Pacific Mini Games 2009

Triathlete Jenny George in medal winning form this week. 09093072

It was another golden day for the Cook Islands yesterday especially on the water in Aitutaki and on the tennis courts at Nikao.

The three golds in sailing, along with the women’s tennis singles and doubles medals, took the Cook Islands tally to 45 medals in total – 15 gold medals, 13 silver and 17 bronze.

It’s the country’s best performance at any Pacific Games to date.

Helema Williams won gold in the Laser radial in Aitutaki, and another with Teau McKenzie in the team event. The Laser standard sailing team of Junior Charlie and Peter Henry also secured gold on the Aitutaki lagoon.

Tennis star Kairangi Vano finally got herself a deserved gold in the tennis singles, and then she teamed up with Brittany Teei to win the women’s doubles.

The biggest mover over the last two days has been Samoa, with the weightlifters making a hefty contribution in terms of the country’s gold medal haul.

Unfortunately for many in the Samoan contingent, the tragic events back home this week may overshadow its efforts at these games.

Fiji will leave these games as the medal leaders with 32 golds, 25 silver and 20 bronze – thanks mainly to the efforts of its athletes on the track and field last week.

And it appears that either Fiji or Samoa will take home the last gold medal of the 2009 Pacific Mini Games in the blue-ribbon event, rugby sevens, which concludes this afternoon at the BCI Stadium.

New Caledonia are in second place with 23 gold, 21 silver and 22 bronze, with Tahiti Nui in third place with 21 gold, 22 silver and 16 bronze.

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Kairangi Vano proudly displays the nation’s flag after being presented with the gold medal in the women’s singles event at the PMG tennis tournament yesterday. Vano walked away with three gold medals in total. 09101093

From left, Aitutaki teenagers Werner Tschan, Maara Tauu and Tuaivi Mose, who officiated during the table tennis competition at the mini games. 3 91001103

Going about their jobs quietly as table tennis umpires at the Pacific Mini Games has been a trio of Aitutaki teenagers.

Tuaivi Mose, Werner Tschan and Maara Tauu all passed an umpire’s exam last month and were qualified to officiate at the table tennis competition.

The tournament referee David Delpratt from Australia has been impressed with the trio and all three have been involved in some role during finals matches, either as an assistant umpire or scorer.

The president of the Aitutaki table tennis association, Tu Bishop, says as well as performing well as technical officials, the teenagers are also keen players back home.

Bishop, who acted as an assistant official manager during the tournament, hopes that their experience at the games will encourage them to further their involvement in the game. He would also like to develop and improve the standard of table tennis on Aitutaki, especially amongst the youngsters.

The star of the 105kg-plus weightlifting show – Itte Detenamo of Nauru set a new Pacific Mini Games record and personal best in the snatch (176kg). 91001102

The star of the 105kg-plus weightlifting show – Itte Detenamo of Nauru set a new Pacific Mini Games record and personal best in the snatch (176kg). 091001102

The women table tennis doubles medalists – from left, the Tahiti Nui pair of Tuarikirau Thunot and Brenda Lui, the winners Anolyn Lulu and Liopa Santhy (Vanuatu) and bronze medalists Priscila Tommy and Stephanie Qwea from Vanuatu. Tommy took out the women’s singles title yesterday after beating her team mate Lulu in the final – Santhy took out bronze. 90930164

It was gold, silver and bronze for Vanuatu in the women’s table tennis singles championships played at the Aroa Nui hall yesterday.

The number one seed Priscila Tommy defeated Anolyn Lulu (11-6, 11-4, 11-9, 13-11) while Liopa Santhy beat Tuarikirau Thunot for bronze. The Cooks’ Louisa Manico bowed out to Lulu in the second round.

It was another gold for Vanuatu in the men’s singles, with third seed Yoshua Shing pipping the top player Wang Qi from Fiji in the last match of the best of seven (4-3).

Both players had a tough road to the final, with Shing coming from 3-1 down to beat Fiji’s Richel Sen, and Qi taking a 2-0 lead against eventual bronze medalist Ocean Belrose (Tahiti Nui) before winning 4-2.

In the bronze medal match Belrose went to a 3-0 lead against Sen, before tying it up 4-2 in the sixth.

Cook Islands sevens legend Koiatu Koiatu tests his speed against the flying Fijians. HARVIE ALLISON PHOTOS 91001107

Just three medals remain unclaimed in the Pacific Mini Games with the rugby sevens semi finals and finals to be played out today at the BCI stadium.

Sevens juggernauts Fiji rampaged through the first five rounds of games yesterday to emerge the not so surprising leader in pool A and the hot favourite for the gold medal in today’s finals.

Samoa has also risen to the top of their pool after defeating their biggest threat in pool play, Tonga 22-0.

Fiji began their sevens campaign with a massive 52-0 win over Wallis and Fortuna and continued in that fashion right throughout the day.

Next to be destroyed by Fiji was Tahiti 54-0 then the Cook Islands 31-0 and the final team to suffer at their hands was Niue 38-0.

The Cook Islands on the other hand planned to be in the top two of their pool and a convincing 40-0 win over Wallis and Fortuna got their campaign on the right track.

Their next opponent Niue was unknown to the local side but after a thorough 34-0 beating, the Cooks knew all about them.

Beating Niue was the Cook Islands’ main aim of the day knowing that Fiji was going to be the number one in their pool.

The Cooks then turned their disappointment on Tahiti, beating them 31-7, letting the visitors sneak in a try.

The Cooks final match of the day was against none other than Fiji.

And while the Cooks certainly fought hard – Fiji was just too classy winning the match 31-0.

The first day of the sevens was a day of big scores with numerous walkovers and a handful of tight battles, like the match between Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands which PNG won 17-12.

Today it’s all on for the semi finals with the Cook Islands playing the first match of the day against PNG in the first plate semi finals at 12 noon.

Tahiti and Solomon Islands will meet in the second plate semi finals.

Fiji will take on Tonga in the first medal semi-finals today at 12.45pm.

The second medal semi final is between Samoa and Niue at 1.06pm.

The winners will proceed to the grand finals scheduled for 3.40pm with the closing ceremony of the Pacific Mini Games at 4.30pm.

So grab your sun block and head to the BCI stadium to watch some of the best rugby sevens the island has seen.

Today’s draw is on page 7 as part of the results.

Anti-dope testing at the Pacific Mini Games is going along fine, says the person in charge of testing.

Natanya Kavatahi Potoi from the Oceania Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO) in Fiji says that in the first week, they conducted about 50 percent of the tests that they want to carry out.

Potoi says their tests have involved randomly selecting from those who win medals and those whose countries do not come into contact with testing on a regular basis. She says there has been general acceptance by athletes who have been selected for testing.

However, Potoi says those who are not familiar with procedures – which involves giving a urine sample in full view of the accompanying chaperone – have found it tough.

“That will come, though, with more education and awareness.”

The samples will be shipped to a Sydney laboratory which has been accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Potoi says the Pacific Games Council should have results back by the middle of this month.

Our Brittany took the bronze! Fourth seed Brittany Teei defeated Samoa’s Steffie Carruthers to win bronze in the PMG tennis finals yesterday. 09100158

Cook Islands team mates gathered around the women’s singles gold medalist Kairangi Vano moments after her win against top seed Elodie Dietrich-Rogge at the PMG tennis tournament finals yesterday. 09100163

It was the Cook Islands women’s day of days and they made the most of it last night as the medals were presented at the conclusion of the PMG tennis tournament.

“It’s unbelievable,” said the men’s team number one Brett Baudinet. “It’s the first time in history that the Cook Islands women have won a Pacific Games or Mini Games medal – and they go and win not one but two gold medals plus a silver and a bronze.”

The medal presentation last night was a colourful affair with the local crowd applauding and cheering each time the Cook Islands girls went up on the podium

First up was the women’s team of Norah Browne, Brittany Teei, Davina Hosking and Kairangi Vano to receive their silver medal from the team’s competition last week which was presented by tennis life member and sporting legend William Heather.

Then it was time for the first playing of the Cook islands national anthem as Brittany Teei and Kairangi Vano went up again to receive the gold medal for their success in the women’s doubles event. The local girls had earlier knocked the top-seeded pairing of Elodie Dietrich-Rogge and Meryl Pydo into silver position with a 6-4, 6-3 women’s doubles victory. Samoa’s Maylani Ah Hoy and Tagifano So’onalole-Taosoga collected the bronze.

The Cook Islands flag was flying again as Vano returned for her third gold medal from the event, and probably the most precious, for her thrilling third set win in the women’s singles final, once again against the top-rated New Caledonian Dietrich-Rogge who settled for the silver.

Team mate Brittany was also on the podium to collect her women’s singles medal after earlier defeating Samoa’s Steffie Carruthers in the bronze medal play-off.

The president of Cook Islands Tennis Damien Beddoes said: “The tennis athletes definitely performed way beyond our expectations and well and truly justified the investment the people of the Cook Islands have put into the new tennis centre. We are just over the moon, words cannot describe how wonderful this is.”

Last night the tennis fraternity from across the Pacific put aside on-court rivalry and all got together to celebrate with an end of the tournament party at the High Tide restaurant.

She’s finally back on track for a professional tennis career –a Brittany Teei in action during the early rounds of the Pacific Mini Games tennis tournament. 09093008

Cook Island’s tennis prodigy Brittany Teei is back on track as she works towards a professional tennis career after an injury stopped her progress six years ago.

Brittany was just 14 when she hurt her foot slipping on clay representing New Zealand at the World Cup finals in Czechoslovakia.

The injury proved difficult to heal and it held her back from top tennis right through her teens until recently the problem was diagnosed correctly and dealt with by a team of concerned sports and medical professionals in Auckland.

The 20-year-old has recently been training with the Korean Federation Cup team. Her mother Tereapii Teei and partner Alex Sword, who run a business teaching English language in Korea, had made inquiries for somewhere for Brittany to practice and were amazed when she was invited to train with the Korean national coach, Coach Choi, and the Korean national squad at the JSM Centre in Gimcheon.

Brittany has already had a big start to her renewed dreams – apart from gold and bronze medals at the Pacific Games - when she recently won qualifying tournament to be selected to represent New Zealand in Melbourne in 2010 in the Kia Amateur Australian Open against players from all over the world. The amateur event is being run during the second week of the Australian Open professional event.

Tereapii says her daughter is still young enough to make it into professional tennis. She says the world’s top players usually peak in their mid to late 20s and the job ahead now is to play as many tournaments as possible to build her ranking with the hope of a wild card entry into a major tournament.

She did it! Despite playing much of the game in pain and nearly defaulting, Kairangi Vano prevailed over the top seed Elodie Dietrich-Rogge to win the gold medal in the women’s singles final yesterday. 09100155

It was a decision between pain or glory for Cook Islands tennis ace Kairangi Vano as she battled her way to a gold medal in the women’s singles tennis yesterday.

Kairangi suffered a groin injury shortly after winning the first set 6-2 against top seed New Caledonia’s Elodie Dietrich-Rogge.

The plan fell apart in the second set and after losing 6-1 it was obvious Kairangi was in trouble when the team physio was called on to the court.

The third set was a test of courage for the local girl.

“I was in real pain and didn’t think I could go on. I was that close to defaulting,” she said.

The vocal crowd watched Kairangi lose the first two games and then ask for the physio again for an adjustment to the strapping,

It must have been what she needed as she won the next two sets in a row. Just as the crowd sensed victory she gave back the next two.

Then she dug deep and despite the discomfort of the strapping and the pain of the strain, she won the next three games, lost one and then dug really deep and took the last two for a 7-5 set win for the match and the gold medal.

Sam Pera Jnr readies to lift in the clean and jerk. 1 91001101

It was three silvers for Sam Pera Jnr in the 105kg-plus class at the final session at the weightlifting competition last night.

Willed on by a vocal crowd, Pera lifted 140kg in the snatch and 172kg in the clean and jerk – one kilo ahead of Tongan Ma’amaloa Lolohea – to record a 312kg total.

But while Pera was the crowd favourite, the show belonged to Nauruan Itte Detenamo who set a new South Pacific record and personal best in the snatch (176kg), and smashed his own Pacific Games record set in 2007, with a total of 386kg.

Detenamo tried to clean and jerk 220kg on his last attempt to better his own personal total, but he could not raise the weights above his chest.

Theron Taupau from American Samoa was third in the snatch with a lift of 125kg.

In the 105kg category, Meameaa Thomas from Kiribati won gold in the snatch (140kg), clean and jerk (180kg) and total lift (320kg), ahead of Amete Luaki from New Caledonia and Tovia Opeloge from Samoa.

Samoa’s Ele Opeloge, Oceania and Commonwealth queen of weightlifting, attempts to clean 155kg yesterday. 09100186

Ele Opeloge of Samoa is the undisputed weightlifting queen of the Pacific.

Her impressive weightlifting career earned her the title but in yesterday’s women’s +75kg category lift – she proved it again.

She set a new Pacific Games record with her first snatch lift of 120kg smashing the previous record lift of 113kg which she also set.

She then set another new record just minutes later with a massive lift of 125kg to not only re-set a new Pacific Games snatch record but a new Oceania and Commonwealth record.

And that was just the first half of her competition.

In the clean and jerk she cleaned 145kg first up then added an extra 5kg for a 150kg lift to set yet another new Pacific Games record in the clean and jerk category.

Ele then attempted a lift of 155kg in her final lift but she buckled under the weight.

If she had successfully cleaned the lift, she would have set a new total record for the Oceania and South Pacific region.

Her final total lift of 275kg also registered as a new games total lift.

Already Ele is the Pacific, Oceania and Commonwealth games champion.

She was definitely in a class of her own in the +75kg category taking all three gold medals for the snatch, clean and jerk and total lift.

Niue’s Narita Vilamu snatched the three silver medals with a total lift of 205kg (85kg snatch and 120kg clean and jerk).

The real battle in the category was for the bronze medal between newcomers to the sport Noeline Luaki of New Caledonia and our very own Luisa Peters.

After a failed first lift of 52kg in the snatch, Luisa went on to successfully lift 57kg and 60kg for her final snatch lift.

Noeline also failed her first lift of 52kg with a successful second lift of 60kg and third lift of 62kg.

The mind games began in the clean and jerk and the two girls’ coaches jostled adding a kg at a time to the girls lift.

Luisa then cleaned her first lift of 67kg with Noeline cleaning 70kg in her first lift.

Luisa then lifted 74kg successfully in her second lift with Noeline also having a successful second lift of 75kg.

Luisa then returned to the stage for her final lift of a whopping 82kg but unfortunately the weight was too much for her – likewise for Noeline who also attempted to lift the same weight.

It was a disappointing final lift for our local girl who was only 3kg off the bronze medal that was awarded to Noeline.

But with a few more years of development and training our very own Luisa Peters will no doubt step up to the same class as Samoa’s golden girl Ele Opeloge.

David Katoatau’s attempt at a South Pacific record in the clean and jerk, and overall total lift, in the 94kg class, fell short at the Telecom Sports Arena yesterday.

A total of 188kg was loaded on to the bar for the clean and jerk but the lifter from Kiribati was unsuccessful with the lift.

The record in this class for the clean and jerk stands at 185kg, and the total at 327kg.

Katoatau’s total in the end was 320kg.

It was a great contest for silver with Saimone Turaganivalu (Fiji) just pipping Jonathan Yoshida from Samoa. However, Yoshida took out silver in the clean and jerk, both men lifting 160kg, but the Samoan taking out that contest because of his lower body weight.

Prime Minister Hon. Jim Marurai

The 8th Pacific Mini Games has been a challenge for many Cook Islanders but I am pleased we’ve had the opportunity to showcase not only our sporting talents but our willingness to play host to our friends and relatives from around the Pacific, in such an important event.

We salute all of you – the sports men and women, who joined us in this venture to promote Pacific togetherness and well-being through sport.

Many thanks also for the dedicated efforts of those who have provided untiring technical support to all the teams.

Our family of Pacific nations has been strengthened by your contributions, and we share in all your victories.

My special thoughts at this time are for those of you affected by the tsunami tragedy. The sorrows of the people of Samoa, American Samoa, and Tonga, are also our sorrows and our prayers for your safe travels home are heavy with the condolence wishes from us all here in the Cook Islands.

God Bless you all.

Minister of Sport Hon. Ngamau Munokoa

The moment has come to say farewell to these Mini Games in Rarotonga.

There is some sadness because the healthy competition in sports has brightened our lives over the last 14 days for real.

There is nothing that beats the thrill of watching the Games at home.

The Cook Islands can be proud of the success of these Games.

To all those who contributed – to the officials, the team leaders, the volunteers and especially the athletes from all over the Pacific – we congratulate you for a job well done.

To the sponsors (including Turtles – sorry you were messed around), we say THANK YOU. Your support was vital.

To the teams that came from 21 countries, we wish you all the best for a safe journey home and the future.

At this moment our thoughts are with those countries – American Samoa, Samoa, Tonga – that lost lives in Tuesday’s tsunami tragedy.

We already look forward to renewing the Pacific ties when we meet once more at future games in New Caledonia in 2011, Wallis & Futuna in 2013, and Papua New Guinea in 2015

PMG09 Chief Executive Mac Mokoroa

The success of the Pacific Mini Games 2009 can only be attributed to the excellent organisational work of the Government of the Cook Islands, Te Ui Ariki, Te Aronga Mana, sponsors, CISNOC, directors of each division, managers, volunteers, schools, outer islands, and our Pacific families.

We salute all the officials and athletes who participated in the Mini Games, and we thank you for your perseverance, dedication and passion to compete for your beloved country.

To those who did not receive any medals, we pray that this is compensated by the beauty of our “island paradise” and the love portrayed through the people of the Cook Islands. As you all depart from our shores, may you leave with a deep impression in your hearts about the peaceful life and hospitality of the people of Cook Islands.

The Pacific Mini Games 2009 was a tremendous challenge and an opportunity for the people of the Cook Islands and we thank you Pacific Games Council for the chance to host this auspicious occasion.

Thank you to Tua Pittman, the face behind the PMG09 Games, thank you to our media team John Woods, Nick Henry and Jeannie Matenga for combining forces, and also our PMG09 News Media team.

Our sincere condolences to Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga, may the Lord comfort you and strengthen you during this time of devastation, our prayers are with you.

Sharing the moments with you all has been an absolute privilege and joy, may God bless you all and take you back safely to your homeland. Please convey the love of the people of Cook Islands to your family, friends and colleagues.

The Pacific Mini Games lawn bowls tournament ended in style yesterday with an awesome closing ceremony at the Rarotonga Bowling club.

For a warm up before the medals ceremony at the club greens, bowlers from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tokelau and the one player from Norfolk Island marched through the Avarua townships before returning to the green.

While all the players were on a high, it was the men and ladies from the Cook Islands that were the happiest.

You would be too if your team won a total of seven medals – gold in the ladies pairs (Mou Tokorangi and skip Kanny Vaile), ladies triples (Ngatungane Tere, Matauri Raeputa and Teokotai Jim), ladies fours (Kanny Vaile, Matauri Raeputa, Mou Tokorangi and Teokotai Jim) and a final gold in the men’s singles thanks to David Akaruru.

The team’s silver medal came from Nelson Akava and David Akaruru in the men’s pairs while the two bronze medals were won by the ladies singles player Ngatungane Tere and the men’s fours team of Nelson Akava, teenager Lawrence Panini, Vaine Henry and Dennis Tokorangi.

The day’s events were, as Bishop Stuart O’Connell put it, joyous and peaceful.

Each medal winning team was individually introduced with their own drum beat and presented their medal and ei.

Competition manager Phillip Tangi was full of praise for his bowls organising team right down to the most important people – the kitchen and bar ladies.

At the top of the list of people to thank was the people’s bank – the Bank of the Cook Islands – for their sponsorship of the code.

International bowls representative Kerry Clark was also full of praise for the wonderful delivery of the PMG bowling competition.

“I’ve been an official at every Commonwealth Games and world championships since 1999,” said Clark. “I wasn’t too sure how this tournament would be organised, but I tell you now that it equals all the international events I’ve been to.

“The standard of the bowling was absolutely fantastic and the friendliness of everyone really shows, compared to international events where they should know better.”

After the medals ceremony, there was only one place to be for the bowlers – at the club bar.

But if the bowlers thought they were going to be party- ing hard this weekend, their president Veea Mani has other plans.

“Please, we need to harvest our corn field on our new greens so we have a working bee this Saturday.”

This morning the people of Manihiki will welcome back to Rarotonga their medal winning sailors who made history on the Aitutaki lagoon yesterday.

The team of eight Cook Islands sailors will return home weighed down with seven medals – three gold, one silver and three bronze medals.

In the history of Cook Islands sailing, there has only been one medal to prove the nation’s prowess on the water – today there are eight medals from a home based regatta.

The toast of the 10-day sailing regatta is without a doubt Helema Williams of Manihiki who won the gold in the women’s Laser radial class and along with fellow team mate Teau McKenzie’s points also won the gold in the teams races.

Helema had perfect races right throughout the sailing competition winning her first eight races, placing second in the ninth race, first in the next three races and second in races 13 and 14 of the Laser radial class.

Yesterday’s race was a do or die medals race with points earned at the end of the race doubled for a final score.

The pressure of the medals race never touched young Helema as she was so far ahead in the lead that it wouldn’t have prevented her from winning the gold.

But she won the race anyway for two points and the gold medal.

Helema is reportedly itching to get back to Rarotonga to see her mother and ill grandfather and show them the gold medal she won for her family and for her island of Manihiki.

Teau, who trailed Helema in second place right throughout the regatta, struggled in the final medal race to place fourth and miss out on the silver medal by just one point.

The 14-year old was still thrilled to be walking away with the bronze medal as the silver went to New Caledonia’s Machal Gaela.

Together Helema’s and Teau’s overall points totalled 54 for the teams gold medal, miles ahead of silver medallist Samoa on a total of 113 points.

Bronze went to New Caledonia with 150 points.

In the Laser standard class, both Cook Islands sailors Junior Charlie and Taua Elisa picked up medals.

Throughout the regatta Cook’s Junior Charlie and Tahiti’s Jessee Besson have been the leaders of the competition trading first and second places right through.

But Charlie’s races weren’t trouble free. Gear damage in race nine set the local sailor back in points.

However, the Manihiki lad battled on, and in yesterday’s medal race his battle was in the middle of the pack but on the score sheet his battle was with fellow team mate Taua Elisa.

Charlie finished the medal race in seventh position for an overall score of 37.9 and the silver medal and Elisa finished in fifth position – a point of a point (38) behind Charlie to take the bronze medal.

Jessee Besson of Tahiti cruised home to take the gold medal in the class.

Combined, Charlie and Elisa earned 75.9 points to win the gold medal in the Laser standard class.

Again the silver medallists Samoa were miles behind with a total of 177 points and Fiji won bronze with 186 points.

In the Hobie 16 class, Aquila Tatira and Tanus Henry were fifth overall and fellow team mates Peter Tierney and Toka Narayan of Rakahanga came seventh. But their overall points combined earned them a bronze medal in the team event.

Overall it has been a tremendous sailing performance by Team Cook Islands sailors who will be received like royalty at the Rarotonga airport this morning.

Manihiki sailor and newly crowned Laser radial gold medalist Helema Williams will receive a hero’s welcome this morning when she and the Team Cook Islands sailors return to Rarotonga today with their seven medals – three gold, one silver and three bronze. 090930126

The new National Tennis Centre commands a prominent position at Nikao, and will soon have clubrooms for the growing membership of the Cook Islands Tennis Association. 09092531

The new Cook Islands tennis centre at Nikao is possibly the very best tennis facility in the Pacific, says tournament referee David Smith.

Smith from New Zealand, a long-serving ATP, WTA and ITF umpire and referee who has officiated at every Pacific Games and Mini Games since 1995, said: “This would be one of the best, possibly the very best tennis venues in the region. Obviously we need the added improvements of a clubhouse, and some work on the lights, but these courts are definitely ready to host a Davis Cup match.”

David said he came to Rarotonga about 11 weeks ago when the tennis venue was still a bare patch of sand beside the sea.

“They have done a fantastic job. Not just the courts but also the beautiful setting,” he said.

The island’s number one men’s tennis player and Davis Cup player Brett Baudinet agreed: “Fantastic, a great new venue that will not only help develop tennis here in the Cooks but right through the Pacific. We’re pretty lucky to have this.”

Even the New Caledonia tennis team manager, Sebastien Baldovini, was full of praise for the courts; “The courts are very good. Definitely better surfaces than what we have back home. And what a beautiful setting by the sea. Once they have a nice clubhouse, it will be the number one.”

Tennis players and officials have been using the golf club toilets and showers throughout the tournament.

Cook Islands roving ambassador Brian Baudinet said the tennis centre was the realisation of a long dream that began in 2002 when the proposal to build the facility was first put forward.

He says everyone involved in the PMG tennis tournament over the last two weeks is very happy with the way the courts have been presented.

“Yes, we do think it is now the best tennis venue in the Pacific but of course we don’t yet have a clubhouse. That’s the critical issue. We have a container arriving today to store our gear in the interim. We do have plans for a clubhouse right here where the tent is now and we have a small amount of money to get started, but we will need a large amount of finance so we are talking to various people in that direction.

“Thanks to our Government for supporting us with this venture we now have for the future a great facility to attract lots of people to come to play tennis here in Rarotonga.

Apart from local club championships and regional qualifying tournaments, the big push will be to get Davis Cup tennis here.

“We have some very good friends in tennis in the Pacific and we know they will support us in promoting these courts as a future Davis Cup venue and that of course will really raise the profile of tennis even further in the Cook Islands,” said Brian.

He also points out that the tennis centre wouldn’t have happened without the support of “our friends at the golf club” who he sincerely thank for their help.