Marjorie Cook

Out on Lake Wanaka is where Lake Hawea sailor Ken Urquhart (53) performs his best.

Olympians Bevan Docherty and Kris Gemmell will not be racing in Triathlon New Zealand's Contact Cup races in Wanaka tomorrow, stating they do not want to be beaten by their fired-up junior New Zealand team-mates.

Wanaka professional triathlete Merryn Johnston (31) is a home-town favourite in the Challenge Wanaka long-distance triathlon on Saturday

Wanaka freeskier Byron Wells (16) has been invited to compete in the Winter X Games in the US this year, where he will join older brother Jossi.

The Challenge Wanaka Triathlon Festival opened in Wanaka yesterday with perfect conditions favouring the first Puzzling World Junior Challenge Wanaka.

Auckland tramper Irina Yun (36) has not been found, despite an intensive search yesterday of the Dart River and gorge near Dart Hut by police and Wanaka LandSAR volunteers.

In 35 years of operating diggers, Peter "Squeak'' Shields of Haast had never thought he would be asked to shift a glacier.

Finding a mountain guide in Wanaka is easy. Marjorie Cook climbed two flights of stairs in Ardmore St, negotiated a corridor, and summitted in the sun-filled office of Aspiring Guides.

Wanaka hosts round three of Triathlon New Zealand's Contact Tri Series next Friday, with Bevan Docherty and Nicky Samuels the main drawcards.

"So you want to climb Mt Aspiring"- You are spoilt for choice.

Fox Glacier made for grim viewing yesterday for tourists, search and rescue volunteers and the media as the enormity of the ice fall that killed Australian brothers Ashish (24) and Akshay (22) Miranda on Thursday sunk in.

When elderly dog Billie got into difficulties swimming in Lake Wanaka on Monday, one of the town's rising swimming stars, Gus Evans (14), was on hand.

A Russian and English language speaker is being sought by Wanaka police to help them translate the diary of Auckland tramper Irina Yun (36)

The grateful family of an ageing dog that got tangled up in buoys in Lake Wanaka on Monday want to acknowledge the help they received from a teenager they only know as Gus.

Rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the 2000 spectators at the Wanaka Rodeo yesterday, although the crowd was about half its usual size.

A smouldering farm burn-off, lit more than six months ago, flared up yesterday and threatened a row of large trees bordering State Highway 1 between Balclutha and Milton.

Eleven searchers went back into Mt Aspiring National Park at 2.30pm yesterday to look for missing Auckland tramper Irina Yun (36) and were prepared to stay the night, if necessary.

Queenstown Lakes harbourmaster Marty Black has again appealed to Wanaka and Lake Hawea holiday-makers to look after mates, not swim alone, wear life jackets and not to drink and swim, after he warned up to 100 Clutha River users yesterday for not having life jackets.