Category: Sport

Source: Radio New Zealand

There would have been a fair Scrabble sets dusted off over the holidays, perhaps kicking off a few family feuds even, but few more serious than the first New Zealand Women’s Championship in the game.

Twenty Kiwi women vied for the title in Auckland over the weekend, which eventually went to Cicely Bruce, who only dropped a single match in the 16-round tournament.

Joanne Craig, who finished third with 13 wins, lost to Bruce in the final round – a match that decided the eventual outcome, falling behind second-placed Anderina McLean on points differential.

In 2017, Craig won the world World Senior Scrabble Championships. She also previously won the inaugural Australian women’s title.

“My granny taught me to play when I was at primary school, but I really only seriously took it up in ’93, which obviously is over 30 years now. So yes, I have been playing for a long time.”

Now based in Sydney, Craig practises using the obvious – a Collins dictionary – but also modern tools, like software that can analyse her games “to see where I went wrong”.

The tournament was streamed online.

“My neighbour said he was going to be busy watching flies crawl up the wall instead,” Craig said.

“But yes, they were surprised that some non-Scrabblers found it quite fascinating, the intensity and concentration involved. But obviously to Scrabblers it’s really interesting because there’s experienced commentators talking about the game, you can see our racks and the board, so people will be thinking, ‘Oh, what would I play?’ And yeah. Yeah, people do enjoy watching it.”

In her final round match, which effectively served as a grand final, Craig realised she had lost when Bruce played ‘jimmied’ for 82 points, putting her far into the lead.

“That was a great word.”

Craig said her top word over the weekend was a 140-point ‘snarfled’.

“You can really score with the Z and the X. I held the record in Australia for 10 years for ‘sleazier’ because I doubled the Z and it was a triple-triple, where it goes across two red squares so it’s nine times the word and you can get a really big score with it.”

She will try again next time.

“I’ll definitely be back for the next one and Scrabblers like that, you know? It’s swings and roundabouts. At lunchtime I was two games behind and I thought I’d blown all my chances, so I was very surprised to be sitting in that streaming chair at table one for the last game when it when it came down to the wire.”

And it could easily have gone either way.

“The winner of the last game was either going to be Cecil or I, but I beat her early in the tournament. She only lost that one game to me, and then of course she beat me in the final game.”

New Zealand has a strong reputation in competitive Scrabble, with Christchurch’s Nigel Richards having won not only English-language world titles, but also tournaments in French and Spanish – despite not speaking either language.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

NZ American football player Nathaniel Salmon has accepted an offer to play college football for Washington State Cougars – but it’s been one of the most unconventional paths to the American college system for the Porirua-born athlete.

Two years ago, the 21-year-old had never even touched a football and was pursuing a career in basketball, after playing for Manawatū Jets and Wellington Saints in the NBL.

During a 2024 stint playing for the North Gold Coast Seahawks in Australia, Salmon was approached by the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) and jumped at the chance.

“The opportunity that was laid out to me was pretty life-changing,” Salmon told RNZ. “Who wouldn’t give it a shot?”

The IPP is an NFL initiative to give international athletes the opportunity to learn the sport and try out with professional teams.

The representatives told him, if he went and trialled for the programme, he would have a decent shot at making it onto a roster.

“I was like, ‘What the hell?’.”

At the trial, “they liked what they saw and they selected me”, he said.

What followed was an intensive 10-week training programme in early 2025 at the IMG academy – an elite sports training facility at Bradenton, Florida.

He was identified as a tightend – the Swiss army knife position on the outside of the offensive line, responsible for catching the ball, as well as blocking.

IPP Route Running @IMGAcademy pic.twitter.com/W7UMchfZ1l

— Nathaniel Salmon (@natesalmon__) October 9, 2025

The position requires a combination of size, strength and athleticism, and basketball players are often well suited. Standing more than two metres tall and weighing more than 120kg, Salmon fits the bill.

“At first, it was pretty hard. I didn’t know if it was for me, because I was so new to it.

“Obviously, it was my first time putting on a helmet and pads, so that was new. I just kept training and I just started falling in love with it.”

The NFL limits how many players can be on a roster during the regular season to 53, but an exemption grants an additional practice squad spot to a qualifying international player.

Thirteen other players attended the academy, but they knew they were competing with athletes all over the world, Salmon said.

“There’s international players in college that are eligible for the spot, there’s international players in the international football league that are eligible for the spot.

“There are guys that maybe just lost their IPP spot, and they’re still training for it and trying to get one back.”

After Salmon attended a pro-day – an opportunity for athletes to showcase their skills to scouts and team representatives – Los Angeles Chargers invited him to their early-season minicamp.

“When I got there, I didn’t feel like I shouldn’t have been there,” he said. “When we started training, I felt like I was keeping up with all the guys that were playing high-level college football for four years.

“To come into the NFL programme and do well… I was pretty chuffed about that.”

LA Chargers Rookie Mini Camp, What a blessing #NFL #blessings pic.twitter.com/wWH7Xuvxah

— Nathaniel Salmon (@natesalmon__) October 9, 2025

Despite performing well at the minicamp, Salmon was ultimately not signed to the Chargers’ international player roster spot and his dream of playing American football seemed over.

Then his manager pointed out he was actually eligible to play college ball – a prospect that has become increasingly appealling in recent years, because of rules allowing players to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL).

Some players can now earn more playing college football than they would on an NFL rookie contract.

“I was eligible because, one, I’ve never been to college… and, two, I was never actually signed by an NFL team.”

It took a few months, but he was eventually granted a full four years of NCAA eligibility to play college football.

Last November, Salmon started a frantic few weeks of receiving offers and making visits to colleges across the US.

“They just wine and dine you, man. I was fortunate enough to bring my parents out to visit… everything was paid for.

“They just treat you like you’re a superstar. It was an unreal experience for not only me, but my parents as well.”

Salmon visited several programmes, including North Carolina – where NFL legend Bill Belichick coaches – but Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, ticked the most boxes.

“It’s quite a lot like New Zealand in terms of climate and the geographic side of things. It’s very green and hilly.

“It honestly felt like home, when I first got there.”

After an incredible recruitment process, I am beyond excited to announce that I am 1000% committed to Washington State University! A huge thank you to @CoachCato1 and the entire Wazzu staff for believing in me and making Pullman feel like home. I can’t wait to get to work and… pic.twitter.com/W49lnmVYlD

— Nathaniel Salmon (@natesalmon__) January 8, 2026

It also presented the best opportunity for him to find a place within the team.

“The whole coaching staff at Washington State, they’re completely new there – they only got there like a week ago. You can go into that coaching staff and they won’t have any favourites.

“They wanted me to be their guy.”

Joining up with the Cougars makes Salmon the first player to ever train with a professional team, before entering a college programme, he said.

“It’s honestly unheard of.”

Salmon said he still had a lot to learn, but the passion for the game has already ignited.

“I’m falling in love with the game and I think I’ll just keep loving the game more as I go along. I have a drive to get better and I want to reach my ceiling with this game.

“I know where I can get to and I really want to get there.”

Washington State was the perfect place for him to develop his craft, he said.

“The tight end coach at Washington State, he’s really passionate about getting me to where I want to get to.

“I’m trying to keep striving to do my best and get better every day.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington Phoenix have shown some heart and courage in their A-League men’s match against Adelaide in Wellington, fighting back from two goals down at halftime to draw 2-2.

The home team weren’t looking good in the first half, as Adelaide scored the opening goal in the 14th minute to Ryan White.

Luke Duzel scored a second just before the break to give the visitors a decisive lead, but the Phoenix came out a different team in the second half, as they surged back into the match, playing with enthusiasm and attacking flair.

Isaac Hughes rewarded the small crowd, neatly finishing off at the near post from a Ramy Najjarine corner.

Lively midfielder Corban Piper headed home the second in the 65th minute, following a pinpoint cross from Tim Payne, who returned from a long injury layoff that lasted almost three months.

The Phoenix had good chances to win the game. Paulo Retre hit the post, Luke Brooke-Smith had a goal ruled out in stoppage time, when a teammate ventured offside, and Alex Rufer blasted over the top from close range right at the end.

The result keeps the Phoenix in 10th place in the 12-team league. They have 15 points from their 12 games, nine points behind leaders Auckland FC.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Forty-eight hours after their worst display of the Australian NBL season, the NZ Breakers have regrouped for a gritty 101-96 win over defending champions Illawarra Hawks in Sydney.

American point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright led all scorers with 23 points, while Tall Blacks forward Sam Mennenga had 21, as the Auckland-based team secured their ninth win of the season to keep their playoff hopes alive, closing to within 2.5 games of the sixth-placed Tasmania Jackjumpers.

On Friday, the Breakers were embarrassed 103-62 at home by Sydney Kings, with coach Petteri Koponen under pressure to re-engage his players.

They led through the first and second quarters, enjoying a 49-43 advantage at halftime, before building a 15-point lead midway through the third period.

The Hawks piled on 11 straight points to close the deficit, but the Breakers still led by five heading into the final stanza and held off their rivals down the stretch.

Mennenga left the door ajar with a pair of free-throw misses, but Cartwright converted from long range and added two free-throws.

Down by three with six seconds remaining, Illawarra guard Tyler Harvey committed a costly backcourt turnover that gave the visitors a chance to pad their advantage.

Jackson-Cartwright supplemented his scoring feats with eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals, while American forward Izaiah Brockington had 20 points, American centre Rob Baker slotted four three-pointers among his 17 points and Mexican teenager Karim Lopez grabbed five steals, along with his 16 points and six assists.

Another American, Quentin Peterson, led the Hawks with 22 points, but his team committed 19 turnovers and sent the Breakers to the line for twice as many free-throw attempts (28).

The Breakers visit the Cairns Taipans next Saturday.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Ukrainian veteran Elina Svitolina has won the 2026 ASB Classic women’s tournament in Auckland.

The 31-year-old proved too good for China’s Xinyu Wang, winning in straight sets 6-3 7-6 in an hour and 43 minutes.

Despite the scoreline, the contest was far from easy for Svitolina, who entered the match as the top seed and heavy favourite, after winning 18 of the 22 previous WTA Tour finals she had played in.

Svitlolina also beat Wang in their only previous meeting on tour at Wimbledon in 2024.

An even battle for much of the first set saw both players holding serve, until Svitolina managed to break Wang to move 4-2 up.

She then held her nerve to win the first set 6-3 in 32 minutes. Breakpoints proved elusive, with each player earning just one opportunity each.

The second set was just as tight, with both rivals holding serve all the way to a tiebreaker.

Wang, who was playing in just her second career singles final, started the tiebreak superbly to claim a 3-0 lead, before Svitolina came roaring back to win the next four points.

Wang, 24, showed plenty of composure though, to save a matchpoint and lock the scores up at 6-6.

Svitolina quickly created another and this time, she served it out to win the tiebreaker 8-6.

All eyes now turn to the men’s tournament, which starts on Monday, with veteran Frenchman Gael Monfils – Svitolina’s husband – the defending champion.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Nineteen-year-old freeskier Finley Melville-Ives of Wānaka continues to warm up for the Winter Olympics in sensational style by winning the Aspen Freeski Halfpipe World Cup in Colorado.

Melville-Ives was the top qualifier into the finals and immediately showed why, when he dropped into his first of two runs, producing a technical display with consistently massive amplitude.

He scored 95.00 to surge straight to the top of the leaderboard.

Despite the best efforts from the star-studded field, Melville-Ives’s score remained untouchable, with his second run a victory lap all the way to the top of the podium for the third time in his already impressive career.

“I had such a good training, so I said to my coach, ‘I am going to go hammers for my first run’ and I was stoked, I can’t believe it held,” Melville-Ives said.

He was joined on the podium by two Team USA athletes, with Hunter Hess in second place and three-time Winter Olympian Nick Goepper in third.

The result also means the reigning world halfpipe champion now leads the standings for the 2025/26 Freeski Halfpipe World Cup Tour and was presented the yellow bib.

“I am just trying to have as much fun as possible when I’m skiing and skiing is my happy place,” he said.

“The halfpipe is like a blank canvas and you’re just like an artist with a paint brush.”

Snowboarder Dane Menzies also secured a podium finish at Aspen, with a third place in the Snowboard Slopestyle World Cup, marking his first World Cup podium.

Qualifying through to the finals in 10th position, Menzies put down a clutch performance on the first of his two finals runs, stomping back-to-back 1620s on the jumps and executing near flawless technical rail tricks to impress the judges.

Sitting in the top spot after run one and looking to up the ante, Menzies unfortunately had a bobble on the second rail feature, resulting in a throwaway score.

With nine athletes still to drop in, it was a nerve-wracking wait to see if his score would hold for podium position, but it did.

“It means a lot to make it on the podium, after getting fourth here last year and consistently making finals, but not getting on the box,” he said. “I have been working super hard for this one, really trying to get more consistent and dialled in on my rails and cleanliness on the jumps, so I am happy it paid off!”

Aucklander Mischa Thomas, 17, competed in the women’s Freeski Halfpipe finals, with a career-best fifth-place finish in just her fourth World Cup appearance.

Gustav Legnavsky, 20, competed alongside Melville-Ives in the men’s final, finishing ninth.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Ukrainian number one seed Elina Svitolina is into the ASB Classic final for the second time after beating American Iva Jovic in straight sets.

Svitolina won the first set 7-6 in a tiebreak, before putting on a commanding display to win the second set 6-2.

“It’s nice to get a straight sets win, yesterday was a big battle,” Svitolina told Sky Sports, referencing her three set quarterfinal victory over British qualifier Sonay Kartal on Friday.

“In the first set Iva was playing really well and I had to really fight back and dig deep and try to find my level, and I’m very happy I could finish this match in two sets to save some energy for the final.”

Svitolina last made the ASB Classic final in 2024, where she lost in three sets to American Coco Gauff.

In the other semifinal, Chinese seventh seed Xinyu Wang won an enthralling three-set match over fourth-seeded Filipino Alex Eala.

Eala, 23, served for the match at 5-3 in the second set, but was unable to deliver the decisive blow and allowed her rival to creep back into contention.

Wang, 24, seemed to be cruising in the first set, when she broke her opponent’s serve twice for a 5-2 lead. Incredibly, Eala broke back, then broke again… and again, winning six straight games to take the set 7-6.

The Filipino again fell behind in the second with an early break, but went on another run, taking four straight games to serve for the match at 5-3.

This time, the Chinese fought back, breaking to stave off defeat and breaking again to take the set 7-5.

The match crept past two hours, as Wang took her momentum into the third and deciding set, breaking serve for an early 4-0 advantage. Eala began to labour and needed a medical timeout, as her back seized up, but she was able to return to the court and promptly held serve to stem the bleeding.

Wang held serve to close within a game of victory, but Eala overcame a double fault to hold, broke to stay in the contest and held to love, as Wang began to flag.

Eala could not complete the comeback though, as Wang took full toll of her first matchpoint to advance to the championship round with a 5-7 7-5 6-4 win in 2h 48m.

“It was a crazy battle from the start to the end,” Wang told Sky Sport. “She’s an absolute fighter and, to be honest, I feel more pressure when I’m 5-0 up.

“Really happy that I got through this one today and through to my first-ever final.”

Wang has played in one previous WTA final, losing to Czech Marketa Vondrousova at Berlin last June. She has made two previous appearances at Auckland, losing to compatriot Xiyu Wang in the second round two years ago.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Chinese seventh seed Xinyu Wang has booked a spot in the ASB Classic women’s final with an enthralling three-set win over fourth-seeded Filipino Alex Eala in Auckland.

Eala, 23, served for the match at 5-3 in the second set, but was unable to deliver the decisive blow and allowed her rival to creep back into contention.

Wang, 24, seemed to be cruising in the first set, when she broke her opponent’s serve twice for a 5-2 lead. Incredibly, Eala broke back, then broke again… and again, winning six straight games to take the set 7-6.

The Filipino again fell behind in the second with an early break, but went on another run, taking four straight games to serve for the match at 5-3.

This time, the Chinese fought back, breaking to stave off defeat and breaking again to take the set 7-5.

The match crept past two hours, as Wang took her momentum into the third and deciding set, breaking serve for an early 4-0 advantage. Eala began to labour and needed a medical timeout, as her back seized up, but she was able to return to the court and promptly held serve to stem the bleeding.

Wang held serve to close within a game of victory, but Eala overcame a double fault to hold, broke to stay in the contest and held to love, as Wang began to flag.

Eala could not complete the comeback though, as Wang took full toll of her first matchpoint to advance to the championship round with a 5-7 7-5 6-4 win in 2h 48m.

“It was a crazy battle from the start to the end,” Wang told Sky Sport. “She’s an absolute fighter and, to be honest, I feel more pressure when I’m 5-0 up.

“Really happy that I got through this one today and through to my first-ever final.”

Wang has played in one previous WTA final, losing to Czech Marketa Vondrousova at Berlin last June. She has made two previous appearances at Auckland, losing to compatriot Xiyu Wang in the second round two years ago.

She will now face the winner of the second semifinal between top seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine and American Iva Jovic.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Disappointment turned to delight for a 12-year-old visually impaired athlete Tamahau Hicks, when running sensation Sam Ruthe came to his rescue at the Colgate Games in Tauranga on Saturday.

The disappointment came when Tamahau’s regular running guide contacted his family to say he was ill and couldn’t accompany Tamahau over the 1500 metres at the event, which has attracted thousands of North Island youngsters for the three-day meeting.

Tamahau, who runs for the Te Aroha Athletics Club and Achilles Tauranga Moana, suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident, when he was three-and-a-half, affecting his vision and spatial awareness.

Because of that, he needs a guide to run alongside him in races.

“We rushed around trying to find someone and when I couldn’t, I stuck out a post on Run Aotearoa,” Tamahau’s mum, Emily Kay, said.

Andrea Neal from Tauranga Athletics saw the Facebook post and got in touch.

Initially, an official was to guide Tamahau, but 30 minutes before the race, there was another development.

“Andrea came and found us, and said, ‘Hey, Sam Ruthe has volunteered to become a host guide for the race’.

“We were very excited. I know Tamahau was, when he found out Sam was going to be his guide.

“All the other kids were excited they would be in the same race as Sam Ruthe too.”

Ruthe is the rising track star of New Zealand athletics. He was 15, when he became [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/545352/watch-teen-runner-sam-ruthe-breaks-record-sub-four-minute-mile the youngest runner to break four minutes for the mile last March.

Since turning 16, he has shattered the long-standing secondary schools 1500 metre record and claimed new U20 and U19 national marks over 1000 metres last weekend, with his time being the world’s best for his age.

Emily Kay couldn’t speak highly enough of Ruthe.

“It was really incredible,” she said. “He was really good, he told Tamahau, ‘Don’t go out too hard, we’ll go hard in the last lap’, and that is exactly what they did.

“They just stuck to the same pace right throughout the race until right at the end. It was amazing and the whole crowd was cheering.”

They proved a winning combination.

“He broke his personal best by about 40 seconds and he came first in the para race. It was pretty awesome.”

Ruthe was also great with the other kids in the race, posing for photos with them for ages after the race.

There was one funny moment in the race, as Ruthe, in his enthusiasm, went ahead of Tamahau and had to be reminded that his partner had to cross the finish-line first.

Emily Kay said Tamahau would have had to withdraw, if he hadn’t found a guide.

“Not only did he get a guide, he got Sam Ruthe.

“It was an epic day.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand