Newly-minted men’s singles stone-sawing world champion Eddie Voogt, of Oamaru, says the key to being a champion stone sawer is to "switch off" and forget about those watching.
The Oamaru builder was "in the zone" in Tyne St yesterday as he took the singles title at the premiere event at Oamaru’s Victorian Fete — but he remained humble after his win.
"I don’t think there’s much of a secret to it," Mr Voogt told the Otago Daily Times as he caught his breath.
"I turned up late and got away with the win.
The win did not come without controversy as only two of the three judges saw Mr Voogt finish first, with the second-placed Brian Smyth, of Oamaru, raising his arms in victory first. Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust operations manager Mark Smith would not be drawn on the controversy.
"What can I say? It’s a fete — no comment," he said.
Mr Smyth walked away with a trophy anyway as he and brother Donald took the men’s doubles stone-sawing world championship title after being disqualified in last year’s finals. And Canadian entrant Natalie DeMarco, of North Bay, Ontario, took the women’s singles stone-sawing world champion title. The visitor to Oamaru entered with a "why not?" attitude, she said. Hundreds of punters crowded the closed-off Victorian Precinct streets yesterday in the final day of festivities for the Victorian Heritage Celebrations.
First-time fete co-ordinator Frances McMillan, of the Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust, said it was an "amazing" effort by her 20 volunteers. She was pleased with the 110 stalls at the fete, and though "a few" stall-holders from the Nelson and Christchurch areas cancelled, she was able to fill their spots. She was thankful for the ‘‘beautiful’’ spring weather.
On Saturday, the crowd-pleasing 22nd Heritage Bicycle Championships drew crowds to Tyne St, and was ably called by Mandy Mayhem-Bullock, of Waitati. The weekend of events began after a full week of rain in Oamaru ceased on Saturday morning. The streets had only just dried as the City of Christchurch Pipe Band led the Grand Street Parade through the town’s central business district.
Parade organiser Diane Lee said the lower entry numbers in this year’s parade may have been due to the rain last week. But she said she was pleased with the quality of this year’s entries.
The year’s "best entry" Maheno School — the only school entry in the parade — added drama to the loop of Lower Thames St — pupils embraced the theme of Medicine in the Victorian Era and flopped to the street in mock need of emergency medical attention.
The 22nd Heritage Bicycle Championships results. —Penny farthing slow race: 1 Oliver Briggs, 2nd John Davey; penny farthing slalom (men): 1 John Davey, 2 Graeme Simpson; penny farthing sprints (men): 1 John Davey, 2 Oliver Briggs; penny farthing men’s national open: 1 Oliver Briggs, 2 Mitchell Fox, 3 Robert Thompson; penny farthing Tyne St grunter: 1 Oliver Briggs; safety cycle slow race (men): 1 Graeme Cairns, 2 Don Spedon; safety cycle slow race (ladies): 1 Kerry Newton, 2 Adrienne Carthew; safety cycle slalom (ladies): 1 Adrienne Carthew, 2 Leslie Stoliker; safety cycle (men): 1 Carl Schiller, 2 Graeme Cairns; safety cycle sprints (men): 1 Carl Schiller, 2 Graeme Cairns; safety cycle sprints (ladies): 1 Adrienne Carthew, 2 Kerry Newton; safety cycle open ladies race: 1 Kerry Newton, 2 Adrienne Carthew; safety cycle open men’s race: 1 Carl Schiller, 2 Ben Nicholls.
