Sports

Handball set for final playoffs

The Edgewater Resort and Spa Mix Beach Handball Competition heads into the playoffs today.

Blues crush Rebels in Super opener

Keeping a lid on hype might be Tana Umaga’s biggest challenge after his Blues team opened the Super Rugby season with a performance befitting the competition’s “boom, boom” slogan. The Melbourne Rebels were certainly left stunned by the 56-18 pounding.

CITC gives boost to athletics event

THE PRINCE of Wales Athletics Championship 2016 received a head start leading up to the 2016 event following a major sponsorship from the top local enterprise.

Weekend sports action...

Masters end Aitutaki league battle on a high

Cook Islands Masters Rugby League (CIMRL) teams arrived home safely on Sunday from their Aitutaki tour which started on Thursday last week.

Catholic youth raise funds for Poland trip

The number of Catholic youth from the Cook Islands who will be attending World Youth Day in Poland this year has increased.

Busy weekend for sports lovers

It was a busy Easter weekend for sports fans here on Rarotonga and neighbouring island Aitutaki.

Young sailors enjoy holiday regatta

About a dozen children turned up at Rarotonga Sailing Club’s fun holiday regatta in Muri yesterday.

Who's hot and who's not

An A to Z of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series so far, with Fiji and South Africa claiming a Cup a piece in Dubai and Cape Town in the men’s, and Australia beating surprise finalists Russia to the first women’s title in Dubai.

Sport well and truly recovered

This has been a great year for sports for our nation.

Festive fun at Boxing Day touch

After a successful year of international and regional achievements for Cook Islands touch rugby players – the annual Boxing Day Touch Tournament on December 26 will be a festive family affair with much to celebrate. Registrations for the highly popular family-oriented touch rugby day, now in its 23rd year of running, are now open. The tournament will include a division for the more social players in the social mixed division, while those die-hard serious touch players can display their skills in the mixed open division. At this stage, the Cook Islands Touch Rugby Association are planning a 16-team tournament and teams planning to be part of this action-packed day of touch rugby are encouraged to contact Daphne Brown on 54171 to avoid the disappointment of missing out. The fun day-long tournament is a great way for family groups to bond and burn off the Christmas umukai. For sports teams such as the rugby league clubs preparing for the New Year Bluesky 9s Tournament, it’s also an opportunity to dust off the cobwebs and for groups of friends and work colleagues it’s simply a chance to enjoy a social day out. As the tournament is right in the middle of the festive season, teams are encouraged to get funky with their team uniform and dress up for a great social day out. Registrations are $120 per team and all teams must provide a referee. Fantastic prizes from touch rugby sponsors are up for grabs for the top teams and a whole day of skilful action is on the cards for all. Touch rugby successes in 2015 include a World Cup medal where the over 30 men’s team won bronze, and a raft of medals from the Pacific Games in PNG, will be celebrated at the touch rugby carnival with some of the stars from both events sure to shine on the field. This year’s tournament will be held at Aretere Park, commonly known at the Avatiu Swamp, with games kicking off at 9am on December 26. The tournament also marks the end of the year-long celebration marking 50 years of self-government, so gather up the family, church group or your mates and get along to the Swamp for the Boxing Day tournament. Anyone keen to be part of the tournament and to take up the whistle to officiate games, should call Edith Nicholas on 50130. - MW/Mana Media

Youngsters do well at NZ athletics meet

Team Cook Island has put on an impressive show at the 2015 New Zealand Secondary Athletics Championships in Timaru, New Zealand over the weekend.

Jittery start for All Blacks 7s

The United States beat New Zealand for the first time in the World Rugby Sevens series, winning 14-12 Friday to reach the quarterfinals in Dubai on points difference.