Otago sports fans were treated to a wonderful treble this weekend.
King's High School got the ball rolling. Its historic Rankin Shield win in Christchurch on Saturday surprised everyone, including long-serving coach Dave Ross.
It is usually the well-resourced schools in Auckland and Christchurch who pick up the spoils at the leading boys secondary school hockey tournament.
Not this year. King's beat Timaru Boys' High School 2-0 and became the first school south of the Waitaki River to win the title since it was established in 1923.
The Palmerston Flyer Courtney Duncan clinched the elusive Women's Motocross World Championship title early yesterday morning.
The 23-year-old Dunedin-based rider put three years of disappointment behind her to produce a dominant performance in Turkey to claim the series crown with a race to spare.
"What a day! What a day! It's indescribable right now," Duncan said as tears spilled from her eyes.
Her previous three campaigns had been thwarted by bad luck, a controversial decision and an unfortunate injury.
Not this time.
Then Otago completed the treble with a terrific Ranfurly Shield defence against Taranaki yesterday.
Otago back-up first five-eighth Vilimoni Koroi scored 20 points in a 35-27 win, while his mate Jona Nareki bagged two tries out on the left wing.
Taranaki has some real class and a proud shield history. The 'Naki was planning on adding another successful chapter but not this time.
