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As a result of a
very successful performance by the National
Seniors Team at the recent Trans Tasman
Tournament held in Christchurch, I have received
a number of inquiries from individuals wanting
to know what they needed to achieve to be
considered for next years team.
Australia will host
next years event and I would like to encourage
as many as possible of the competitive ‘Over
60s' to put their names forward for
consideration for selection in the 6 man, 6
women National Senior Team. To qualify for
selection you will need to be 60+ years of age
by 31st January 2009.
The following
tournaments will be the key events for
individuals to perform well in relative to their
peers. There is no requirement to play in them
all but obviously the more consistent, positive
performances one achieves; the likelihood of
being selected will be enhanced.
-
Hawkes Bay
Classic Doubles, Napier
-
National Doubles
Championship, Wellington
-
National Senior
Doubles Championship, Central Region (tbc)
-
Kapiti Open
Doubles, Wellington
-
New Zealand
Open, Auckland
-
Hawkes Bay
Summer Doubles, Bayview, Napier
-
South Island
Doubles (tbc)
-
South Island
Triples (tbc)
Please note that
strong performances in other Open and Regional
competitions will also be beneficial towards
selection but individuals will have to forward
their results to me for consideration. Note also
that you will have to be 60+years of age by 1st
December 2008 to play in the National Seniors
Championship. Individuals having their birthday
after this date but before 31st January 2009
will still qualify for selection.
The format for the
senior section of the Trans Tasman tournament
consists of men’s, women’s and mixed doubles and
triples so competing in any of the listed
tournaments as a mixed team won’t be a
disadvantage. Also your partner doesn’t
necessarily have to be over sixty, other than
when playing in the Nationals Senior Doubles.
I would expect the
terrains in Australia for next years Trans
Tasman to be a great deal coarser than what we
experience playing on in New Zealand. Shooters
will need to have the confidence to shoot on the
full and pointers will need to point both high
and demi-lobs.On the Aussie terrains our
pointers will struggle to be effective if they
tend to drop their boules a couple of metres in
front of themselves and expect to consistently
roll up to the cochonnet.
As can be confirmed
by past and present senior team members,
representing your sport and country is an
experience to be cherished and even more so when
you are jostling for Trans Tasman supremacy.
To date the Trans
Tasman senior competition is locked at two
apiece with all victories going to the hosts.
The challenge for the ‘Class of 2009’ will be to
break this deadlock and win for the first time
in Aussie’s backyard.
The team will be
announced by 9th February 2009.
Complete the
Senior Selection Application Form
(MS Word) and post it
to:
Murray Porter
126 Northshore Road
RD2
Napier
by the closing
date of 1st December 2008
Murray Porter
Senior Selector
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