sustainable future for our region’s fisheries, game bird resources and their habitat”.“I am keen to support communities, connecting waterways and wetland protection with fishing and hunting to preserve these resources for future generations.”A keen trail runner and experienced big game hunter, he is also passionate about introducing new people to the outdoors and sharing his knowledge.PHOTO: Otago Fish & Game 

As a young lawyer starting his career, the desire to give back to his community led Wānaka resident Anthony (Tony) Shaw to begin more than 40 years of community service, primarily with New Zealand's leading provider of services for people with intellectual disabilities.Tony has been appointed to be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the New Year Honours List for services to people with intellectual disabilities and the community.Tony was born and raised in Christchurch, with a mother who was involved in the church and “always doing things to help other people”.“I’d like to think my upbringing taught me what was right and wrong,” he told the Wānaka App.After studying law and taking a job in Timaru (with the expectation of staying a few years), he found he had “landed on [his] feet”, and stayed more than 40 years in South Canterbury.“I always felt I should give something back to the community,” Tony said.“The IHC role has been the most significant community work I’ve done. I’ve enjoyed it, it’s a phenomenal organisation in terms of what it’s achieved.”The organisation started in 1949 with a group of parents who wanted a better life for their children than living in institutions - they wanted them in the community, Tony said.IHC provides some services to children and young people, and some assistance to families, but most of its services are provided to adults. IHC has $1.8B in property assets, and is the second largest provider of public housing (behind Kāinga Ora) with 2,700 houses.The organisation provides services for some of the most vulnerable people in NZ, Tony said.“Many can’t communicate for themselves, many need assistance with all their physical needs, and overlaying all that many of them have significant intellectual disabilities.“Despite all the challenges I really love the organisation, love the work I do, see real value in it.”He was a single man in his 20s at the beginning of his career when he was approached to join the IHC branch committee. He had had nothing to do with IHC, and was something of an outsider as most other volunteers were parents of a child with an intellectual disability, he said.Tony has held a range of leadership roles within IHC since accepting that invitation to join the Committee of the IHC South Canterbury Branch in 1982.He joined the IHC New Zealand Inc Board in 1998, and served as New Zealand president from 2003 to 2005. He rejoined the national board of IHC in 2019 and has been chair since 2020, helping guide the organisation’s 4,000 people with intellectual disabilities and 4,000 support staff through the Covid-19 pandemic.He has held leadership roles on related boards, including the IHC Foundation Charitable Trust, Accessible Properties New Zealand, IDEA Services and the Donald Beasley Institute Trust. In 2005, he was made a Life Member of the IHC, one of only 11 people to receive this distinction.The almost 43 years he has been involved in the organisation included some “arm twisting” into roles, but he admits he was always up for the challenges.IHC is currently suing the Crown for failures to provide proper education services for children with intellectual disabilities. The organisation had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars pursuing the claim which they hope will be settled in their favour in 2025.“That level of advocacy is something that IHC can do because we are by far the largest provider in the sector,” Tony said.“We’re big enough and tough enough to be able to take on those sorts of challenges. We see ourselves as a very strong advocate for people with intellectual disability and long may that continue.”Tony has also undertaken other volunteer work throughout his career, including being on kindergarten committees, involved in the South Island Masters Games, training and mentoring young legal and business professionals through the Law Society and South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, and acting as MC for the Timaru Rotary Club’s Celebrity Auction from 2001 to 2013 - raising between $20,000 and $65,000 each year.“If I didn’t have the support of [my wife] Raewyn and my family, and the significant support of my law firm, I wouldn’t have had the time and inclination to do what I did,” he said.After retiring from his legal practice in 2022 and moving to Wānaka, he has continued to be involved in IHC and is involved as a volunteer with Wānaka Community Patrol and Wheels to Dunstan.Tony calls Wānaka his “playground”, and he and Raewyn are active in golf, biking, skiing, walking, boating, and water skiing. “We are living in paradise,” he said.PHOTO: Wānaka App

A new board member will help Central Lakes Trust (CLT) manage its investments and provide grants to worthwhile groups and projects in the community.Simon Flood has been appointed to the CLT board. replacing Hetty Van Hale, who has stepped down after two terms on the board.He brings over 25 years of experience in the global investment management industry.Simon joined the CLT’s investment committee as an independent member in January 2022 and was appointed chair of the investment committee in August 2023. He also currently serves as the chair of Queenstown Airport Corporation. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the investment committee and look forward to being more involved in the greater operations of CLT,” Simon said.CLT chair Linda Robertson said Simon’s appointment followed a robust, externally facilitated selection process, which attracted a strong field of candidates. “We are confident Simon will bring a wealth of knowledge and skills to the board table,” she said. Linda thanked Hetty for her service.“Hetty has been an exceptional leader and a dedicated advocate for our community,” she said.“Her vision and unwavering commitment have had a profound impact, and we are deeply grateful for her mahi and the positive changes she has driven over her two terms.”CLT is a charitable trust that offers financial support for charitable initiatives.It funds charitable projects with the aim of improving the lives of local residents and creating lasting positive impacts in the region. Since its inception in 2000, CLT has grown its asset base to $490M+ and it has distributed more than $146.6 million into a wide range of community projects and services.PHOTO: QAC

Writing as L A Joye, Wānaka author Lauren Sleeman has released an historical murder mystery set in Southland. Wrongdoings involves a small-town murder during the privations and losses of wartime in New Zealand.Lauren was born in Southland and is proud of her southern roots.  “I wanted to write an easy-to-read story of my beloved birth province Southland, a story which encompassed old-school, colloquial Southern humour and history,” she said. “With this in mind, I chose one of my favourite genres, crime fiction, with a flawed lead character who, like many men of this era, endeavoured to contribute to society while suffering under the shadow of the ‘Great War’, World War 1.” The main character, Detective Inspector John MacBride, has his demons due to the after-effects of WWI. He’s ready to retire when a saxophonist from a visiting US Marines jazz band is found murdered on the banks of the Ōreti River.The detective faces hostility, red herrings and the Marine’s bullish commanding officer determined to protect the reputation of the US Marines at all costs. Can he discover the truth about what happened to the Marine who left behind more than just stories of contraband activities and a string of broken hearts across Southland? “I selected the year 1943 because it was a significant year in southern history with the tragedy of the Hyde rail disaster,” Lauren said. The cover of Wrongdoings.Between 1942 to 1944, United States servicemen were stationed in New Zealand, bringing about an economic boom and “a certain intrigue”, Lauren said, especially for young Kiwi women - which resulted in marriages for approximately 1,500 US servicemen. “Several themes of the story also reflect my work as a psychotherapist,” she said. “The phenomenon of narcissism would not have been as evident in the 1940s as it is now, but narcissistic individuals can and do cause great harm, no matter the era. Likewise, PTSD known in the 1940s as shellshock, along with domestic abuse and violence are also perpetual problems in society which frequently remain hidden. Consensual sex versus rape is another issue alluded to in the story.” Lauren’s earlier books were mythological fiction, incorporating the insights and experience she gained in her work as a Jungian psychotherapist. After spending some years living in both Sydney and Auckland, she moved back to her childhood holiday home in Wānaka where she writes fulltime. The paperback edition of Wrongdoings is available to order from bookshops nationwide through Relish Books.PHOTOS: Supplied

Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) celebrated the academic achievements and service of its junior students at its 2024 Junior Awards ceremonies last week (years 7-8 on Thursday December 12, and years 9-10 on Friday December 13).MAC principal Nicola Jacobsen said the awards recognised academic, artistic, cultural, sporting and service achievement. “We pride ourselves on being a place for all students to grow and be proud of who they are, and we encourage students to make the most of the curriculum opportunities available, and to get involved in all aspects of school life,” she said. Highest academic achievers Year 7 (L-R): Tenki Watanabe, P J Foxley, Bill Dobson, Emily Boswell, Sami Reid, Edie Yandall, Tyla Scherger Highest academic achievers Year 8 (L-R): Emily Anderson, Logan Davidson, Malcie Cervelli, Sam Seville, Finn Tomes, Travis Clarke (Absent: Jack Sutherland)“Academically, our results are well above the national average and reflect our focus on the core skills of numeracy and literacy, as well as a range of other subjects designed to prepare our students for their future pathways. “We also place a strong emphasis on our values which represent what we stand for as a school community and inform how we treat ourselves, each other and our environment.”The best all round student awards went to Bill Dobson and Edie Yandall (year 7), Emily Anderson and Alice Chaly (year 8), Emma Head and Deacon Gwilliam Browne (year 9), and Zoe Waddington and Madi Smith (year 10). Best all round students Years 9 & 10 (L-R): Emma Head (Y9), Principal Nicola Jacobsen, Madi Smith (Y10), Zoe Waddington (Y10) (Absent: Deacon Gwilliam Browne)Highest academic achievers Year 9 (L-R): Blanka Lewis, Stella Harper, Oscar Adams, Bella Wright, Lily Brown, Amber Gemmell, Liam Thomas, Sierra Emmitt Academic awards for the highest achievers in each class went to: PJ Foxley, Edie Yandall, Bill Dobson, Tyla Scherger, Emily Boswell, Sami Reid, and Tenki Watanabe (year 7); Emily Anderson, Logan Davidson, Travis Clarke, Sam Seville, Finn Tomes, Malcie Cervelli, and Jack Sutherland (year 8); Blanka Lewis, Sierra Emmitt, Liam Thomas, Bella Wright, Lily Brown, Amber Gemmell, Oscar Adams, and Stella Harper (year 9); Phoebe Cervelli, Nieve McRae, Max Evans, Vinnie Vickers, Winifred McAllister Brown, and Charlie Gibson (year 10). Other awards included special academic awards, service and premier awards, Tititea trophies (for representing the school values), arts and sport awards, awards for sustainability and culture, and recognition for national and international achievements.“I am very proud of our junior students and thankful for the support they receive from their families and whānau, and our local community,” Nicola said. Highest academic achievers Year 10 (L-R): Vinnie Vickers, Charlie Gibson, Max Evans, Winifred McAllister Brown, Nieve McRae, Phoebe CervelliThe ceremonies also featured a haka pōwhiri performed by Te Mākahi o Tititea (MAC’s kapa haka group), and performances by the MAC junior band, the MAC Orchestra, Bella Wright, and student band ‘Rip Cord’. MAC thanked prize sponsors Wastebusters, Racers Edge, Revology, and Mitre 10 MEGA Wānaka. PHOTOS: Supplied

The Queenstown Airport director appointed by the minority shareholder, Auckland International Airport, will change in the new year.Mark Thomson has confirmed his intention to resign from the board effective January 1, 2025. Mark, the chief commercial officer for Auckland Airport, joined the Queenstown Airport board in June 2017. He will be replaced by Mary-Liz Tuck, Auckland Airport's chief planning and strategy officer.At Auckland Airport, Mary-Liz Tuck has leadership responsibility for master planning, strategic capital planning, strategy, regulation, and sustainability. She is also a trustee for the airport marae Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa. Queenstown Airport chair Simon Flood has welcomed her appointment and acknowledged Mark’s service.“Mark has made a valuable contribution to the QAC board over several years,” Simon said.We’ve greatly appreciated Mark’s airport-specific knowledge, as well as the breadth of his property and retail experience. On behalf of my fellow directors and the QAC team, I thank him for his service.” Simon said he would welcome Mary-Liz to the board table in the new year. “At Queenstown Airport, we are embarking on a significant infrastructure delivery programme and Mary-Liz’s airport master planning and sustainability expertise will be welcome,” he said.Mary-Liz said she was delighted to be joining the board “at an exciting time for the airport as it looks to progress delivery of its Master Plan and lean into the challenge of decarbonising aviation”. Queenstown Lakes District mayor Glyn Lewers said the airport continues to perform strongly in a highly competitive market and earlier this year delivered a record dividend to council of $14.7 million. He said Mary-Liz would add “fresh insight and governance skills to the board to help it build on this success”. PHOTO: Supplied

The Queenstown Airport director appointed by the minority shareholder, Auckland International Airport, will change in the new year.Mark Thomson has confirmed his intention to resign from the board effective January 1, 2025. Mark, the chief commercial officer for Auckland Airport, joined the Queenstown Airport board in June 2017. He will be replaced by Mary-Liz Tuck, Auckland Airport's chief planning and strategy officer.At Auckland Airport, Mary-Liz Tuck has leadership responsibility for master planning, strategic capital planning, strategy, regulation, and sustainability. She is also a trustee for the airport marae Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa. Queenstown Airport chair Simon Flood has welcomed her appointment and acknowledged Mark’s service.“Mark has made a valuable contribution to the QAC board over several years,” Simon said.We’ve greatly appreciated Mark’s airport-specific knowledge, as well as the breadth of his property and retail experience. On behalf of my fellow directors and the QAC team, I thank him for his service.” Simon said he would welcome Mary-Liz to the board table in the new year. “At Queenstown Airport, we are embarking on a significant infrastructure delivery programme and Mary-Liz’s airport master planning and sustainability expertise will be welcome,” he said.Mary-Liz said she was delighted to be joining the board “at an exciting time for the airport as it looks to progress delivery of its Master Plan and lean into the challenge of decarbonising aviation”. Queenstown Lakes District mayor Glyn Lewers said the airport continues to perform strongly in a highly competitive market and earlier this year delivered a record dividend to council of $14.7 million. He said Mary-Liz would add “fresh insight and governance skills to the board to help it build on this success”. PHOTO: Supplied

More than 200 local dancers - from age two through to adults - from Centralpoint Dance Studios took part in the studio’s annual dance show, The Nutcracker Remixed last weekend (December 6-7) at the Lake Wānaka Centre.Dancers spent the whole of term four working on their performances for the show.The Nutcracker Remixed is Centralpoint’s modern take on the famous 19th Century classical ballet, set on Christmas Eve.Waltz of the Flower.Isabel Martin (15-years-old) and pre-primary ballet dancers.The show featured a variety of dance genres, including classical ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop and lyrical. The Hip-Hoppers.Approximately 750 people attended over three shows.PHOTOS: Supplied

Wānaka’s Katie Morgan banked a third-straight Kepler Challenge title in Te Anau on Saturday (December 7).The English-born New Zealand mountain running representative comfortably won the 60km lap around the Kepler Track in five hours and 48 minutes, quarter of an hour ahead of Frances Redmond, and 21 minutes ahead of international trail runner and former long-distance triathlete Beth McKenzie, from Australia.“It feels amazing, I honestly didn’t expect to win today,” Katie said.“When I saw that Beth McKenzie was in, I didn’t think I’d be able to stay ahead of her on the flats, so I’m super chuffed. I knew that there wouldn’t be much in it and so I went out a bit harder than I normally would and I was just waiting for her at any moment to catch me on the flats.”Katie, who has also won an ultra event in Canada this year, never felt as comfortable as her winning margin suggested.“It’s not often you can look behind you and the one time I did, I fell over, so I tried not to do that too much,” she said.Alexandra’s Daniel Balchin also recovered from a spill before eventually winning the men’s race in five hours and three minutes.Alexandra’s Daniel Balchin wins the men's Kepler Challenge in 5:3:45.The Alexandra-based project manager, who finished second in the Auckland marathon five weeks ago, fell heavily on the technical descent from Hanging Valley into Iris Burn and saw his lead over Wellington’s Thomas Barnes evaporate.“I managed to get a gap on the flat on the way home,” Daniel said.“I was stoked to get the win, it means a lot. It’s an awesome one to tick off because it’s a prestigious race on the trail scene.”Thomas finished 12min down on the winner, with Benje Patterson (Queenstown) finishing third.The capacity Kepler Challenge field of 450 runners, which sold out in two minutes when entries opened in July, enjoyed cool morning conditions which gave way to warm and windy weather in the afternoon.Results60km Kepler Challenge womenKatie Morgan 5:48:43, 1; Frances Redmond 6:04:04, 2; Beth McKenzie 6:09:44, 360km Kepler Challenge menDaniel Balchin 5:03:45, 1; Thomas Barnes 5:16:13, 2; Benje Patterson 5:23:12, 327km Luxmore Grunt womenPenny Mouat 2:30:33, 1; Miriam Clark 2:30:44, 2; Stephanie Wilson 2:33:54, 327km Luxmore Grunt menJonathan Jackson 1:55:15, 1; Liam Dooley 1:57:15, 2; Timothy Jorgensen 2:05:09, 3Full ResultsPHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka builder Glen Thurston is continuing to raise awareness about mental health, but his focus has moved from the construction industry to the hunting community. Last week (Friday November 29) Glen was undertaking his anniversary climb of Lake Hāwea’s Corner Peak, following his successful 2022 mission to climb the peak 53 times - matching the number of people in the construction industry who took their lives each year. Almost 300 people joined him across the 53 climbs in 2022, and last Friday half a dozen people joined him on a “perfect day” for the second anniversary climb.Glen said the conversations he had on Corner Peak during the 2022 climbs around “firearms and the hesitation to seek help” made him realise the need to address the barrier within the hunting community.Last week’s annual Corner Peak climb attracted a good number of people. PHOTO: SuppliedIn October 2019, Glen was struggling with mental health challenges of his own. He tried to get help - and had his firearms removed. As he was farming at the time, this “made life really difficult”, he said.The experience uncovered a significant issue within the firearms community: the fear of seeking mental health support due to the potential threat of losing one's licence.“You think if someone's got a firearms license and they're not well, we all know the suicide rate and mental health [challenges in] the farming industry [are] pretty high,’’ Glen said.“If they have that fear of losing their firearms, they're not gonna get help. If you have every single farmer not getting help, just because they don't [want] to lose their firearms, because they need their firearms to do their job. “Long-term, I see this being a massive crisis for the country. We're doing all this good stuff about breaking the stigma and men's mental health ... but in the background, there's this hidden barrier and no one's talking about it, no one's doing anything about it.”In July this year Glen and fellow hunter Sam Manson launched the Mental Hunts website, which provides resources, articles, helplines and events dedicated to integrating mental health with the hunting/rural lifestyle. “I thought it was time to step up ... I'm doing this for everyone else and it needs to change. Otherwise, people will die and it won't be the guns doing it. It'll be the fact that they haven't had the help they needed early.”Glen said he was creating resources specifically to help hunters, and he recognised hunting was good for people's wellbeing.“[There] is nothing you can compare it to, it is mountain medicine. It is meditation in the hills. It's what I do for meditation. I've said it before, but I love the concept of meditation and sitting in my room and meditating, but I'm just really crap at it. My mind wanders, but you get out hunting and you are, you're in that moment.”Glen has also returned as an The Outlet Wānaka guest to talk about how he got involved in helping hunters with their mental health.He talks about the stigma around mental health, the importance of getting help early, rural life and how disclosing counselling or medication for mental health can mean licence holders can keep their guns.

New World Three Parks is celebrating its fifth birthday today (Thursday December 5), with the annual grocery grab competition taking place as part of the celebrations.The winning entrant, local resident Maggie Antone, raced around the store this morning, managing to secure a whopping $1,699.58 worth of groceries during the two-minute ‘grab’."I never win competitions,” Maggie said. “I actually like entering because I work in marketing and I like to see the mechanics of how competitions are run."When it came to her grocery grab strategy, Maggie didn't leave anything to chance. "I had a plan," she said. "I talked to quite a few people, [and] got some pretty good advice, which was [to] hit the proteins, which I did. And then I went for other what I considered high-value items with the intention of trying to raise as much money [as possible] to be donated in kind."New World Three Parks will match Maggie's haul, making a monetary donation of equal value to the Upper Clutha foodbank. Maggie is also chipping in, donating some of her winnings to the food bank.Community Link general manager Kate Murray said the donation “makes a huge difference”.“We're seeing an increasing need which has almost doubled in the past 12 months," Kate said.New World Three Parks customer services manager Biff said the supermarket “always looks forward to our birthday celebration and the annual grocery grab”.“Maggie was a great winner and has been very generous in donating some of her winnings to support the food bank," Biff said.The New World Three Parks Grocery Grab competition attracted 1,184 entries through the Wānaka App.PHOTO: Wānaka App

Wānaka band Power Chutes has played before thousands of people at the TSB Stadium in Wellington and Spark Arena in Auckland, after an invitation from USA rock band Highly Suspect.Highly Suspect frontman Johnny Stevens invited the Wānaka band to open for them in Wellington after front row fans tossed the singer some Powder Chutes merch during the American band’s recent Christchurch show. “Well turns out I’ve been hearing about this band for at least a year from NZ fans,” Johnny said on social media. “So…we’re gonna have ‘em drive their asses out here (Wellington) and open up the stage tomorrow night.”Powder Chutes (Archie Orbell - drums, Clarke West - guitar, Henry McConnell - vocals, and Otis Murphy - bass) went down so well in Wellington that Highly Suspect invited them to Auckland to open for them again. Half-way through the Auckland set, Johnny called singer Henry to the stage without warning and asked him to sing the American band’s biggest hit, ‘Lydia’. Clarke also climbed onstage and took over on guitar, and Otis took over on bass, while drummer Archie grooved along waiting for his chance. The young band members received an ecstatic reception from the crowd.Powder Chutes was formed when the members were Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College students.Their music has been described by NZ Musician Magazine as having “a modern grunge feel, mixed with punk angst and hard rock".Powder Chutes has opened for The Feelers, Dolphin Friendly, Big Sima, East York, Pull Down The Sun, Pieces Of Molly, and The Jordan Luck Band. They also opened the 2023 Gibbston Valley Summer Concert for ZZ Top, Pat Benatar, Stone Temple Pilots and The Angels to 18,000 people and played the main stage at the 2024 Burning Horse Festival.Powder Chutes’ latest single, ‘Scalpel’, has just dropped.

A much-respected long-term staffer was farewelled from Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) last week as she prepares to begin her retirement.Diana Manson, a long-term local whose grandparents moved to Wānaka in 1935, has worked for the QLDC parks service for 12 years, and has liaised with a wide range of community groups during that time.Diana told the Wānaka App she felt lucky to have worked with the parks service, doing council’s “feel-good stuff”.“We do get our share of flak as well, but we do get to do concrete positive things with and for the community, that do make a difference and that people can see,” she said.“That’s what I’ve most enjoyed about the role.”At Diana’s farewell morning tea on Wednesday (November 27) her manager, QLDC parks service delivery manager Clare Tomkins, described Diana as a “calm and steady influence”.“[Diana] is the exemplar of the ability to bring people together to achieve many wonderful projects for the community. Many working bees, planting days, meetings, meet and greets, workshops, presentations etc.“I know we will see plenty of her in her roles as a volunteer on the other side. She will be a very present figure in the community, and I am sure she will continue the wonderful work she does, holding us all to the high standards of engagement she has set.”Diana was farewelled last week. PHOTO: SuppliedDiana said she’s planning to “take a step back, relax and enjoy the garden and the grandkids”, but she also plans to stay involved with some of the groups she has worked with.Those groups include Wānaka Backyard Trapping (now Predator Free Wānaka), Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust, the Hāwea Food Forest, the Wilding Tree group, Upper Clutha Tracks Trust, the Hāwea Foreshore Group, and the regional community associations - and more. She noted that community volunteers aren’t all retired, but are people of all ages working together with “boots on the ground”. “We’re so lucky to live in a community that has people who will freely give their time, and have been doing so for years - working really hard for the community.“That is what makes this community really special, I think.”Diana has spent her life in the Upper Clutha, and was happy to reflect on how the area has changed.“The town has certainly changed and has grown but it has still managed to retain that small-town feel … and a lot of that is to do with the community groups and organisations and their involvement, and the festivals and events … that bring people together. “I think we still have that real sense of community.”

Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) year 13 student and rising cycling star Carter Guichard has signed with a pro cycling team in Europe.Next year Carter (18) will compete in around 30 of the most competitive races in Europe as a member of Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur.“As a Neo-Pro [a professional cyclist in their first year] I know that my role will first be to help my teammates at first and be in the early race breakaways but I also hope to get a handful of standout results for myself,” Carter said.His selection follows a successful year racing in Europe in the Decathlon AG2R under-19 development team, which aims to ‘detect and train the champions of tomorrow’.Read more: Wānaka teen selected for prestigious cycling teamDuring the season Carter made first place in the Tour de la Vallée de la Trambouze, the Tour de Causse-Aigoual-Cévennes, and the Classique des Bourbons.He placed second in the Three Days of Axel and the Prix de la Ville d’Aubenas and placed third in the New Zealand national championships.Carter has a busy training regime: “My typical day looks like between 2.5 and 4 hours of training per day on average both in the gym and on the bike,” he said, “occasionally going up to over 6 hours of training per day.”Carter will spend the next couple of months in Wānaka, training for the 2025 season.In January, he will head to Spain to meet his team for its first training camp of the year.PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka gymnasts returned from the recent 2024 XP New Zealand Gymnastic Championships in Palmerston North with some excellent results.Aspiring Gymsports Club coaches were thrilled with all results, club spokesperson Rae Paterson said.What’s more, the Otago team won the ‘Mahi Tahi’ award for team spirit across all codes, chosen by the event and floor managers.Year 9 Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) student Charlie Nisbet was the first male to be selected for the Otago team. He achieved four apparatus medals: two silver and two bronze.Sami Reid earned fourth place overall.Sami Reid (MAC, year 7) placed 12th overall (from 43 competitors) in her age category - ninth on floor and fifth on bar.There were also strong local performances in the double mini trampoline event. All four competitors in the 11-12 age category (Keira Lam, Lara Beams, Emma Kambe, and Harper-Rose Reid) made the final, scoring in the top eight in New Zealand, with Lara finishing fourth.Harper-Rose also made the trampoline finals; Emma and Lara finished fifth in synchro; and Holly and Katelyn Key won the gold medal in synchro in the 15-16 age category.All Wānaka gymnasts were awarded the GNZ Gymnastics NZ proficiency badge. All coaches received coaching medals, Rae said.PHOTOS: Supplied

Just three Aspiring Athletes Club (AAC) athletes dared to brave the bad weather at The Caledonian in Dunedin last weekend (November 2).AAC coach Michael Beable said it was mostly cold - with rain, and hail – and unhelpful strong winds.Nonetheless, Phoebe Laker, a year 11 Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) student, continued her excellent form from her previous two outings this summer. Running the Mixed Open 400m race, she was the fastest woman, setting a new personal best (PB) of 56.90 seconds.  Her time also broke a set of three Otago records: for women aged 15, 16 and 17. This is at least the fifth time she has broken these records, Michael said.Her time also set new AAC records for all female categories, age 15 and above.“It was an extraordinarily good performance by Phoebe, given the appalling conditions that prevailed at The Caledonian,” Michael said.“In calmer, warmer weather she would likely have gone almost a second faster.”Phoebe had earlier run the Women’s Open race, placing second with a time of 12.37s and winning her age group. It was slightly quicker than her time of two weeks ago, but it was aided by a very strong wind (9m/s). Georgie Bruce was the second AAC athlete who competed on Saturday. She won her race, in Section 2 of the 100m, in 13.60s, and in the Men’s & Women’s Mixed Open 400m, she placed second among the women with an encouraging 63.24s. “This time might have been one or two seconds faster, in friendlier weather,” Michael said.The third AAC athlete competing was Matthew Botting (year 13 at MAC). He was close to his recent best form, with a second placing in the Mixed Open 400m, in a time of 53.36s. He was also sixth in the Men’s Open 100m, with 11.88s.These three, and most of the remaining senior members of the club, will next compete on Saturday week at the Caledonian.They all are looking forward to some quality speed training, which they will be able to do now that they have returned to their training base (the track at Three Parks) for the rest of the summer (and the winter), Michael said.“Delta have done a good job the last month in repairing the 3P ground after football’s use of it in winter. It should mean that the athletes will be able to improve on their speed, sprinting on the safer surface at 3P and with lower-cut grass,” he said.This will help the senior MAC athletes in the club as they prepare for the NZ Secondary Schools Athletic Championships, which will be held in Timaru on December 6-8.PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka dancers were among more than 1,000 top New Zealand dancers who converged at the Regent On Broadway in Palmerston North last weekend for the National Young Performer Awards (NYPA).NYPA is a prestigious competitive annual dance event which gives competitors an opportunity to perform at the highest level in New Zealand.This year Wānaka’s Central Point Dance Studios took its largest ever contingent to NYPA after the dancers achieved qualifying results at regional competitions.They include five classical dancers: Lena Ibe (who lives in Queenstown and travels to Centralpoint each week), Isabel Martin, Olive Sinclair, Olivia Stanley, and Hannah Thomas - who competed against the 75 best classical dancers in New Zealand.Isabel was chosen for the semi-finals, meaning she was one of the top 16 dancers at the national event - a huge achievement for the 15-year-old. NYPA classical nominees Olive Sinclair, Isabel Martin, Olivia Stanley & Lena Ibe. (Absent: Hannah Thomas.)In addition to the five local soloists, Centralpoint also took a lyric dance troupe of 10, which included Olive, Olivia, Isabel and Lena, as well as Mia Waite, Charlotte Martin, Charlotte Sheppard, Ruby McLachlan, Casey Knights-Johnson, and Mikayla Duncan.Central Point Dance Studios owner Briony Martin said she was incredibly proud of the local dancers.She said it was very valuable “for these young dancers to have the opportunity to attend a large event such as NYPA to see and learn from other dancers and other schools and to see how big the dance industry and community is”. “It’s something we don’t always get a chance to do.”PHOTOS: Supplied