King of the Hill Returns
New Zealand racing legend Rod Millen “conqueror of Pikes Peak – the world’s ultimate hillclimb event, is one of those rare men who competes in cars that he conceived and built.” Millen, “a firm…
News of New Zealanders via Global Media
Absolutely the Real Deal
Christchurch-born teenager Scott McLaughlin, 19, continues to impress with slick showing in Albert Park V8 Supercars Challenge warm-up. McLaughlin, a Garry Rogers Motorsport driver, was impressive in the opening practice sessions of the Challenge…
Erakovic Scores WTA Title
‘Run up the flags. New Zealand finally has a winner again,’ said Bob Greene of World Tennis Magazine. He was talking about Marina Erakovic winning her first World Tennis Association (WTA) title. The win…
Ryan Nelsen Scores Coaching Position
Former All Whites skipper Ryan Nelsen, has his first-ever coaching job, at Toronto FC. He faces a huge task trying to turn the club around, writes Sonja Cori Missio in The Guardian. Nelsen was…
First in Memphis
Marina Erakovic, 24, has became the first New Zealander, since Belinda Cordwell in 1989, to win a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) title, lifting her first career trophy with a truncated triumph over third-seeded German…
Sonny Bill Eyes Up World Cup
Sonny Bill Williams, New Zealand’s most versatile sportsman, may be available for New Zealand for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup says Brad Walker, in The Age. Williams plays for the Sydney Rooster rugby…
NZ Women’s Cricket Player Issues ‘Wakeup’ Call
Susie Bates, New Zealand women’s cricket captain, was named Player of the Tournament at the 2013 women’s Cricket World Cup. Bates scored 407 runs in the competition, and was named captain of the tournament’s…
Lydia Ko ‘Just Incredible’
Steve Williams says he’s almost lost for words when it comes to fellow Kiwi Lydia Ko’s achievements, according to The Age. Williams has caddied for Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Raymond Floyd and now Adam…
Cup Hope in Culture
Team New Zealand can’t match billionaire Larry Ellison’s budget in the America’s Cup this year so it’s relying on sailing nous for what managing director Grant Dalton sees as a last chance to reclaim…
Looking Back at the Beginning
In the year of McLaren’s 50th anniversary celebrations, a new short film directed by leading Swedish music-video maker Marcus Söderlund, sheds light on McLaren’s very human back-story – namely that of New Zealander Bruce McLaren,…
Unleashing the Brapp
“A.J. Fairbairn mashes the 1966 Ford GT Mark II’s throttle, unleashing the brapp of its NASCAR V-8 as it echoes off the safety walls of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Todd Lassa writes for Motor…
On the Wing for Scotland
Tokoroa-born Sean Maitland, 24, made his Scotland debut against England in the RBS 6 Nations Championship opener against England on 2 February at Twickenham, scoring the first try of the match. Maitland qualifies for…
Another Record Pocketed
Professional pool player Macau-based Rocky Lane has broken his own jump-shooting world record time, potting 15 pool balls from the table in 11.29 seconds. New Zealand-born Lane is newly invited as…
Century and a Win
Black Cap Kane Williamson, 22, finished unbeaten on 145 from 136 balls before New Zealand fielded their way to a 27-run victory over South Africa in Kimberley. New Zealand secured their first series victory…
Half a Century of Legend
Fifty years ago, New Zealander Bruce McLaren launched a company that has gone on to become one of the greats of world motorsport and on 2 September this year, McLaren…
Where No Man Has Gone Before
New Zealand world record-breaking freediver William Trubridge, 32, is one of the few people on the planet who can dive deeper than WWII submarines without coming up for air. Trubridge talked to Bob Simon…
Tourism At Speed
New Zealand’s newest cross-country Te Araroa Trail is the perfect challenge for British ultrarunner Jez Bragg, 31, who plans to run the track – from Cape Reinga to Bluff – in 50…
Head Coach Role For Soccer Star
Former All Whites captain and Tottenham Hotspur player Ryan Nelsen, 35, has been signed with Toronto FC as head coach. Christchurch-born Nelsen is no stranger to Major League Soccer (MLS), having captained American team…
Solo Protest Paddle Completed
New Zealand-born surfer and activist Dave Rastovich has completed his 350km solo protest paddle mission from Taranaki to Piha, to raise awareness for the nearly extinct Maui’s dolphin and the hazards that seabed mining…
Trail Running Trend Speeds Up
“It is the perfect new year challenge – a week’s journey on foot and at speed through New Zealand’s fairytale valleys,” The Financial Times’ Jonathan Thompson writes. “It is, to put it mildly, a…
Rethinking Team Rankings
Economist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New Zealander Niven Winchester, who studies sports rankings as a hobby, argues that The National Football League (NFL) should rank teams more the way rugby does. Winchester calculates…
Speed Demon Wins In US
New Zealand Paralympic skier Adam Hall, 25, was at Copper Mountain, Colorado for the 2012-13 IPC Nor-Am Cup, where he won two silver medals in the men’s standing competition. Dunedin-born Hall says he likes…
Holding It In For A World Record
Free divers, like New Zealander William Trubridge, 32, are taking extreme sports to new depths, while ever mindful of not being shark bait, reports The Sydney Morning Herald’s Emma Partridge. Trubridge continues to hold…
Knock Out For Life
New Zealand All Black and kickboxer, Hastings-born Hika Elliot, 26, unbeaten in 62 fights, will square off against Australian league player Paul Gallen in the Fight For Life boxing charity event in Auckland on…
Player Of The Year
All Black Dan Carter has been named player of the year in London at the 2012 International Rugby Board (IRB) awards, with Steve Hansen winning coach of the year and the All Blacks the…
Foiled By Fourth Best
New Zealand, the world’s No 1-ranked side, was defeated by England 38-21 at Twickenham, bringing the All Blacks’ unbeaten run of 20 back-to-back wins to an end. It was England’s first win over New…
Nebraska’s Prize Prospect
Huskers point guard prospect New Zealander Tai Webster is considered the prize of Nebraska coach Tim Miles’ first recruiting class. ESPN.com rates Webster as a four-star recruit with the following summation: “Webster is a…
Murdoch Memorialised
Before taking care of business in Wales, the All Blacks made a pilgrimage to the hotel where one of their own went down fighting before disappearing without trace, the Daily Mail reports. They went…
Our Inimitable All Black Captain
Captain “fantastic” Richie McCaw has led the “all-conquering All Blacks” to a 20th successive match without defeat beating Wales 33-10 at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. No player in world rugby is better in…
Irish Coaching Role for Smith
New Zealander Darren Smith has been named the new Ireland women’s hockey national coach. Napier-born Smith, 39, takes up the role following six years as assistant coach to the New Zealand men’s team who…
When in Rome
The All Blacks continued their European Tour, taking on Italy in Rome on Saturday. Despite winning by a comfortable 42 points to 10 the Italians made the All Blacks work hard for the win,…
All Blacks Kick the Scottish
The All Blacks have enjoyed a great start to their European Tour, beating Scotland 51-22 at Murrayfield on Sunday. Despite a competitive Scottish side, the experienced All Blacks team played in a different league,…
Diamond Blacks Qualify
“Starved of funding, given little public attention, and overshadowed by a more popular close cousin, baseball has had it rough in New Zealand, the sport’s chief executive Ryan Flynn concedes. But all that could…
Impressive Role Reversal
On 10 November New Zealander Glen Jackson will jog out at Twickenham to referee England’s opening autumn Test versus Fiji. It will be Jackson’s first tier one international and represents one of sport’s more…
Wildcat Spark Plug
Hawkes Bay basketball player Everard Bartlett, 26, is fast establishing a reputation as Perth’s spark plug, emerging as yet another scoring weapon for the Wildcats as it looks to build on an impressive 3-0…
Revival Vest a Finalist
The James Dyson Award has nominated 22-year-old Victoria University graduate James McNab as one of 15 finalists in its 2012 design competition. After the death of McNab’s friend Jacob Beck-Jaffurs, who suffered a shallow…
Vertigo Top Yacht
New Zealand has won awards at the latest International Superyacht Society (ISS) Design Awards, held in Fort Lauderdale in Florida. The winner in the category ‘Sailing yacht 40m +’ was won by the ketch,…
Epic Story About Epic Men
A new book about New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s ascent of Mt Everest “is one of courage, perseverance and jingoism”, author Justin Cartwright writes for The Observer. “Mick Conefrey’s moving book…
Super Swap for Winger
Canterbury Crusaders winger Sean Maitland, 24, has signed a contract with Super Rugby side Glasgow Warriors and could be eligible for the national team immediately due to his Scottish grandparents. “We’re delighted to be…
Farewell to a Favourite
Sir Wilson Whineray, who captained the All Blacks 67 times between 1957 and 1965, has died in Auckland, aged 77. Judged by renowned rugby writer Terry McLean as the greatest of All Blacks captains,…
Even Harder on Himself
“It would be hard not to describe McCaw as one of rugby’s greats,” Emma Stoney writes for The New York Times. “He is the captain of the most successful team in…
Rubberman Prevails
Palmerston North 21-year-old freestyle motorcross champion Levi Sherwood has become the youngest-ever winner of the Red Bull X-Fighters tour championship beating French rider Thomas Pagès on Cockatoo Island in Sydney. “All I came here…
Women Enter Sevens Fold
The success of New Zealand’s rugby teams will create high expectations on the country’s women as they embark on the first International Rugby Board (IRB) women’s sevens world series in November, coach Sean Horan…
Southern Hemisphere Champs
The world champion All Blacks routed Argentina 54-15 to secure the southern hemisphere’s inaugural Rugby Championship with a game to spare. New Zealand outscored the Pumas by seven tries in La Plata, all coming…
Bevin’s Got Great Legs
New Zealand cyclists Patrick Bevin and Logan Hutchins have taken first and second places respectively in the inaugural Thompson Bucks County Classic professional bicycle race in Pennsylvania. Finishing 1-2 with Hutchins was a special…
Art of Rugby
Examining the All Blacks 21-11 win against his national team, the Springboks, Brumbies coach Jake White writes in The Citizen’s sports column: “The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands,…
Talent Gets On With It
“The golf prodigy Lydia Ko was asked how she would cope with being the youngest competitor this week at the Women’s British Open, which was like asking Sean Lennon how he deals with being…
Charming Sport Over Ice
“Here at Naseby, a seriously small town in Central Otago region, I meet Sean Becker, a former Olympic curling representative and current member of the New Zealand men’s team, his father, Peter Becker, and…
Win After Dark
A blackout at Wellington’s Stadium “was an apt metaphor” for the All Blacks versus Argentina game, “with few highlights to speak about as both sides battled driving rain and swirling gale-force winds”, the Buenos…
Giant Impresses
New Zealander Steven Adams, 19, “just may be one of the most intriguing players in college basketball this season, not to mention one of the most physically impressive at 7-foot, 250 pounds,” ESPN senior…
Three Medals for Sophie
19-year-old Christchurch swimming star Sophie Pascoe broke a world record and took three medals in the pool at the London Paralympics, two golds and a silver. Pascoe’s first gold saw her set a new…
Teen Golfer Makes History
Fifteen-year-old amateur sensation Aucklander Lydia Ko has made golfing history becoming the youngest LPGA champion closing with a 5-under 67 for a three-stroke victory over at Inbee Park to win the Canadian Women’s Open….
Bledisloe Trouncing
For the first time in 50 years the world champion All Blacks kept the Australians scoreless, beating the Wallabies 22-0 at Eden Park and retaining the Bledisloe Cup for the 10th consecutive season. The…
Solving the Problem of Concussion
Thirty-five-year-old former New Zealand, Blues and Auckland scrum-half Steve Devine, who was forced to retire from rugby in 2007, knows all too well how debilitating the long-term effects of concussions can be. In the…
Multi-tasking on Court
New Zealand point guard Tai Webster has committed to studying and playing at the University of Nebraska. Webster, at 17 years old, is a rising star, having become the youngest player to ever make…
First Win of the Series
The All Blacks have won their first post-World Cup tournament against the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship opener beating the Australians 27-19 in Sydney. Australia must win at its Eden Park graveyard on 25…
