Inline hockey and speed skating are not sports that you would normally associate with the Cook Islands, but brothers Devon and Reyon Kay are at the top of their game in these two codes.

Devon and Reyon are the sons of Paul Kay and Helene Brereton and are of Niuean, Mangaian, Nga Pu Toru and German descent.

The brothers are the grandsons of Gordon Brereton and Deborah Pamatatau.

Devon, 27, is one of New Zealand’s top inline hockey players and currently plays for the Christchurch Snipers.

At national level he has won four New Zealand national titles in age grade competitions with the Kapiti Rangers and three senior men’s national titles – one with Lightning Wanganui, and two with the Christchurch Snipers.

His international career as an inline hockey player started in early 1996, when he trialled and was selected for the New Zealand under 14 inline hockey team to compete against Australia in the Oceania Games in Napier.

He represented New Zealand at the Oceania games 11 times in the under 14, 17, 18, 20 and senior levels from 1996 to 2008, winning six gold and five silver medals.

Devon has risen through the ranks and now that New Zealand has qualified for IIHF World Champs in Germany next year – Devon plans to trial again for the NZ team in 2011.

Playing in Oceania Championships and IIHF World Championship events has seen Devon travel to Australia, USA, Germany, Canada and Slovakia.

Devon has achieved at the highest level in inline hockey and has played over 100 games for New Zealand, and is currently the only inline hockey player to accomplish this.

Younger brother Reyon also has an impressive list of achievements in speed skating and is a professional speed skater now living in Geisengen, Germany.

Reyon, 23, is a double New Zealand representative having represented New Zealand in both speed skating and inline hockey in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Reyon started speed skating in 1996 after watching his brother play inline hockey for New Zealand at the Oceania Championships in Napier.

After watching speed skating, which was also part of the 1996 championships in Napier, Reyon decided to have a go, as well as continue playing inline hockey.

To date he has won 17 national age grade titles and 13 national senior men titles.

Speed skating covers many distances from 200meter time trials to 42 km marathons.

Reyon specialises in the longer distances, with marathons being his main focus.

He has held the national senior men’s marathon title for three consecutive years.

Reyon began skating professionally in Europe in 2005 and these days he prefers to do his preseason training in Colombia, because the skating numbers are greater in that country, which makes the training more full on.

Reyon’s most recent achievements include winning the 5km World Championships and being named the 2010 Kapiti Sportsman of the Year and the 2010 Dominion Post Sport Wellington Emerging Sportsman of the year.

So when you next see inline skating and speed skating on television – be sure to keep your eyes peeled for these two talented Cook Islands athletes taking the skating world by storm.