10th May 2008

2008 Trans-Tasman Masters Challenge Series commences this week in Hamilton with the first matches being played on Wednesday 14th May and concludes on Saturday 17th May.
The trans Tasman Masters Challenge series has been played bi-annually since its inception in 2000 and has grown from initially just three women’s divisions to now include four men’s divisions ranging from 40+ to over 55 and four women’s divisions ranging from 35+ to over 50 age groups. Since the series began the final winner of the Tasman Cup is often only decided after the final games have been played. The overall winner is the Country with the most wins with each age group playing a best of three series.

Waikato has been well represented within the NZ teams, especially so in the women’s sides. The Te Awamutu womens teams who boast eight players and three officials lead Waikato representation and is a reflection of the standard of hockey in which they play. Six of the eight still play at the Premier grade level with seven-year masters veteran Wendy Mackay leading the way. The women’s 40’s+ and former Te Awamutu Premier women’s coach Betty Dellaway was first selected in the NZ Masters team in 1998 and since 2005 has been a National Masters coach; whilst Bridget Daldy, a leading Waikato hockey administrator, has been on the NZ Masters Council for the past 7 years and this year marks her 4th as Chef de Mission for the National teams. Diane Rumble, Greer Leonhart, and Sheryl Lacy, gained recalls to the National Masters teams and along with debutants Jaqui Forsyth and Joanne Greenwood have been regularly honing their skills at the top level for Te Awamutu’s premier women’s team.

Pete Nicol has been a standout player at National masters tournaments and first gained selection in 2001. Although playing this year in the 45+ age group, he has been competing at National tournaments in the more competitive 40+ level, a testament to his abilities. As a key midfield player, Nicol still shines in the local Premier men’s competition for his Fraser Tech club and regularly puts in man of the match performances.

Other local men’s players represented in the challenge series include the evergreens Alan Isaac and Paul Singh (55+), Brian Ward (50+) Russ Brennon (45+) and Brett Sanders (40+).

The full NZ squads are (Local players in red)
New Zealand Men’s 40 Masters Team
Coach: Patrick Barry, Manager: Jeanette Adams
Mike Mead, Peter Van Riele (Auckland) Paul Snelling, Tony Cowbourne, Geoff Williamson (Northland), Shane Brasting Paul Williams (Wanganui), Richard Calkin, Stephen Millar (Wellington), Craig Brett Dean Bowden, Mike Gafa (Nelson), Cameron Percy (Manawatu), Ian Riach, Greg Clark (Canterbury), Brett Sanders (Waikato)
New Zealand Men’s 45 Masters Team
Coach: Bruce Colburn, Manager: Roger Goulding
Simon Norton, Scott Louden, Dave Smale, Hamish Grant (Auckland), Stu Grant, Mark Wilkens, Trevor Eden (Nelson), Julian O’Sullivan, Keith Binnie, Philip Teague (Wellington), Pete Nicol, Russell Brennan (Waikato), Bruce Kensington, Nigel Timms (Manawatu), Murray Poole, Graeme Bint (Northland)
New Zealand Men’s 50 Masters Team
Coach: Gene Coates-Reid, Manager: Alan Dickie
Paul Stenberg, Bharat Sukha (Auckland) Rob Clay (Wellington),
Ian Smith, Brett Smith, John Wilson (Wanganui) Brian Ward (Waikato), Marty Higgins, Geoff Chalklen (Canterbury),Barry Thorne, Denis Drake (Northland), Neil Edmundson (Hawkes Bay), Deryck Humphries, Ross Fowler (Tauranga) Tony Penketh (Nelson), Geoff Emmett (Nth Harbour)
New Zealand Men’s 55+ Masters Team
Coach: Lee Munt, Manager: Devan Menon
Tony Saunders Ian Rhodes, Malcolm Begg, Peter Ashton, Mike Pettet (Canterbury), Max Mathers (Northland), Merv Huxford, John Skellon (North Harbour) Paul Singh, Alan Isaac (Waikato) Mahendra Singh, Ken Isaac (Kaimai) Gill Newburn (Auckland) Dennis Slade, Les Wilson (Wanganui) Gavin McLachlan Nelson
New Zealand Women’s 35 Masters Team
Coach: Doug Sommerville, Manager: Jo Dodge
Jenny Elgar Manawatu, Lynn Steele Canterbury, Vicki Collins Wellington, Michelle Low Waikato-Wanganui, Lynda West Manawatu, Sheryl Lacy Waikato-Wanganui, Joanne Greenwood Waikato-Wanganui, Maree Martin North Harbour, Jacqui Forsyth Waikato-Wanganui, Tiffany McCrea-Lennon Canterbury, Tarannah Vette Northland, Hilary McKenna Manawatu, Sarah Lynn Canterbury
New Zealand Women’s 40 Masters Team
Coach: Betty Dellaway, Manager: Leah MacDonald
Lyn Jansen Canterbury, Hilary Stubbs Canterbury, Judy Buntain North Harbour, Lynley Willocks Manawatu, Donna Ford Northland
Gail Donaldson Wellington, Keri Dempster North Harbour, Sue Furmage Auckland, Fiona Ackroyd North Harbour. Karen Porteous North Harbour, Diane Rumble Waikato, More Williams Nelson, Cheryl Pitman Northland, Wendy Mackay Waikato, Linda Adams Canterbury
Greer Leonhart Waikato,
New Zealand Women’s 45 Masters Team
Coach: Kevin Ryan, Manager: Sue Gregory
Jenny Harington BOP / Tauranga, Mandy New Auckland, Rose Radloff Auckland, Sarah Stanley Auckland, Lynne Jamieson Auckland, Sue Caughey Canterbury, Denise Brown Manawatu, Brenda Telfer Tauranga / BOP, Sheryl Thorne Northland, Helen Currie Waikato, Jocelyn Sawyer Waikato, Trish McBride Waikato, Wendy Smith Wellington, Jill Mercer Wellington, Jan Loader Wellington, Jeanette Dodson Waikato
New Zealand Women’s 50+ Masters Team
Coach: Barbara Northey, Manager: Celia Talbot
Maeve Morrison Auckland,Kate Peri Auckland, Irene Ryan Auckland, Steph Bernie BOP/Tauranga, Carolyn Dyball BOP/Tauranga, Jenny Travis BOP/Tauranga, Lynne Whitaker BOP/Tauranga, Robin Kavanagh North Harbour, Maree Todd North Harbour, Margi Kay Northland
Helen Robertson Nelson, Jean Roberts Thames Valley, Chris Berry Canterbury,Anne Stone Wanganui, Di Jordan Wellington, Nicky Sherriff Wellington