You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image At the Cromwell Community Board meeting last Tuesday the board agreed to allow Old Cromwell Incorporated to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Cromwell and Districts Community Trust (CDCT) to enable the construction of the replica village The board also agreed to apply to Land Information New Zealand to amend the Old Cromwell Township Lake Front Management Agreement to include an extended area Trust chairwoman Ali Ballantine told the meeting the trust agreed with the board’s recommendations and recognised that construction plans had been obtained It was disappointed it took a year to get to this point due to conflicting advice from council staff The delay also meant the plan to use Otago Polytechnic stonemasonry students to work on the footings and footpaths would no longer work This meant the trust would need to find extra funding for the work which is great and it’s a fantastic project which is really going to be an asset to Cromwell," she said Old Cromwell Incorporated representative Helen Scoles told the board it had been a long process with the organisation having started work in 1992 In 2004 the Cromwell & Districts Promotion Group took over the project Scam alerts: we’ve seen an increase in scam texts and emails claiming to be from us, asking for payments.Check our example scams or report a scam to us NZTA App: our mobile app provides a simple and secure way to access your driver licence and vehicle information.Learn more and download the NZTA app The works will result in delays for road users in both directions as intermittent traffic stops will be in operation for up to eight weeks along the Cromwell Gorge slopes and benches* Crews will work to clear debris from the benches and assess stability at the Clyde end of the Cromwell Gorge “While we appreciate delays are frustrating this is an essential piece of work which will improve the resilience with debris removed from above road level.  We ask road users for patience and understanding.” Traffic will be held in both directions intermittently as required.  Drivers need to build in delays of up to 15 minutes for the next two months roadworks and road closures please visit: NZTA Journey Planner Journey Planner(external link) They have been in existence for around 40 years and were constructed upslope as part of the development of SH8 during the creation of Lake Dunstan and the Clyde Hydro Dam Crews with abseilers will be using mechanical methods to remove any unstable rock with drilling and blasting if required when there is no traffic underneath the benches NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi works to create transport solutions for all New Zealanders – from helping new drivers earn their licences to leading safety campaigns to investing in public transport New Zealand could have a second Australian Supercars race as soon as 2026 The Central Otago District Council met on Wednesday to discuss the region hosting a Supercars event in 2026 at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell Supercars returned to New Zealand earlier this year with its inaugural event at Taupō International Motorsport Park Supercars is constantly pursuing and evaluating opportunities to expand the sport's reach New Zealand is home to an avid motorsport fan base as evidenced by the sell-out success of the inaugural Taupō Super400 this past April and no less than five Kiwi drivers on the current There has been great interest among our stakeholders and supporters in a second Supercars event in the land of the long white cloud which we will continue to explore alongside our ongoing efforts to sustain and grow the success of our event in Taupō The five New Zealand drivers on the Supercars grid are Jaxon Evans The new Supercars championships starts in February with the Taupō race in April Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Defending champion Richie Stanaway finishes best of the NZ drivers in the Bathurst 1000 as Brodie Kostecki claims the King of the Mountains crown New Zealand driver Richie Stanaway is a little more relaxed as he returns to Mount Panorama for Australia's 'great race.' New Zealand driver Shane van Gisbergen put on a master class in winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Chicago Street Race We have regular online commentary of local and international sport Sport RSS Follow RNZ News A person has died following a crash near Cromwell overnight Police this morning said the single-vehicle crash which occurred near the intersection of State Highways 8 and 8B "The sole occupant of the vehicle died at the scene." The section of road fully reopened to traffic at about 2pm after one lane was closed for much of the morning A large vegetation fire north of Cromwell this afternoon has been contained A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said they received multiple reports of a fire from the public about 3.05pm was burning through long grass and vineyards and two rural fire appliances and two helicopters equipped with monsoon buckets had been dispatched No buildings were threatened by the blaze and no one had been injured Dunstan and Tarras had fought the fire while dealing with challenging terrain and high winds three tankers and rural appliances remained on scene dampening down hot spots smoke that can be seen in parts of Queenstown is from a controlled burn at Halfway Bay The council approved the $14.7million project at its meeting yesterday The project is designed to "future-proof" the water supply and ensure the town’s drinking water meets New Zealand’s safety standards located on Alpha St Reserve near Lake Dunstan serves the local communities of Bannockburn as population growth and employment opportunities surge the plant has become insufficient to meet the growing demand the plant does not meet the New Zealand Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules particularly in terms of protozoa treatment the council has developed a $15.3m water upgrade programme included in the CODC 2021-2031 Long Term Plan The comprehensive upgrade will introduce ultraviolet (UV) treatment alongside the existing chlorination process effectively protecting against harmful bacteria and protozoa while maintaining the quality and taste of the water One of the notable design changes since planning the project began is the relocation of the water treatment facility from its lakefront location to a site on McNab Rd site procurement and construction of a new treatment plant at the reservoir site in McNab Rd and upgrade of the bores between Lake Dunstan and the Alpha St will begin with a publicly notified tender process The project is viewed as a major step in securing Cromwell’s water future as the region experiences rapid growth The water upgrade includes the construction of a new water treatment plant and the completion of a newly installed raw water pipeline the plant will be able to meet the needs of a projected population surge over the next 30 years and commissioning of the treatment upgrade is estimated at $14.7m with the budget set at $15.3m for the water treatment and borefield improvements as outlined in the 2024 Annual Plan and the 2025 Long Term Plan Decommissioning the existing treatment plant at Alpha St Reserve This will involve filling subsurface cavities with topsoil and grass and reusing certain components The census forecast Cromwell’s population to nearly double in the next three decades and peak day water use to rise significantly estimates that the population will rise from 17,685 on peak days in 2024 to 37,002 by 2054 The new borefield will play a critical role in meeting this demand while consolidating the water supply for Pisa Village with Cromwell’s system improving operational efficiency and security as well as reducing costs In his report Mr Keenan said the move would improve both security and operational efficiency and help protect the scenic values of the area The upgrade is designed to meet Cromwell’s needs for the next 30 years and additional upgrades are planned for the next 18-24 years to ensure scalability graham.mckerracher@alliedpress.co.nz One person has died in a crash involving a car and motorbike in Cromwell this morning was closed near McNulty Rd after the collision was reported about 10.30am today One person died at the scene and a second person sustained serious injuries Hato Hone St John said a rescue helicopter was sent to the scene A patient had been assessed as being in a serious condition A spokesman for Helicopters Otago later confirmed a person had been flown to Dunedin Hospital Firefighting crews were sent from Cromwell to assist police and ambulance services The road has now reopened after being closed while the Serious Crash Unit conducted a scene examination Cromwell Street Sprints organising committee member Garry Morton said the event attracted racers from around the South Island This year the event was being capped at 55 to ensure the day would run smoothly There would be some new drivers and different cars with the top-10 racers completing a fourth shootout round A wide variety of cars would hit the track with most being purpose-built sprint racers Spectators could view the race for free from Gair Ave Estimating spectator numbers would be hit and miss as in the past they had crowds ranging from 400 to 800 "A good day out would mean 400 spectators," he said The first car would make its run at 9.15am and the top 10 shootout would be finished by about 4.45pm The tight corners of the circuit made would make for an entertaining event ella.jenkins@alliedpress.co.nz A police spokesman said the incident involved two vehicles colliding about 5pm He was not able to say how many people were injured that's not something that we're able to confirm." "We will issue an update when we're in a position to do so." Fulton Hogan said Hawksburn Rd had reopened having temporarily closed the alternative back country route due to high volumes and multiple unsuitable vehicles attempting to make the journey It was letting traffic through one end at a time it warned drivers who did not have a suitable vehicle to "not even attempt it" another alternative track not suitable for general use Vehicles not suitable for the road had also attempted this route and were ''causing issues'' Fulton Hogan said it had closed the road for safety Police have released the name of the woman who died following a crash in Cromwell at the weekend which closed State Highway 6 near the McNulty Rd intersection One person died at the scene and a second person was airlifted to Dunedin Hospital with serious injuries A police spokesperson this evening said a 60-year-old man had been charged with careless driving causing death and careless driving causing injury and was due to reappear in the Alexandra District Court tomorrow The spokesperson said police continued to offer support to the dead woman's family The death is one of six on Central Otago roads in the past five weeks the toll leaving local officials and emergency staff horrified and urging motorists to focus on driving safely Both the motorbike rider and the sole occupant of the vehicle died at the scene The highway was closed for several hours after the crash a back country route between Clyde and Cromwell also had to be closed for a time owing to high volumes of traffic and multiple unsuitable vehicles trying to use it Fulton Hogan said it closed the road for safety As the Covid-19 pandemic brings the world into uncharted waters Star Media journalists and photographers continue to report local stories that matter everyday - yours For more than 152 years our journalists have provided Cantabrians with local news that can be trusted It’s more important now than ever to keep Cantabrians connected As our advertising has fallen during the pandemic You can help us continue to provide local news you can trust simply by becoming a supporter Stone fruit and wine have always put Cromwell on the map but there is one special day during summer when the pips of their produce are put to another READ MORE: Holiday in Central Otago to soothe big city burnout Then the email arrived. It was an offer to commentate cricket – a lifelong obsession – in Alexandra, Central Otago. Three matches, five days and six nights from Boxing Day through to January 1. And what started as a “I’m going to have to say no”, morphed into “hang on, what if I took Aimee and the kids?” And given my Dad lives in Dunedin along with one of my sisters and with another sister due to be visiting them at the same time the twitch of an idea to make this an extended healing family holiday in one of the most dramatically beautiful parts of the country took hold Crucially my wife – wondrous soul that she is – was game And it so it came to be: we swapped coastline for the place in New Zealand furthest from the ocean All of which explains why I missed out competing in the annual Cherry Pit-Spit Championship in Cromwell on December 29 – I was half-an-hour down the road in Alexandra calling the 4s But boy did Riley (5 years old) and Austin (18 months) love it With the venue a lovely patch of lawn in the centre of Cromwell’s locked-in-time Heritage Precinct contestants both young and old would wind their bodies back before unfurling to spit their pits the greatest distance Chris McIlwrick was unfazed by the crowd nor the occasion and romped to victory with a spit of 11.17-metres though my wife reliably informs me this was shy of the mammoth 15.95-metre hoick by Tui Smith in 2023 is the competition’s all-time record going back to 2006 It is right that Cromwell – population 7440 – hosts this unique marker on the New Zealand sporting calendar given its status as the nation’s undisputed “stone-fruit capital” You might even go so as far as to say that of all of New Zealand’s small town manmade sculpture-icons (merely “sculpture” or “icon” is inadequate) nectarine and apricot of Cromwell – built 1990 – might just be the most impressive Gore’s big trout and about a dozen other small town “sculpture-icons” Though next time they’re doing maintenance on the sculpture-icon they might want to add a big cherry given nearly half of all New Zealand’s export cherries are grown in the Cromwell region where the dry climate and combination of cold winters and hot summers are ideal So I missed out on the cherry spitting and the pick-your-own experience at the nearby Cheeki Cherries orchard that Aimee the kids and the rest of the family also adored but given we’d chosen to make Cromwell our base for our six-night Central Otago holiday shopping with the family at the weekly markets in the Heritage Precinct followed up by a picnic on the banks of Lake Dunstan with the town’s Gold Rush-era buildings behind us looking much as they would’ve in the 1860s We also dined and sampled wines at the just-opened Wooing Tree Cellar Door & Kitchen – the latest addition to Cromwell’s hospitality scene and located right across from the giant sculpture-icon Specialising in shared plates like a delicious Vietnamese Prawn & Rice Noodle Salad and Korean Fried Cauliflower this is a high-end establishment and a reminder that Queenstown doesn’t have a monopoly on the region’s best restaurants Hollywood star Reece Witherspoon is said to have ranked Wooing Tree’s Blondie (a Blanc de Noir made from Pinot Noir grapes) as her favourite New Zealand wine but the pinot gris was pretty sensational too Fruit and wine have put Cromwell on the map for years but they’re not the only things that have been pulling the tourists in of late Highlands Motorsport Park has established itself as one of the premier man-made tourist attractions in the South Island It’s everything from a multimillion-dollar classic car museum (that DeLorean seemed to have a magnetic pull on me as a Back To Future fan) to a Central Otago-themed adventure mini-golf course Highlands is rightly very proud of their ‘Loos With A View’ where you can relieve yourself in plush palatial luxury while overlooking the racing or – if you don’t mind company – a series of musical urinals that kick into action upon use the view over the track with the mountains beyond is something else That is unless a certain Tim Roxborogh is driving one of the ‘Radical U-Drive’ racing cars The kind where you get properly suited up and helmeted and have to sit in the vehicle before the detachable steering wheel gets fitted You have an expert driver with you for seven laps to aid in you going as fast as possible as safely as possible but Riley’s first words to me afterwards suggested otherwise: “Daddy If probably not my professional co-driver and evidently not Riley either as shown by her ecstatic squealing and laughing a few minutes later while we were driven 180-kilometres per hour in a Porsche Cayenne Turbo for the ‘Highlands Taxi’ attraction And then it was mini-golf and lunch at the café We did a half-day but could have easily spent longer “Build it and they will come” doesn’t always come true but in the case of Highlands and the man who dreamed it all up – Tony Quinn – you very much get a sense it has for Cromwell The same can be said for just how much cycle tourism has exploded in Central Otago in the 21st century Cromwell acts as an ideal hub for all the different trails on offer with our family choosing a 30-kilometre section of the famed Otago Central Rail Trail With Riley on a seat with pedals attached to my e-bike and my sister Katie and nephew Max on individual bikes too we went in tunnels cut through rock over 200 metres long crossed bridges over a century old and saw up close the mountains wild landscapes and historic villages that make this part of New Zealand so stunning Finishing up at the Chatto Creek Tavern – a 139-year-old stone-built village pub and garden so charming it’s like every dream country pub rolled into one – it was the best exclamation point on a wonderful family holiday And Coromandel can wait for another summer centralotagonz.com Tim Roxborogh travelled as a guest of Tourism Central Otago Kiwis can book seats on the newly announced flights from today Tony Quinn spent $20 million developing Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell Plans are in place to hold the first Supercars championship event in the South Island the Central Otago District Council met to briefly discuss the region hosting a Supercars event in 2026 at Highlands Motorsport Park “It was noted that conversations with Supercars are underway and are looking favourable but there is not any further information on this proposed event that could be shared,” the council heard The council doesn’t meet again until January 15 Should the Highlands event come to fruition it would mark the first time Supercars would hold two championship events in New Zealand in the same year Supercars return to Taupō from April 11-13 at the ITM Taupō Super400 with the event contracted through at least 2026 the New Zealand-based former pet-food magnate opened the Highlands Motorsport Park in 2013 and also owns Taupō International Motorsport Park “Supercars is constantly pursuing and evaluating opportunities to expand the sport’s reach as evidenced by the sell-out success of the inaugural ITM Taupō Super400 this past April and no less than five Kiwi drivers on the current Supercars grid,” a Supercars statement said “There has been great interest among our stakeholders and supporters in a second Supercars event in the land of the long white cloud which we will continue to explore alongside our ongoing efforts to sustain and grow the success of our event in Taupō.” The 2025 Repco Supercars Championship season gets underway February 21-23 with the Sydney 500 at Sydney Motorsport Park died after an 11-bike crash at Oulton Park A big week got bigger when Tom Bamford trained a winning double at Cromwell on Friday The victories of Light Me Up and Ebury Street in successive races came just days after the Canterbury trainer secured his first purchases at the NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales.  Driver Sam Thornley had both pacers in front and out of trouble and neither looked like being captured down the long Cromwell straight Ebury Street added to her outstanding record in Central Otago when winning Friday’s feature pace The six-year-old won at Omakau and Roxburgh early in January before running second at Cromwell on the final day of the Central Otago New Year circuit.  Thornley stacked his rivals up and outsprinted them as Ebury Street went one better in her Cromwell return “She is going as good as she ever has,” Bamford said they didn’t go a quick time but she was able to rip home in a pretty nice last quarter.” Earlier Light Me Up put a frustrating last run behind him in the best possible style in the Hygain Revell Douglas Memorial Series Mobile Pace The pacer broke and took no part in his last start after an ordinary effort at Addington the four-year-old was able to show the kind of form he produced previously “He went good at Nelson then I backed him up at Addington it was trainer error and he was disappointing,” Bamford said “But he trialled good last week and Sam was pretty happy with him today.” but when he is in the right mood he can be pretty good.” Bamford will back both of his winners up at Cromwell on the second day of the Wyndham club’s two-day meeting on Sunday The trainer is preparing his stable star Rakero Rocket for a big northern campaign whether we have one trial or a couple of trials we will see.” then he will be on the plane up north for the slot race at Cambridge.  Bamford will also have his two newly purchased yearlings to break in soon “I managed to get a Sweet Lou colt in Auckland that was actually passed in but we were keen to get him and we were able to.” he’s a full brother Im A Gigolo who has done a great job.” “Then I really liked the Always B Miki filly we got in Christchurch she reminds me a lot of Treacherous Gall who was at Regan Todd’s when I was there.” Bamford said he welcomed enquiries from anyone interested in taking a share in his two youngsters.  The National Racing Bureau now has its own dedicated email and phone accounts HRNZ would like to remind everyone of the Terms and Conditions of the Two-Year-Old Bonus Scheme ("TYOBS”) for the 2025 season © 2025 Harness Racing New Zealand  |  Privacy Policy A 60-year-old American tourist has admitted causing a fatal crash which left one person dead and another injured near Cromwell at the weekend The man admitted a charge of careless driving causing death and another of careless driving causing injury in the two-vehicle crash on State Highway 6 on March 15 The crash resulted in the death of a 65-year-old American woman and the injured victim was still in hospital Judge Dominic Flatley granted the defendant interim name suppression as well as a request to move the man’s bail conditions and sentencing to the North Shore The man was remanded on bail to appear in the North Shore District Court on April 15 His passport had been surrendered as part of his bail conditions More than 100 patched members of the Red Knights motorcycle club are expected to descend on Central Otago for their annual gathering The group started in the United States and had expanded with chapters around the world was founded in 2018 by club president and volunteer firefighter Charlie Le Couteur It was two years ago when NZ10 stepped forward to host the annual national gathering This year’s gathering would also celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Cromwell Fire Brigade Riders were due to arrive in town on Friday and would be greeted with a welcome dinner at the Cromwell Fire Station On Saturday the group planned to ride to Wānaka before returning Cromwell with a stop at Cardrona would marry two members under the Wedding Tree in Lake Hāwea Mr Le Couteur had been a celebrant for 10 years and offered his services to members of the uniformed services for free with couples asked to donate to Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand instead of paying a fee The charity had a connection with firefighters as each year firefighters climbed the Sky Tower to raise money and awareness He had done the climb once and the donation was a way to help pay things forward riders would gather at Highlands Motorsport Park for breakfast and ride two laps of the track before they disperse Police and St John have been notified of the once-in-11-year event and Mr Le Couteur asked motorists at junctions to be patient as it took time for a large group of motorcycles to pass The Red Knights were made up of people from a wide variety of backgrounds and The club plan to raise and donate money to a Central Otago charity The charity would be decided at the presidents’ meeting to be held during the weekend Comradeship was one of the important aspects of the Red Knights donations would be collected for the family of a fellow Australian Red Knights who was killed in a motorcycle accident earlier this month The Williamsons rolled into Cromwell over the weekend and the results were rather familiar Brad Williamson’s winning double yesterday added to the incredible success his family have enjoyed at the Central Otago venue which is something of a home away from home for them Brad kicked Sunday’s meeting off in style with Isobel running to an impressive debut victory in Race 1 The three-year-old trialled impressively ahead of her first start and she produced a faultless trotting display under the pressure of race day.  “The way she went today we might be able to aim her at some of the three-year-old fillies races and see whether she can step up to that level.” so she will have a bit of a freshen-up now.” Kracka Looka has been making up for lost time this preparation and that continued with her dead-heat victory along with Miles Away in the Night 'N Day Cromwell Trot.  winning her debut as a two-year-old before going on to race at Group 1 level.  But Kracka Looka was limited to just one start as a three-year-old “She won first up at Ashburton and looked quite promising early on.” “But the further she went on the wheels sort of fell off.” “She had a bit of a breathing issue so we got that sorted and she is back on track now.” she didn’t get too many favours but to get the dead-heat was good.” Yesterday’s victory was Kracka Looka’s second in just three starts back from her time away from racing Williamson said he plans to continue to race the mare in the grades as autumn approaches “She should only keep getting better with more racing.” Phil Williamson got in on the winning action at Cromwell with Jimmy Carter taking out yesterday’s feature trot the Anderson Park Motel Handicap Trot.  The veteran prevailed in a close finish with his stablemate Practical Magic who ran to her fifth consecutive second placing Williamson admitted before yesterday’s meeting Jimmy Carter produced a fair effort by his normal standards at Cromwell on Friday and he wasn’t exactly sure of what to expect from the horse on Sunday But the trotter bounced back to his best form with the aid of a sweet trip in the trail found by driver John Morrison Nathan Williamson was also among the winners at Cromwell yesterday The brother of a man killed in a crash on a Central Otago highway earlier this week says words "cannot express how much I'll miss this fella" describes him as a "dearly loved and devoted Dad" of two children an "adored partner" and a loved son and brother Flynn was killed when a motorcycle and a ute crashed in the Cromwell Gorge (State Highway 8) on Wednesday Both the motorcyclist and the ute driver died at the scene Another person in the ute was taken to Dunedin Hospital with minor injuries In a social media post Flynn's brother Craig said: "Words cannot express how much I'll miss this fella "Unfortunately Grant's life was taken far too short on Wednesday as a result of a vehicle accident in Cromwell "Poor Grant didn't deserve this and I'll never get to have a beer or chat with this good bugger ever again He said a celebration of Grant's life would be held be in Cromwell on Wednesday at 2pm A police spokeswoman this week said they could not confirm the cause of the crash until an investigation had been completed and that inquiries into fatal crashes were complex and could take "some time" to complete New Otago Polytechnic Central Campus director John Christie was joined by polytechnic leadership to discuss the plans for the campus and its accommodation Otago Polytechnic had two campuses in Cromwell and one in Wanaka Late last year it was announced the brewing and stonemasonry courses run at Cromwell would be discontinued from this year It was also announced the town campus would be sold and programmes centralised at the Bannockburn campus the polytechnic accommodation was being explored Executive director Megan Potiki said she was delighted by the number of people at the meeting While they were waiting for directives from the Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds Otago Polytechnic was in debt and they would have to take out costs to get it standing back on its own feet There was a risk that they could be forced into a federation of polytechnics and that was not wanted who had been in the director role for about two weeks He had just bought a house and moved his family to Cromwell from Dunedin He wanted the community to have pride in the Cromwell campus for staff and learners to be proud to be there every day Ms Potiki said getting enough full time equivalent students was the key The number of hours students spent on their course mattered more than the number of students enrolled Audience members had plenty of ideas of courses to run and activities that could generate income One man pointed outside to the nursery area and said he could not buy native plants in bulk locally yet the polytechnic had a facility to do that on site The pending sale of the polytechnic’s accommodation said if it was sold the polytechnic would never get back into the property market Otago Polytechnic deputy executive director operations Max Sims said it would have to be sold under the Public Works Act and that was a complex progress At the moment there was only 50% uptake in rooms and the increased requirements to provide pastoral care was a problem due to the low numbers of students Asked what options the polytechnic would offer students from out of town That was quickly cried down as already being exhausted Audience members were quick to offer multiple suggestions for using any spare rooms at the accommodation and what to do with them during the summer when they were not needed for students Offering evening classes to working people was suggested as an income stream with topics from car maintenance to upskilling for career advancement proposed Cromwell claims three-way battle into final corners to deliver memorable return from collarbone break Cromwell had a close three way battle on her hands gaining the advantage on Talia Appleton (Praties) and mountain bike force Rebecca Henderson (Orbea Fox Factory) through the final corners to secure the Australian title an honour she last enjoyed at the Road Championships when she claimed the U19 time trial in 2006 "Finally an elite Aussie title," said Cromwell in an Instagram post after claiming the win at her first event back from breaking her collarbone 35 days ago "Obviously gravel has become my game lately so I'm pretty stoked to be able to bring it to the rest of the races I’ll be doing this season and to come back from my injury A nice way to get the confidence back.” The racing at the 102km inaugural Ponderosa Pines race which was hosting the championships this year started in two-minute waves through the elite and masters categories “I didn’t take off from the gun – one of the other women did for a hot minute but I just hid in the wheels," said Cromwell in a Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto media release "We got caught by the masters 1-2 men after around 20km and then it became a race between Bec Henderson "We were the only ones that made the group but then none of us could drop each other from that group the guys we were with sat back and let us race Both Appleton and Henderson laid down attacks through the final stages but Cromwell marked the moves until the final 600m when she launched Despite cramping almost as soon as she attacked the experienced multi-discipline rider held firm carving out a four-second gap to 2024 Gravelista winner Appleton and then Henderson crossed the line a further eight seconds back The title race was Cromwell's second gravel event in Australia this year with the 36-year-old having won RADL GRVL in January Now she will be continuing on with the two UCI World Gravel Series events of The Devils Cardigan in Tasmania on May 10 and then SEVEN in Western Australia on May 17 A post shared by AusCycling (@auscyclingaus) with the rider having last year scooped up a long-sought-after Melbourne to Warrnambool victory despite a last-minute decision to enter The 37-year-old has also shown plenty of gravel form in recent seasons, claiming victory at Sutton Grange Winery Uncorked Gravel in 2024 and taking third at RADL GRVL in South Australia at the start of this year knew that he had to go it alone to be in with a chance but to make his move wasn't banking on the climbs through the two laps of the 51km long Mt Crawford course with 622m of elevation gain each lap "I knew I wasn’t punchy enough to get away from the guys on the little kicks on the hills, so I had to find a place on the flat," said O'Brien in an interview put out in the AusCycling highlights video "Got away in the headwind before the last climb and then had about a 30k solo effort basically from then on.  "So [I was] really trying to push in all the sections where I thought they would come back at me and sort of get in time trial mode on the long straights to try and hold them and finally got it done." Stil,l it hadn't been easy to work his way into that position “It was hard yakka out there," O'Brien said in an interview posted by Australia Cycling Photography and his Trappist team "I dropped my chain on the first lap and had to chase for about 10km It just went so hard from the start that it ended up being really attritional out there." crossing the line nearly a minute ahead of his nearest rivals Former Bahrain Victorious rider Scott won the sprint for second from the small lead chase group ahead of the 2022 and 2024 title holder A post shared by Australia Cycling Photography (@australia_cycling_photography) She joined Cyclingnews as a Production Editor at the start of the 2021 season and has now moved into the role of Australia Editor Previously she worked as a freelance writer Australian Editor at Ella CyclingTips and as a correspondent for Reuters and Bloomberg Cycling was initially purely a leisure pursuit for Simone but in 2015 her career focus also shifted to the sport you will then be prompted to enter your display name A local cat has been slipping into people's houses and pinching whatever he fancies and right now The 4-year-old ginger cat named Marlin started out with a few odds and sods from a neighbouring section and now he has gone all Imelda Marcos on it Marlin's owner Elise Jaunay told Checkpoint he is busy during the night but he's been doing it for about three-and-a-half years but it's only been a problem when he's bringing back people's shoes." She said he drops what he finds on her front door "He does his classic meow saying I've got something special Normally what most cats have is mice or a bird "You wake up and there's one pink Croc and you put it to the side Marlin has brought home three pairs of children's Crocs and two adult pairs "At first he would litter our house with just plastic rubbish from roadsides and I thought that's good She said Marlin is a small cat but with a strong mouth and she thinks he likes the texture of the Crocs "I think he likes texture because he likes steelier pads and rags and towels." Jaunay said she first adopted Marlin with another cat "I adopted them together and they were best buddies Then one died last year and ever since then She has put the Crocs Marlin took on the local community page on Facebook we've just kept it because we don't know where it comes from going back several times and pinching the same Crocs "We did try chucking them on the verge in front of houses hoping that owners will pass and see them and pick them up So that's why I had to put it up on the page saying 'come get your Crocs' because otherwise the cat will keep bringing them back." Jaunay said she thinks Marlin is trying to send her a message "They have all been pink and we own yellow and blue pairs and everything else but pink and I'm sure not many people own pink Crocs and I'm pregnant and we don't know the gender she said he has multiple characteristics aside from being a collector Anti-sociable but works hard for the right person." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday The owner of a Timaru cat that's been stealing neighbour's possessions for years is concerned for his safety following a threat to harm the animal New Zealand RSS will be held at the Cromwell Golf Course on March 14 Bayleys office manager Dougal Laidlaw said the event would be an 18-hole Stableford and they hoped to have 25 teams of four participating they sponsor a hole and then they put a team in a four," Mr Laidlaw said The target for this year’s event is $20,000 which is $4000 more than was raised last year teams will have a golf cart and a barbecue marquee open all day for sausages and drinks At the end of the day teams would enjoy dinner Anyone interested in entering can contact Carmen Campbell or Doug MacGillivray on (03) 445-3458 or cromwelladmin@bayleys.co.nz Sponsors can "adopt a hole" for $350 and put up their businesses signage on the hole a business can become a major sponsor and display their signage in front of the clubrooms and inside during the auction My Vaccine Pass requirements have not been set for this event CORO MEETS CIRQUE- LIVE ORCHESTRA PLUS AERIAL ACTSPicture exciting aerial and floor circus acts combined with musical classics and you have captured the essence of Central Otago Regional Orchestra’s upcoming concerts series to be held on the evening of May 3rd at the Cromwell College Auditorium and at a matinée May 4th at the Arrowtown Atheaneum Hall Bringing circus and music together has been a long-held dream of our conductor Ashley Hopkins after he experienced similar events in the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand Local enquiry led to him finding Circus Space run by Abigail Rose.Abigail trained in multiple Circus disciplines in New Zealand before training in Canada and the US Her international experience has continued throughout the Southern Hemisphere both in performance and teaching and more recently she has performed at the Glastonbury Performing Arts festival in the United Kingdom Her specialist disciplines are Aerial Silks and Double trapeze for children and adults alike to have the opportunity to experience performing circus including special funding opportunities for low-income families and those with special needs In this performance she will be joined by four of her teenage students who have been performing aerials for about three years as well as assisting Abigail in teaching her many students.Ashley brings a wealth of musical experience to the conductor’s podium He has been CORO’s successful musical director since 2016 and has just entered his fourth year of conducting the Roxburgh Pioneer Energy Brass Band Previously he has directed the Auckland Secondary Schools Orchestra and conducted for the North Shore Concert Band He has previously performed clarinet with the Auckland Philharmonia the NZSO and currently performs with the DSO and OPUS orchestras He is having a lot of fun compiling the music for this concert series.Well -loved classics like Entrance of the Gladiators and The Pink Panther (Mancini) have all been coursing around Ashley’s mind and these will be complimented by some other works such as Capriol Suite ( Peter Warlock) and El Relicario (Padilla).This diverse concert series is another opportunity for the followers of CORO to see us in action with community groups other similar concerts being performances with the Buckingham Belles and a Cromwell Ballet School We are looking forward to being able to perform with Abigail and her students as part of our community outreach.These concerts will be exciting and inspiring Dates and Times:Cromwell College Auditorium on Saturday the 3rd of May at 7.30pmAnd Arrowtown Athenaeum Hall Sunday the 4th of May 2.30 pm Tickets can be purchased online at www.undertheradar.co.nz cash door sales will be available prior to the concerts And can be purchased in person at the following places thanks to the following businesses : Queenstown: Summerfields PharmacyArrowtown: Arrowtown MuseumCromwell: Cromwell PaperplusAlexandra: Alexandra Unichem Pharmacy Tickets are $25 admission is free for school age children The motorcyclist and the ute driver both died at the scene which occurred in the Cromwell Gorge (State Highway 8) about 5pm on Wednesday police confirmed there was a second person in the ute A Hato Hone St John spokesman said the person was transported to Dunstan Hospital by road with minor injuries A driver told the Otago Daily Times she was in a queue of traffic travelling through the gorge towards Cromwell when she saw the motorcyclist rounding a blind corner "Here was the motorcyclist on our side of the road trying to hoof it past a whole line of traffic "I don’t know what speed [they were] doing The motorcyclist ducked back on to their side of the road with less than two car lengths between the two queues of traffic but saw brake lights in her rear-view mirror "[I was] hoping that it wasn’t what I thought it was particularly for the families of the two people killed A police spokeswoman said police could not confirm the cause of the crash until an investigation had been completed "Inquiries into fatal crashes are complex and can take some time to complete." ■Police 105 (reference number 250213/5782) or Crimestoppers 0800 555-111 ruby.shaw@odt.co.nz Kobie Thwaites (Distinction in Physical Education) Distinction in Design and Visual Communication) Distinction in Design and Visual Communication and Science) Distinction in Design and Visual Communication and Physical Education) Distinction in Design and Visual Communication and Geography) Luke Casey (1st Equal in Materials Technology) Distinction in Drama and Digital Technology and Te Kura Level 1 German ,1st in Geography) Rural Women of New Zealand Award - For top diligence in Year 11 - Hannah Kerruish Lizzie Engstrom (Distinction in Visual Art) James Bermejo (Distinction in Physical Education) Jeet Chadha (Distinction in Physical Education) Distinction in Music and Outdoor Education) Mathematics and Net NZ Level 2 Psychology) Lily Blackler (1st in Design and Visual Communication) Madeline Lawrence (Distinction in Visual Art Distinction in Health Studies and Visual Art (Distinction in Food & Nutrition and Physical Education Distinction in Food & Nutrition and Physical Education 1st in History) Alyssa Wilson (Overall Diligence 1st in Geography) Tom Livingstone (Overall Diligence 1st in Drama) Becky Thomson (Overall Diligence 1st in Physics) Evie McCrostie (Overall Diligence Cromwell College Cup - For top diligence in Year 12 - Evie McCrostie These Students also Graduate along with other awards: Milasa Finau (Overall Diligence) Distinction in Mathematics with Statistics) 1st in Materials Technology) Bella Sabate (Overall Diligence Mathematics with Statistics and Visual Art 1st in Visual Art) Cam Anderson (Overall Diligence 1st in Music) Bridie Nicol (Overall Diligence Wing Family Cup - For diligence in Year 13 - Bridie Nichol Cromwell College Senior Sports Award and the Leyser Lead and Inspire Trophy Oliver King - The Principal’s Award & Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award Nevaeh Reddy - Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award Molly Mexted - Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award Evie McCrostie - Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award Sam Jansen - Endeavour in Social Sciences & Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award Agnes Saji - Cromwell College Endeavour in Mathematics Cup Hannah Dicey - Cromwell College Science Award Ayala Cunningham - Endeavour in Distance Education Award Josh Munro - Richard Cowie Memorial Trophy Cromwell College Excellence in Mathematics Cup Cromwell Rotary Club  Award & Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award Agnes Saji - Senior Sciences Cup & Cromwell College English Award Kieran Hancock - Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award Kaleb McCombe Rae - Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award Hannah Kerruish - Cromwell College Award - top academic student in Year 11  Becky Thomson - Cromwell College Award - top academic student in Year 12  Christchurch may have won the race to become New Zealand's second Supercars venue after Ruapuna park reportedly signed a multi-year agreement to host the event 1News revealed it is understood Christchurch has won the bid to host a Repco Supercars Championship round at Euromarque Motorsport Park in Templeton Cromwell's Highlands Park also had a bid in but the Government was not willing to put extra money into Central Otago's economy as Queenstown is already a significant drawcard Supercars made its long-awaited return to New Zealand in 2024 at Taupō International Motorsport Park 1News reported the first round at Ruapuna next year will run alongside Taupō's event which is locked in until 2026 ChristchurchNZ confirmed on Wednesday it had submitted a bid to host the championship at the Ruapuna track which is owned and operated by the Canterbury Car Club "Christchurch has submitted a bid to host the Supercars Championship and we look forward to hearing official notice from Supercars on their preferred venue we hope for a positive outcome to be announced in the near future." Supercars said: "New Zealand boasts a passionate motorsport following highlighted by the support for this week’s second running of the ITM Taupō Super 440 "There’s clear enthusiasm from fans and stakeholders around the idea of a second event in Aotearoa we will continue to explore what opportunities are available to us "Our immediate focus remains on building the momentum and to deliver another incredible event in Taupō this weekend."