BadmintonOtago team chasing promotion
Otago is preparing for a big weekend as it tries to continue its rise back up the provincial ranks.
The side plays Canterbury No 3 and Nelson in the South Island third division finals in Christchurch.
Otago is undefeated in the grade and has not lost a match in its four ties this season. The winner this weekend plays the North Island winner in September for promotion into the Slazenger Cup.
Otago is eager for an immediate return to the second tier of provincial badminton, after being relegated last year.
The squad includes an interesting mix of vast experience and talented newcomers.
The Otago women have been strengthened by the return of former No 1 Elaine Hargreaves, and by the addition of Tomomi Tanaka.
A former professional player in Japan, Tanaka is in Otago while her husband, Fumiaki Tanaka, plays rugby in Dunedin. He has been selected in the Otago ITM Cup squad.
Tomomi Tanaka (24) adds skill and experience at the top of the order, and will complement the newcomers in the team, Sarah Sandford (under-19) and Samantha Botting.
The Japanese woman played for over six years for the Sanyo and Yonex teams, after finishing high school. She was selected in the Japanese junior team and used to train for six hours every day.
Last weekend, at the Neill Cup, Tanaka beat the Canterbury No 1 21-12, 21-16 and then beat Anna Rankin, from Southland, 21-16, 21-14.
Rankin is the New Zealand No 2 and competed at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Otago veteran Jeff Elliotte said Tanaka had fitted well into the team and the players are enjoying watching and playing with her.
He hoped her skills could be used in some junior coaching sessions in schools and with the Otago junior teams.
Elliotte is joined in the men's team by fellow experienced campaigner Roger Southby. Both men have over 20 years' experience at the top level.
At the other end of the scale, James Swan is in his first year with the team.
Otago will be led by Matthew Ng, who has been the No 1 player since 2009. A newcomer is Henry Wiebe, a Canadian studying at the University of Otago until the end of the year. He has played for Canada at the world junior championships.
Otago competed in the Neill Cup in Christchurch last weekend, losing 11-5 to Canterbury and beating Southland 9-7.
Otago is in third division, while Canterbury is second division and Southland is first division, so the results were promising.
SI third division finals
Otago teams
Men: James Bishop, Jeff Elliotte, Matthew Ng, James Swan, Roger Southby, Henry Wiebe, Luke White.
Women: Samantha Botting, Elaine Hargreaves, Sarah Sandford, Tomomi Tanaka, Angela Wright.
