In this newsletter we look back on the second half of our winter sport programme, a term that featured a host of outstanding results and plenty of memorable experiences for our students. On quick review, our participation in all sport this year at Cashmere is already our highest number ever and this has certainly been the case during our winter season with the maroon and gold colours represented across a huge variety of opportunities and sports. Well done to all students involved in winter sport this year. I hope you enjoyed the experience, improved your skills, embraced all of the challenges and made a few new friends along the way.

The strength and skill of Cashmere students on two wheels has been on display once again across Term 3 with some outstanding individual results at the International and national level. At the National Mountain Bike Championships held locally at C.A.P Cashmere High was awarded the ‘Top School’ trophy for all combined results across 4 days of events. This is the 3rd time in 4 years that we have picked up the overall title and was made up by a host of impressive individual results highlighted with Winni Goldsbury and Erik Cassels Brown taking out the U20 Girls and Boys titles. At the National Road Cycling Champs, Callum McGrail finished off a stellar year of cycling with a 2nd in the U20 Points Race. Thomas Newsom added some running to his biking skill to finish 2nd in the U19 NZSS Duathlon. At the international level, Meg Baker represented New Zealand at the Junior World Track Champs in China finishing 7th in the scratch and 2000m IP and 11th in the elimination races.

During winter tournament week, Cashmere was represented at the National Secondary Schools Golf Championships for the first time.  The three person team of Louis Edwards, Etienne Collier and Maadi McCormick had a great performance to finish overall 4th team in the country. Etienne shooting par over two rounds to finish 5th individual. He then continued this form into the NZ Age Group Championships finishing 4th overall. Full results for 2024 tournament week are on our sports website and social media channels.

A massive thanks to all of the staff, parents, students and wider community that have supported students so far this year. It really is a combined effort to ensure we can keep offering a huge variety of opportunities for students and without support it would not happen. Special mention to our two sports coordinators Kellie Lightfoot and Julie Macdonald who are at the centre of everything good happening in sport at Cashmere High. If you have any specific feedback about the sports programme, or can offer support in anyway moving forward to help us improve please get in touch directly with the sport department.

On a personal note, this newsletter marks my final one as Sport Director after eight years in the role. It has been a tremendously rewarding experience to be able to support all of the wonderful athletes (and human beings) that have come through Cashmere High during my time. Being able to work with and meet a huge variety of staff, parents and community members all with a massive passion for youth sport has also been a great aspect of the job. I look forward to following and supporting Cashmere sports teams in the years to come.

Michael Jones

Sports Director

Term 3 Highlights:

• Adventure Racing: Cashmere dominated the local Get2Go Junior competition, with our teams finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the event! This qualifies our team for the nationals in December. At the Hillary Challenge held in October holidays our senior team did a great job during a long and challenging week to finish 9th in the country.

  

• Basketball: Our Junior Boys finished 2nd in both the Grocott Cup and CBA U15 competitions, losing narrowly in very close finals. At the SISS Champs, our Junior Boys finished 5th, Junior Girls 6th, Senior Girls 7th and Senior Boys 9th.

  

• Cross Country: Brynne ran a superb race at the NZ Cross Country Championships representing Canterbury, winning the U18 title. Leo de Monchy also ran a great race, finishing 3rd in the very competitive U16 Boys race.

• Cycling: At the Southern tour, Callum Mcgrail in the U20s won the Individual Time Trial (National), 2nd Criterium, 1st Hill Climb and 1st Road Race winning all jerseys on offer across the weekend to be crowned U20 Tour Leader. Eliana Beale was 3rd overall in the U20 girls with placings in the Time Trial (3rd), Criterium (2nd). Millie Junge finished 3rd overall in the U17 girls, winning the Criterium, 2nd in Hill Climb, 3rd in Road Race, 2nd in Sprint and QOM. Lucas Sutherland finished 3rd in the U15 boys overall with a 3rd in the KOM.

  

• Duathlon: Thomas Newson finished 2nd in the NZSS Duathlon Championship.

   

• Football: Cashmere 1st XI Girls finished 3rd in the Premier competition. Charlotte Grey, Tessa Toombs and Minah Van Dam were selected in the Canterbury United Youth Squad. Cashmere 1st XI Boys finished 11th at the National Premier tournament, a top result in a very tough competition.

  

• Hockey: The Boys 1st XI Hockey team had a fantastic season this year, capped off by winning the Div 1 SSL Div 1 title in dramatic fashion. After leading 2-1 with moments left, Burnside HS levelled up sending the match to penalty strokes with Cashmere coming up clutch to take the win.

  

• Ice Hockey: Our Cashmere High team won gold in the Ice Hockey High School League

• Mountain Biking: Results from the National Mountain Bike Championships:

  Enduro

  Tilly Salter Quinn 1st (U14 Girls), Jonty Mitchell 1st and Luca Arthur 3rd (U16 Boys), Joel Salter Quinn 3rd (U17 Boys), Roisin McGuiness 1st (U17 Girls), Erik Cassels Brown 1st (U20 Boys), Winni Goldsbury 1st U20 Girls.

  Cross Country

  Toby Hair 3rd (U16 Boys), Millie Junge 2nd (U16 Girls), Winnie Goldsbury 3rd (U20 Girls), Relay 1st U16 Boys and U20 Girls.

  Downhill

  Tilly Salter Quinn 2nd (U14 Girls), Luca Arthur 2nd, Mason Hurford 3rd (U16 Boys), Roisin McGuiness - 1st (U17 Girls), Erik Cassels Brown 1st Male U20, Winni Goldsbury 1st  Female U20.

  Cashmere High School – Top School Award

   

  

• Netball: At the SISS, our Cashmere netball team finished 7th, narrowly missing nationals qualification. Stella Shields was named as part of the tournament selection team.

   

  

• Orienteering: James Wright was crowned overall winner at the SISS Orienteering Championships, winning both the long and short races. Greta Prince also took out both races in the Y10/11 Girls category. Cashmere was awarded the Canterbury School’s title for Y9, Y10/11 and Y12/13.

   

• Rugby: The Cashmere Combined 2nd XV made the U18 Sec 2 final going down bravely to a big Burnside HS 1st XV. Harrison Staunton was selected in the Metro U16 team.  

  

• Rock Climbing: At the SISS Rock Climbing Championship, the Cashmere team of Riley Hughes, Oliver Chinn, Hanna North, Katie Chinn finished 1st in South Island Mixed Division.