Latest news with #Kiwi
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
NZ duo withstand the heat to top fiery Darwin practice
Kiwi drivers Andre Heimgartner and Ryan Wood have kept their cool to set the pace in a fiery first day of Supercars action in Darwin. Heimgartner notched the fastest lap on Friday, steering his Brad Jones Racing (BJR) Camaro around the Hidden Valley Raceway track in one minute and 6.631 seconds during the second practice session. Wood trailed Heimgartner by six-hundredths of a second, with reigning series champion Will Brown just three ten-thousandths of a second behind him. There was little to separate the grid, with less than seven-tenths of a second between first and 25th. It was a promising outing for BJR, who sit third from bottom on the team standings. Heimgartner's teammates Jaxon Evans, Macauley Jones and Bryce Fullwood all managed top-10 times, after the trio also showed good pace the previous round in Perth. "The last couple of rounds I was the only one that wasn't, so it's good to turn that around," Heimgartner said. Despite a disappointing showing in the last couple of rounds, the 30-year-old remains in the top 10 on the championship standings with 647 points, trailing leader Broc Feeney by 543. Wood had earlier topped the pace in the opening session, which ended with flames breaking out around the devilish opening turn. Drivers tested the limits of Hidden Valley's challenging 2.9km circuit, with a procession of racers overshooting the long, loopy left-hander at turn one throughout the day. A patch of parched grass was set alight after Brown ran his Camaro off the track there towards the end of the session. Wood outpaced nearest challenger Feeney by more than two-tenths of a second in the first session with a lap of one minute and 7.059 seconds. With temperatures expected to run into the 30s throughout the weekend - and exceeding 50 degrees inside the cars - drivers' endurance will be tested as much as their driving abilities. Feeney was the first driver to run off on turn one, but recovered well. The 22-year-old won the last two races in Perth and showed promising pace - also finishing eighth-fastest in practice two - as he looks to extend his 72-point gap over Triple Eight teammate Brown at the top of the leaderboard. Darwin is a happy hunting ground for Feeney, having won both races at the racetrack last year and another race there in 2023. Drivers will return for back-to-back qualifying sessions from 8.35am (ACST) on Saturday, ahead of two 120km races. The final 200km race of the weekend on Sunday will determine who takes on the Darwin Triple Crown trophy. Kiwi drivers Andre Heimgartner and Ryan Wood have kept their cool to set the pace in a fiery first day of Supercars action in Darwin. Heimgartner notched the fastest lap on Friday, steering his Brad Jones Racing (BJR) Camaro around the Hidden Valley Raceway track in one minute and 6.631 seconds during the second practice session. Wood trailed Heimgartner by six-hundredths of a second, with reigning series champion Will Brown just three ten-thousandths of a second behind him. There was little to separate the grid, with less than seven-tenths of a second between first and 25th. It was a promising outing for BJR, who sit third from bottom on the team standings. Heimgartner's teammates Jaxon Evans, Macauley Jones and Bryce Fullwood all managed top-10 times, after the trio also showed good pace the previous round in Perth. "The last couple of rounds I was the only one that wasn't, so it's good to turn that around," Heimgartner said. Despite a disappointing showing in the last couple of rounds, the 30-year-old remains in the top 10 on the championship standings with 647 points, trailing leader Broc Feeney by 543. Wood had earlier topped the pace in the opening session, which ended with flames breaking out around the devilish opening turn. Drivers tested the limits of Hidden Valley's challenging 2.9km circuit, with a procession of racers overshooting the long, loopy left-hander at turn one throughout the day. A patch of parched grass was set alight after Brown ran his Camaro off the track there towards the end of the session. Wood outpaced nearest challenger Feeney by more than two-tenths of a second in the first session with a lap of one minute and 7.059 seconds. With temperatures expected to run into the 30s throughout the weekend - and exceeding 50 degrees inside the cars - drivers' endurance will be tested as much as their driving abilities. Feeney was the first driver to run off on turn one, but recovered well. The 22-year-old won the last two races in Perth and showed promising pace - also finishing eighth-fastest in practice two - as he looks to extend his 72-point gap over Triple Eight teammate Brown at the top of the leaderboard. Darwin is a happy hunting ground for Feeney, having won both races at the racetrack last year and another race there in 2023. Drivers will return for back-to-back qualifying sessions from 8.35am (ACST) on Saturday, ahead of two 120km races. The final 200km race of the weekend on Sunday will determine who takes on the Darwin Triple Crown trophy. Kiwi drivers Andre Heimgartner and Ryan Wood have kept their cool to set the pace in a fiery first day of Supercars action in Darwin. Heimgartner notched the fastest lap on Friday, steering his Brad Jones Racing (BJR) Camaro around the Hidden Valley Raceway track in one minute and 6.631 seconds during the second practice session. Wood trailed Heimgartner by six-hundredths of a second, with reigning series champion Will Brown just three ten-thousandths of a second behind him. There was little to separate the grid, with less than seven-tenths of a second between first and 25th. It was a promising outing for BJR, who sit third from bottom on the team standings. Heimgartner's teammates Jaxon Evans, Macauley Jones and Bryce Fullwood all managed top-10 times, after the trio also showed good pace the previous round in Perth. "The last couple of rounds I was the only one that wasn't, so it's good to turn that around," Heimgartner said. Despite a disappointing showing in the last couple of rounds, the 30-year-old remains in the top 10 on the championship standings with 647 points, trailing leader Broc Feeney by 543. Wood had earlier topped the pace in the opening session, which ended with flames breaking out around the devilish opening turn. Drivers tested the limits of Hidden Valley's challenging 2.9km circuit, with a procession of racers overshooting the long, loopy left-hander at turn one throughout the day. A patch of parched grass was set alight after Brown ran his Camaro off the track there towards the end of the session. Wood outpaced nearest challenger Feeney by more than two-tenths of a second in the first session with a lap of one minute and 7.059 seconds. With temperatures expected to run into the 30s throughout the weekend - and exceeding 50 degrees inside the cars - drivers' endurance will be tested as much as their driving abilities. Feeney was the first driver to run off on turn one, but recovered well. The 22-year-old won the last two races in Perth and showed promising pace - also finishing eighth-fastest in practice two - as he looks to extend his 72-point gap over Triple Eight teammate Brown at the top of the leaderboard. Darwin is a happy hunting ground for Feeney, having won both races at the racetrack last year and another race there in 2023. Drivers will return for back-to-back qualifying sessions from 8.35am (ACST) on Saturday, ahead of two 120km races. The final 200km race of the weekend on Sunday will determine who takes on the Darwin Triple Crown trophy.
NZ Herald
5 hours ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
America's Cup: Peter Burling joins Luna Rossa for 38th edition
Peter Burling's next move in the America's Cup arena has been confirmed. The three-time winning Kiwi helmsman will join Italian syndicate Luna Rossa for the 38th edition of the Cup in an unspecified role, expected to be an off-water position. It comes after Burling, 34, parted ways with
Irish Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Gavin Hastings: Scots Irish Lions combo one of highlights of special Aviva night
Lions legend Gavin Hastings is relishing the prospect of a Scots Irish collaboration at the Aviva Stadium. Connacht and Ireland's Bundee Aki will join with Sione Tuipulotu of Glasgow Warriors and Scotland in the Lions midfield for the clash with Argentina tonight. "I think a lot of people are looking forward to seeing that one," grinned Hastings, a three-time Lions tourist who made six Test appearances for the team and captained the squad on the 1993 tour in New Zealand that was won 2-1 by the All Blacks. "There's not going to be very many holes in that combination, obviously. But it'll be interesting to see how it goes, they're two very experienced and talented guys. "I think it's going to be a pretty stiff challenge for the Lions but, listen, you've got to play your first game somewhere, so you may as well be in front of your home supporters. There's no doubt it'll be a great game. I think they're very, very keen to get us off to a winning start. "I expect that the Lions to just be very, very competitive. That's what we want. Some people suggest that it might be sort of easy against Australia on the tour, but there's no way they're going to roll over. "So I think the Lions have got to work very, very hard for everything they're going to potentially achieve. Andy's a very experienced coach, and I'm sure he knows how to get the best out of them. And that's what it's all about." Hastings will be at the game after spending yesterday afternoon in the baking heat in Mullingar, where British and Irish Lions official charity partners LooseHeadz and Wooden Spoon hosted a successful Guinness World Record attempt to break the record for 'The Longest Game' of rugby for both men and women. It started on Wednesday and the men participating played for over 36 hours to raise over £100,000 to help tackle mental health. The previous world record was 24 hours, five minutes and 15 seconds. "There was never any question of me running around," the Scotland legend laughed. "I'm just here lending my support for a couple of hours. That's much better! "They were slightly on a go-slow given the heat. It's a great cause. Many people in Ireland wouldn't be as familiar with Wooden Spoon, they're a rugby charity, helping kids with difficulties and all the challenges that kids have and they're making their mark in Ireland as well. "The other charity here is Looseheadz. One in four people are affected with mental health and we all know of rugby people that have faced difficulties. "One of my great adversaries, John Carter, one of the great Kiwi guys, was probably one of the very first to say that he had struggled with mental health during his career. "It's great that people are talking about it. I'm chairman of the Lions Trust and we support a number of different charities, among them Looseheadz and Wooden Spoon. "These guys have put this longest game of rugby on and good on them. I think they've already raised well over £200,000, and they want to get to a quarter of a million if possible. Amazing." There is a JustGiving donation page for The Longest Game here: and the LooseHeadz charity can be found here
NZ Herald
8 hours ago
- Science
- NZ Herald
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing
Kiwi PhD students heading to US for world-leading space scholarships Three Victoria University of Wellington students are off to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California this week where experts work on NASA missions. Video / NZ Herald
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
China could win from Cook Islands-New Zealand spat
Confusion and concern is mounting over a growing spat between New Zealand and Cook Islands, which analysts believe could result in stronger ties between the Pacific island nation and China. New Zealand is withholding key aid, worth $A16.8 million, to its former colony after Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown signed a pair of secretly negotiated agreements with Beijing earlier this year. Kiwi Foreign Minister Winston Peters has defended the move as necessary after Mr Brown broke agreements it had with New Zealand. "Trust and meaningful engagement are fundamental to free association," a spokesperson for Mr Peters said. Mr Brown argues that New Zealand is acting cruelly, given that funding is worth more than four per cent of his country's budget. "It is targeted, and has always been targeted, towards the sectors of health, education, and tourism," he told parliament this week. Cook Islands is only semi-independent, governing in "free association" with Wellington after breaking away in 1965, with its citizens afforded Kiwi passports and the benefits of New Zealand citizenship. However, those perks come courtesy of a promise to consult with New Zealand on defence and security matters. Both sides agree there has been a breakdown in the interpretation of the key pact - the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration - which underpins relations. The rift is causing ructions both internally and in the region. Locals have rallied alongside the Cook Islands opposition parties in support of keeping ties to New Zealand, given its deep historical ties, which extend to a majority of Cook Islanders living in New Zealand. Pacific analysts, including Massey University associate professor Anna Powles, believe Mr Peters' call to withhold aid could deepen Mr Brown's ties with Beijing. "(It) opens the door for increased Chinese engagement with the Cook Islands," she told Radio NZ. "This could be a very good news story for China, and it certainly puts New Zealand in a weaker position, as a consequence." Dr Powles described the situation as "pretty messy", which threatened to boil over at September's Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Solomon Islands. While the aid cut was made clear to the Cook Islands a fortnight ago, it has been made public this week as New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon undertakes a state visit to China. Speaking from Shanghai, Mr Luxon affirmed his support for the decision - but said it would not cloud his talks with the superpower. "Our issue is really with the Cook Islands. It's between Cook Islands and New Zealand," he said. "We were unhappy and dissatisfied with the fact that the Cook Islands government wasn't open and transparent about its international agreements." Confusion and concern is mounting over a growing spat between New Zealand and Cook Islands, which analysts believe could result in stronger ties between the Pacific island nation and China. New Zealand is withholding key aid, worth $A16.8 million, to its former colony after Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown signed a pair of secretly negotiated agreements with Beijing earlier this year. Kiwi Foreign Minister Winston Peters has defended the move as necessary after Mr Brown broke agreements it had with New Zealand. "Trust and meaningful engagement are fundamental to free association," a spokesperson for Mr Peters said. Mr Brown argues that New Zealand is acting cruelly, given that funding is worth more than four per cent of his country's budget. "It is targeted, and has always been targeted, towards the sectors of health, education, and tourism," he told parliament this week. Cook Islands is only semi-independent, governing in "free association" with Wellington after breaking away in 1965, with its citizens afforded Kiwi passports and the benefits of New Zealand citizenship. However, those perks come courtesy of a promise to consult with New Zealand on defence and security matters. Both sides agree there has been a breakdown in the interpretation of the key pact - the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration - which underpins relations. The rift is causing ructions both internally and in the region. Locals have rallied alongside the Cook Islands opposition parties in support of keeping ties to New Zealand, given its deep historical ties, which extend to a majority of Cook Islanders living in New Zealand. Pacific analysts, including Massey University associate professor Anna Powles, believe Mr Peters' call to withhold aid could deepen Mr Brown's ties with Beijing. "(It) opens the door for increased Chinese engagement with the Cook Islands," she told Radio NZ. "This could be a very good news story for China, and it certainly puts New Zealand in a weaker position, as a consequence." Dr Powles described the situation as "pretty messy", which threatened to boil over at September's Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Solomon Islands. While the aid cut was made clear to the Cook Islands a fortnight ago, it has been made public this week as New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon undertakes a state visit to China. Speaking from Shanghai, Mr Luxon affirmed his support for the decision - but said it would not cloud his talks with the superpower. "Our issue is really with the Cook Islands. It's between Cook Islands and New Zealand," he said. "We were unhappy and dissatisfied with the fact that the Cook Islands government wasn't open and transparent about its international agreements." Confusion and concern is mounting over a growing spat between New Zealand and Cook Islands, which analysts believe could result in stronger ties between the Pacific island nation and China. New Zealand is withholding key aid, worth $A16.8 million, to its former colony after Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown signed a pair of secretly negotiated agreements with Beijing earlier this year. Kiwi Foreign Minister Winston Peters has defended the move as necessary after Mr Brown broke agreements it had with New Zealand. "Trust and meaningful engagement are fundamental to free association," a spokesperson for Mr Peters said. Mr Brown argues that New Zealand is acting cruelly, given that funding is worth more than four per cent of his country's budget. "It is targeted, and has always been targeted, towards the sectors of health, education, and tourism," he told parliament this week. Cook Islands is only semi-independent, governing in "free association" with Wellington after breaking away in 1965, with its citizens afforded Kiwi passports and the benefits of New Zealand citizenship. However, those perks come courtesy of a promise to consult with New Zealand on defence and security matters. Both sides agree there has been a breakdown in the interpretation of the key pact - the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration - which underpins relations. The rift is causing ructions both internally and in the region. Locals have rallied alongside the Cook Islands opposition parties in support of keeping ties to New Zealand, given its deep historical ties, which extend to a majority of Cook Islanders living in New Zealand. Pacific analysts, including Massey University associate professor Anna Powles, believe Mr Peters' call to withhold aid could deepen Mr Brown's ties with Beijing. "(It) opens the door for increased Chinese engagement with the Cook Islands," she told Radio NZ. "This could be a very good news story for China, and it certainly puts New Zealand in a weaker position, as a consequence." Dr Powles described the situation as "pretty messy", which threatened to boil over at September's Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Solomon Islands. While the aid cut was made clear to the Cook Islands a fortnight ago, it has been made public this week as New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon undertakes a state visit to China. Speaking from Shanghai, Mr Luxon affirmed his support for the decision - but said it would not cloud his talks with the superpower. "Our issue is really with the Cook Islands. It's between Cook Islands and New Zealand," he said. "We were unhappy and dissatisfied with the fact that the Cook Islands government wasn't open and transparent about its international agreements." Confusion and concern is mounting over a growing spat between New Zealand and Cook Islands, which analysts believe could result in stronger ties between the Pacific island nation and China. New Zealand is withholding key aid, worth $A16.8 million, to its former colony after Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown signed a pair of secretly negotiated agreements with Beijing earlier this year. Kiwi Foreign Minister Winston Peters has defended the move as necessary after Mr Brown broke agreements it had with New Zealand. "Trust and meaningful engagement are fundamental to free association," a spokesperson for Mr Peters said. Mr Brown argues that New Zealand is acting cruelly, given that funding is worth more than four per cent of his country's budget. "It is targeted, and has always been targeted, towards the sectors of health, education, and tourism," he told parliament this week. Cook Islands is only semi-independent, governing in "free association" with Wellington after breaking away in 1965, with its citizens afforded Kiwi passports and the benefits of New Zealand citizenship. However, those perks come courtesy of a promise to consult with New Zealand on defence and security matters. Both sides agree there has been a breakdown in the interpretation of the key pact - the 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration - which underpins relations. The rift is causing ructions both internally and in the region. Locals have rallied alongside the Cook Islands opposition parties in support of keeping ties to New Zealand, given its deep historical ties, which extend to a majority of Cook Islanders living in New Zealand. Pacific analysts, including Massey University associate professor Anna Powles, believe Mr Peters' call to withhold aid could deepen Mr Brown's ties with Beijing. "(It) opens the door for increased Chinese engagement with the Cook Islands," she told Radio NZ. "This could be a very good news story for China, and it certainly puts New Zealand in a weaker position, as a consequence." Dr Powles described the situation as "pretty messy", which threatened to boil over at September's Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Solomon Islands. While the aid cut was made clear to the Cook Islands a fortnight ago, it has been made public this week as New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon undertakes a state visit to China. Speaking from Shanghai, Mr Luxon affirmed his support for the decision - but said it would not cloud his talks with the superpower. "Our issue is really with the Cook Islands. It's between Cook Islands and New Zealand," he said. "We were unhappy and dissatisfied with the fact that the Cook Islands government wasn't open and transparent about its international agreements."
