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Erin Routliffe (left) and Jelena Ostapenko celebrate their Charleston Open title PHOTO: CHARLESTON OPEN New Zelanad's Erin Routliffe has teamed with Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko to win the WTA 500 Charleston Open. The top seeded pair beat AmericansCarloine Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk in the final 6-2 6-4 in one 20 minutes in a matches which featured plenty of long rallies at the net. LATEST HEADLINES: Hayden Wilde wins Singapore T100 Black Ferns win Singapore Sevens title Maxwell 2nd in MTB World Series debut Liam Lawson down order at Japanes GP Tyler Wood big win at NZ Stroke Play Routliffe and Ostapenko, who were playing together for the first time, were strong partne all week on the green clay in South Carolina. They broke their opponents twice in each set and were faultless with their service games in the second set. and appeared to be enjoying themselves on court. “I think it’s important. I think both of us, when we’re smiling, we’re probably playing our best tennis,” said Routliffe. “For some people, it’s more like business-serious, but I think both of us are lucky because when we’re smiling, we play our best. We said at the beginning of the week that we’re just going to have no pressure and have a lot of fun with it. I think we did a good job with that.”. It is the 29-year-old Routliffe's first title of 2025 and ninth of her career. Her last title was the year-end Championship in November with Gaby Dabrowski.

Ben Sears gets a high-five from fellow bowler Will O'Rourke in the ODI win over Pakistan PHOTO: ICC A stirring bowling display from Ben Sears has helped the Black Caps win the third and final ODI and cleansweep the series. New Zealand won by 43 runs after Pakistan elected to field first and the match was delayed and then shortened to 42 overs thanks to a wet outfield. LATEST HEADLINES: Auckland FC held to draw by Wanderers First back-to-back wins for Moana Pasifika Tuatara, Nuggets soar to NBL road victories Chiefs defeat Reds in damp top-of-table clash Lawson improving in Japanese GP practice The Black Caps made 264-8 with plenty of batters making a start including Rhys Mariu making 58 from 61 balls at the top of the innings with good support from Henry Nicholls with 31. Daryl Mitchell took his time and then made 43 while Tim Seifert hit a six and a four in his innings of 26 before captain Michael Bracewell top-scored with 59 from 40 balls including six sixes and on four Akif Javed was the best of the visiting bowlers with 4-62 from eight overs. In reply Pakistan lost Imam-Ul-Haq for one after a bizarre incident where a throw at the stumps went into his grill hitting his jaw. Eventually he left the ground with St John assistance. There was then a partnership of over 60 runs between Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam who socred 33 and 50 respectively. However there was limited partner ships from then on with Mohammad Rizwan making 37 and Tayyab Tahir 33 the best ofthe rest as Pakistan were all out for 221 in teh 40th over. Sears took 5-34, particularly the lower order from nine overs and Jacob Duffy2-40 from seven overs. Seirfert took three catches in the outfield. Sears became the first New Zealand bowler to take five-fors in consecutive men's ODI's.

Ardie Savea escapes the diving clutches of a Waratahs defending in Mona Pasifika's win PHOTO: CRAIG BUTLAND/LINTOTT PHOTOGRAPHY Last week they beat the Crusaders for the first time, this week Moana Pasifika went back-to-back, another first They defeated the Waratahs 45-28 at North Harbour Stadium in the afternoon sun after the visitors held a 21-7 lead into the break. LATEST HEADLINES: Tuatara, Nuggets soar to NBL road victories Chiefs defeat Reds in damp top-of-table clash Lawson improving in Japanese GP practice Weather chaos at NZ Stroke Play tournament Season-ending injury for Nix import Geraldes Whatever was said at halftime by coach Tana Umaga seemed to do the trick for Moana Pasifika as they went on a six try rampage, with tight-head prop Feleti Sai-Ta'ufo'ou crossing for a har-trick The game started with fullback Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii shinning for the Waratahs who looked on track for an elusive first away win of the season. But similar to the previous week's loss to the Hurricanes the Waratahs surrendered on defence Moana ran in five tries in a devastating 15-minute spell, with prop Sae-Ta'ufo'ou completing his hat-trick he started in the first spell before Patrick Pellegrini, fullback William Havili and replacement Fine Inisi added to the Waratahs' humiliation. North Harbour Stadium, Auckland: Moana Pasifika 45 (Feleti Sae-Ta'ufo'ou 3, Patrick Pellegrini, William Havili, Fine Inisi, Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa tries; Pellegrini 5 con) Waratahs 28 (Triston Reilly 2tries, Andrew Kellaway, Teddy Wilson tries; Lawson Creighton 4 con). HT: 7-21.

Kiwis Finn Reynolds (left) and James Watt were beaten in the final of a Challenger in Mexico PHOTO: MORELOS OPEN New Zealand tennis player Erin Routliffe and Latvian doubles partner Jelena Ostapenko are through to the final of the WTA's Charleston Open in the United States. The top-seeded pair beat Americans Hailey Baptiste and Caty McNally 6-2, 5-7, 10-6 in one hour 37 minutes on the green clay. LATEST HEADLINES: Blues, Crusaders win, Highlanders loss Auckland City held to draw in OFC league Black Caps cleansweep Pakistan in ODI's Auckland FC held to draw by Wanderers First back-to-back wins for Moana Pasifika Routliffe and Ostapenko will face another American pairing, Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk for the title. Meanwihle James Watt and Finn Reynolds were beaten in three sets in the final of the US$100,000 ATP Challenger tournament in Morelos, Mexico, losing 5-7 7-6(5) 10-8. The kiwis battled all the way against Antigua’s Jody Maginley and Alfredo Perez from the United States in a match that lasted for 90 minutes,. It all came down to a break of serve at the end of the first set and the narrowest of margins in the super tiebreak. Watt, 24 is protected to move his doubles ranking up from 301 to a career high of 260, while 25-year-old Reynolds will also climb to a career high of 174.

A couple of Wellington Phoenix goal scorerers - Kzuki Nagasawa and Kosta Barbarouses PHOTO: WELLINGTON PHOENIX/A-LEAGUE The Wellington Phoenix have snapped their winless run in the A-League on the back of a dominant first half performance. The Phoenix have held on to beat the Newcastle Jets 2-1 at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, after goals from Kosta Barbarouses and Kazuki Nagasawa gave the Nix a 2-0 lead at halftime. LATEST HEADLINES: Routliffe, Ostapenko win Charleston Hayden Wilde wins Singapore T100 Black Ferns win Singapore Sevens title Maxwell 2nd in MTB World Series debut Liam Lawson down order at Japanes GP A controversial own goal midway through the second half allowed the Jets back into the game but Wellington withstood a barrage from the hosts to claim all three points for the first time since January. Giancarlo Italiano made three changes to the XI which started last weekend’s 2-2 home draw against Western Sydney Wanderers. Captain Alex Rufer and fit-again centre backs Scott Wootton and Isaac Hughes returned in place of injured midfielder Chico Geraldes, Lukas Kelly-Heald and Luke Brooke-Smith. Paulo Retre returned amongst the substitutes. The Phoenix had their first goalscoring opportunity inside two minutes when Tim Payne found some space down the right flank and picked out Kosta Barbarouses with a cutback. Barbarouses however was unable to test Ryan Scott in Newcastle’s goal as he shot his first-time effort wide. Rufer had a shot blocked on the edge of the box soon after as the Nix won possession high up the pitch. Scott was called into action three times in quick succession around a quarter of an hour into the match, making saves to deny Barbarouses, Sam Sutton and Hughes. The Jets’ goalkeeper was really tested midway through the first half when he made a double save to first deny Wootton’s header from an Hideki Ishige free-kick and then spectacularly keep out Corban Piper’s powerful follow-up while he was still on the ground. Wellington came within centimetres of taking the lead in the 27th minute when Newcastle striker Lachlan Rose made a goal-line clearance to deny Barbarouses before the Jets blocked Wootton’s follow-up. The Phoenix finally got their reward in the 34th minute when Barbarouses got on the end of a flicked-on header from Kazuki Nagasawa and then squeezed his shot past Scott. Barbarouses had a great chance to double the lead just three minutes later after Matt Sheridan played him through on goal but he blazed his shot over the bar. Nagasawa made it 2-0 in the 41st minute when he directed home an inch-perfect cross from Payne. Newcastle only had two goalscoring opportunities of note in the first half with both falling the way of Thomas Aquilina, who was unable to test Oluwayemi with either effort. The second half was a completely different story with the Jets turning their possessional dominance into chances. Halftime substitutes Charles M’Mombwa and Clayton Taylor both spurned opportunities inside the first 15 minutes of the second half before Nagasawa had a chance to make it 3-0 but he sprayed his shot wide. A contentious refereeing decision in the 65th minute allowed Newcastle a way back into the match. Oluwayemi appeared to be fouled before he spilled a corner into his own net, but the referee waved away his appeal and the goal stood. The Video Assistant Referee interestingly also saw no reason to intervene. The Jets could have equalised soon after, but Oluwayemi made three saves in quick succession before the Nix three themselves at multiple follow-up shots. Oluwayemi also kept out a stinging effort from Callum Timmins in the 76th minute. Wellington defended resolutely for the final 15 minutes of normal time, limiting Newcastle’s opportunities. Jets substitute Wellissol had a chance to win it with the final touch of the game in the seventh minute of stoppage time but Oluwayemi again was up to the task, holding on to Wellissol’s point blank header between his legs!. The Wellington Phoenix head home to quickly turn their attentions to Saturday’s semi-final rematch against Melbourne Victory at Sky Stadium.

Tom Walsh is one of four field athletes selected for World Athletics Championship PHOTO: ATHLETICS NZ Athletics New Zealand has confirmed an selection of four athletes for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan. The 2025 championships will take place from 13–21 September at the iconic Japan National Stadium — the venue that hosted the athletics programme during the 2020 Olympic Games. LATEST HEADLINES: Bertschinger NZ Floorball coach Ben Hunt wins tight Otago Rally title Football Ferns v Chinese Taipei off Phoenix first A-League win since Jan Routliffe, Ostapenko win Charleston The four feature a line-up of Olympic champions, World Championship medallists, and some of the brightest names in global track and field. Leading the way is Tom Walsh, fresh from claiming his third World Indoor Championship Shot Put title in Nanjing, China. Walsh, a two-time Olympic bronze medallist (2016 and 2020), won the outdoor World Championship crown in 2017 and earned a bronze in 2019. He remains a consistent force at the top of the sport, having placed fourth at both the 2022 and 2023 editions of the World Championships. Joining Walsh in the Shot Put arena are Maddison Wesche and Jacko Gill. Wesche, the 2024 Olympic silver medallist, continues her rapid rise with a personal best of 19.86m and a growing international reputation. Gill, a three-time Olympian and multiple-time Diamond League finalist, remains one of the world’s most consistent performers in men’s Shot Put. Completing the formidable four-strong team is Hamish Kerr, New Zealand’s history-making high jumper. Kerr won New Zealand’s first Olympic gold medal in men’s high jump at the 2024 Paris Games and recently added a World Indoor Championships silver medal to his achievements in Nanjing. Karr has a personal best clearance of 2.36m, he is among the top contenders globally. Further selections for the 2025 World Athletics Championships will be made as athletes meet the qualification standards and selection criteria throughout the coming months

The New Zealand men's floorball team has a new head coach PHOTO: The sport of floorball in New Zealand has a new men's head coach with Christian Bertschinger to take on the role. Bertschinger has been a key figure in the development of floorball in New Zealand since its inception. LATEST HEADLINES: Ben Hunt wins tight Otago Rally title Football Ferns v Chinese Taipei off Phoenix first A-League win since Jan Routliffe, Ostapenko win Charleston Hayden Wilde wins Singapore T100 With a long-standing commitment to the sport, he has previously coached a number of our national teams at both Qualification tournaments and World Floorball Championships. In a statement the national body in New Zealand said "His understanding of the New Zealand floorball scene, combined with his experience and knowledge of international game play, makes him ideally placed to lead the Men’s team into its next phase of development. Christian’s appointment signals a renewed focus to connect our local players with the ones based overseas and lead the team preparation in New Zealand" Bertschinger explained that kiwi players had an identity of their own in the sport. "My goal is to combine New Zealand’s unique strengths with the pace and tactical precision of international gameplay," "I have also secured the assistance from an experienced top level Swiss coach who will function as an Assistant Coach. "This coach brings a vast amount of coaching experience from top level European club teams, national age group programmes, and high-performance environments. "His guidance will introduce fresh tactical perspectives and strengthen the link between New Zealand and European floorball." This international connection will not only benefit the national team but also provide New Zealand players—especially those currently based in Europe—with greater support and exposure. It will create new opportunities for more New Zealand-based players to gain international experience through playing in Europe and grow their skills in one of the sport’s most competitive environments. Together, the coaching team is set to focus on progressing the standard of men’s floorball in New Zealand, expanding player development opportunities, and driving the national programme to new heights and the upcoming World Floorball Championships Qualification 2026. Floorball is a type of indoor hockey played inside a rink with carbon-shaft sticks and a plastic ball. The International Floorball Federation (IFF) was founded in 1986 and is the head organisation of world Floorball, which is spreading rapidly around the globe. A floorball team consists of five field players and a goalie. Teams also have many substitutes, as you can sub at any time during a game and quick subbing keeps the game at a high level of intensity throughout. No protective gear is required by the field players however the goalkeeper has protective gear, but plays without a stic

Otago Rally winner Ben Hunt in action PHOTO: GEOFF RIDDER Reigning national champion Ben Hunt has won a thrilling final stage at the Otago Rally to make the perfect start to the New Zealand Rally Championship. Hunt came out on top of an epic three-way battle on Sunday by 3.7 seconds in his Skoda New Zealand Fabia Rally 2. LATEST HEADLINES: Football Ferns v Chinese Taipei off Phoenix first A-League win since Jan Routliffe, Ostapenko win Charleston Hayden Wilde wins Singapore T100 Black Ferns win Singapore Sevens title The Pukekohe racer and Robbie Stokes were separated by just 0.1 second heading into the final stage – the iconic Kuri Bush stage. Stokes gave it his all in the Stokes Motorsport Skoda Fabia Rally 2 but had to settle for second place for the second year running. Stokes did win the day points on Sunday. His younger brother Jack Stokes had been fighting for the rally lead throughout but cruelly was taken out when he got a stick through the radiator of his Stokes Motorsport Ford Fiesta AP4. Jack Hawkeswood stormed back to grab the final place on the podium in his Force Motorsport Toyota GR Yaris – just pipping Josh Marston (RDL Holden Barina AP4) by 2.8 seconds. Emma Gilmour was fifth in the Vantage New Zealand Citroen C3. Bryn Jones managed to hold off Tim Mackersy in a battle of the Ford Fiesta Rally 4 cars in the NZRC 2WD class. Fuyahika Takahashi (Ford Fiesta) was third in the class. Veteran driver Dave Strong (Honda Jazz) took out the Open 2WD class as the only finisher. Deane Buist produced a comprehensive win in the Historic 2WD class in his Ford Escort ahead of Stephen Gill (Ford Escort) and Pat Norris (Toyota AE86). The championship heads north to South Canterbury Hydraulics Rally South Canterbury next month.

Sammie (Samara) Maxwell wins the UCI MTB Cross-country title in Brazil PHOTO: WHOOP UCI MTB WORLD SERIES Samara Maxwell continued her successful weekend at Araxa, Minas Gerais, Brazil with a win to follow her silver 24 hours earlier in the short track race. Maxwell survived a nail-biting final lap chase to win an emotional maiden UCI World Cup round, Elite UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup race. LATEST HEADLINES: Phoenix first A-League win since Jan Routliffe, Ostapenko win Charleston Hayden Wilde wins Singapore T100 Black Ferns win Singapore Sevens title Maxwell 2nd in MTB World Series debut The New Zealander broke for glory on lap seven, causing the group of favourites to splinter behind as only teammate Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) and Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) could live with the 23-year-old’s frantic pace. The 23-year-old led the chasers by 18 seconds at the start of the final lap but was hanging on by her fingernails through the final few corners with Koller finishing just four seconds behind the first-time victor. Maxwell described the previous day's XCC second place as a “dream come true”, she must quickly get used to this reality of being a main contender at UCI Cross-country World Cups as the Kiwi blazed clear of a star-studded lead group and held off a determined pursuit from Nicole Koller who also had the carrot of a first win at this level. “I genuinely can’t [believe it], Jenny [Rissveds] was so strong at the start and I was on the limit the whole time,” Maxwell said. “On the descents I’ve been working so hard technically over the summer on my skills, it was just a matter of getting to the front and I just went for it.” Asked when she believed she would win in Araxá, Maxwell responded: “At the finish line. I honestly couldn’t believe it, I just kept telling myself ‘this is for a world cup win, hurt as much as you can because you won’t get it if you don’t’. “The team has been so incredible for me, I’ve had a bit of hard time the last few years and the team stood by me and said, ‘no matter what you do, as you long as you put your health and yourself as a person first, we will support you’. “They were willing to support me walking away from the mountain biking team for a few years to get back healthy because they believed in me so much. So, to have everything fall into line for these amazing people is the most special part.”

Hayden Wilde is al smiles during the cycle leg of the Singapore T100 Triathlon win PHOTO: WORLD TRIATHLON Olympic silver medallist Hayden Wilde delivered a stunning performance to come from behind to win the Singapore T100 Triathlon season opener in Marina Bay and take an early leading in the T100 Race To Qatar. Having emerged 15th after the swim, Wilde rose through the ranks on the bike leg. He made his move around 30km into the bike to get Bogen in his sights and traded the lead throughout the 80km. LATEST HEADLINES: Black Ferns win Singapore Sevens title Maxwell 2nd in MTB World Series debut Liam Lawson down order at Japanes GP Tyler Wood big win at NZ Stroke Play Ten Have bronze Princess Sofia Regatta But during the final leg, the 27-year-old Wilde showed his endurance and strength as Bogen ran out of steam and only managed 10th. Wilde even took the time to exchange celebratory high-fives with the cheering spectators before claiming the tape.  It was his first T100 victory in 3:18:11 – pocketing US$25,000 and a crucial 35 T100 Race To Qatar Standings points. Despite slowing near the finish, he secured the day’s fastest run split of 1:01:46. Paris 2024 bronze medallist Léo Bergère, also making his T100 debut, and reigning T100 Triathlon World Tour champion Marten Van Riel’s late surge saw them finish second and third respectively.

An excited Sammie Maxwell after her second place at the UCI MTB Series in Brazil PHOTO: UCI MTB Taupo's Sammie Maxwell made an encouraging elite debut with a podium finish in the short track cross-country at the opening round of the UCI MTB World Series in Brazil. Maxwell, 23 was edged by last year’s short-track world champion, Evie Richards (GBR) who managed to hold off the New Zealand champion. LATEST HEADLINES: Liam Lawson down order at Japanes GP Tyler Wood big win at NZ Stroke Play Ten Have bronze Princess Sofia Regatta Reynolds, Watt runners-up, Routliffe final Blues, Crusaders win, Highlanders loss The Decathlon Ford professional worked her way through the field in the frantic short track sprint at Araxa, in the state of Minas Gerais. Maxwell showed her climbing prowess to power to the front, opening a telling lead on the penultimate lap. Richards reeled her in as the two riders put some daylight back to the rest of the chasers. The British rider edged clear in the sprint to the finish, but with celebrations for Maxwell who enjoyed her first elite podium in an impressive ride. “Fun fact, the faster you ride your bike, the more teddies you get,” joked Maxwell after her podium presentation spoils. “I'll wait for the reality to hit and thoughts to settle before boring you all with a long and emotional post.” Maxwell will reset for tomorrow’s main task with the opening full-course world cup tomorrow, joining fellow kiwi elite Anton Cooper, who is making his World Cup return after missing most of last year with illness. Other New Zealanders competing include under-23 riders Maria Laurie and Annabel Bligh.Ma

New Zealand's Veerle Ten Have jumps into the water after claiming bronze at the Princess Sofia regatta PHOTO: SAILING ENERGY New Zealand sailor Veerle Ten Have has started a new Olympic campaign with bronze at Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta. The 24-year-old Tauranga sailor claimed bronze in the women's iQFOiL at the 2025 Princess Sofia Trophy regatta in Palma, following a strong display of speed and consistency in her first major regatta since finishing 10th in Marseille last August. Ten Have won eight races in qualifying this week to advance to the knockout series in third overall. LATEST HEADLINES: Reynolds, Watt runners-up, Routliffe final Blues, Crusaders win, Highlanders loss Auckland City held to draw in OFC league Black Caps cleansweep Pakistan in ODI's Auckland FC held to draw by Wanderers She was victorious in her semifinal against Lola Sorin of France, Germany's Theresa Steinlein, and Mina Mobekk of Norway to make the four-board final. Ten Have finished behind Emma Wilson (Britain) and Zheng Yan (China) in the medal race for her first podium since also winning bronze at the same event in 2023. "It feels great to be back competing with the fleet again and seeing all the faces, as many of them have already had a regatta in Cadiz and have been training together in Lanzarote," Ten Have said. “I started off pretty rusty on the first day, just trying to find the groove again, but I managed to slowly get back into fleet racing." Conditions demanded both speed and tactical awareness, she said. "The week was very tricky wind-wise. You had to constantly have your head up and look around to make smart decisions. It was cool to have to use some brains rather than only speed." While for many, the Princess Sofia marked the first international event since the Olympics, it also signals the official start of the campaign for Los Angeles 2028. Ten Have admits it's taken some time to adjust to the new sail sizes introduced by World Sailing at the start of the year. The changes have seen women move from an 8m² sail to a 7.3m² version, aimed at making the class more inclusive for athletes of all body sizes, improving accessibility, and easing the transition from youth to senior classes. "The new sails have sure been interesting, and I'm still figuring out how to make them go fast and what the ideal settings are," Ten Have said. "I feel like we're getting a step closer every session, and it's quite exciting seeing the fleet coming much closer together than before. I'm pretty happy with my progress this week. There's lots to take away and work on over the next couple of months before we get to the world championships [in Aarhus, Denmark in July]." Also impressing in Palma was young windfoiler Aimee Bright, who racked up eight top-10 placings in 19 races to narrowly miss out on a medal series spot with her 14th-place finish, while Stella Bilger came 22nd among the 67 competitors. Josh Armit, meanwhile, bowed out at the semifinal stage of the men’s iQFOiL event overnight. Like Ten Have, Armit finished qualifying in third, but a fourth in the semifinal saw him eliminated, with the title eventually going to Australia’s Grae Morris. Armit placed sixth overall, with countrymen Eli Liefting 42nd and Blake Hinsley 99th. Three other Kiwis also competed in their respective medal races. George Gautrey impressed with a fourth in the double-points ILCA 7 decider, ending the regatta in eighth overall after qualifying ninth. It was the Wellingtonian’s first international competition back in the men’s dinghy class in over a year - the former world championship bronze medallist took an extended break from the boat after being pipped for Olympic selection by Tom Saunders last year. Elsewhere, Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush wrapped up their regatta with a ninth place in the 49er medal race. The duo also finished ninth overall - the best result of their career in the class. They were the top-placed of four Kiwi crews, in the absence of Marseille silver medallists Isaac McHardie and Will McKenzie. Francesco Kayrouz and Hamish McLaren (29th), Sam Bacon and Blake McGlashan (33rd), and Will Shapland and Campbell Stanton (82nd) also competed alongside Menzies and Rush. The regatta ended 24 hours earlier for a handful of other Kiwi sailors. Greta Pilkington finished 22nd in the ILCA 6 after breaking into the top 10 on Day 2, while Caleb Armit was 61st in the 174-boat ILCA 7 fleet. Lukas Walton-Keim’s 16th was the highest of three New Zealanders in the kitefoil competition, with Lochy Naismith 34th and Lucy Bilger 20th in the women’s event