Maui Dolphin Day and the Recycled Raft Race officially return to the Raglan Calendar Tomorrow Saturday March 2nd at Midday. In its 20th anniversary year the combined event is returning to Papahua across the walkbridge after a couple of years off thanks to Covid. The famous recycled raft race will be held at 3pm and organisers say it’s not too late to get your entry in as they’ll be taking raft registrations on the day, you’ll just need to get your raft there by 11am though.
The day will include performances from local musicians, the kids from Raglan Area School will sing the Maui Dolphin Song. Professor Liz Slooten, Maui Dolphin Expert will be there along with a host of environmental organisations. Food will be put on by local groups including regular participants the local Kindy and Raglan Community Radio will be broadcasting live from the event throughout the day.
Waikato District Council has announced that Watercare will no longer be looking after the 3 Waters in our area after changes at government level have thrown the 3 waters space into turmoil. Despite problems with the wastewater in Raglan in the last quarter of 2023 Watercare has been widely considered to give a better level of service than we’d previously had. It will be another 2 years before they sign off and this will give council time to come up with a new plan and for central government to put together new legislation after they turned up at the Beehive with no plans other than a promise to get rid of Labour’s system.
In local sport, Billy Stairmand is having a tough time at the ISA World Surfing Games in Puerto Rico. He was in contention throughout most of his heat yesterday but Sebastian Williams of Mexico knocked him out with a late run of mid scoring 5s that leap frogged him into second place.
“Losing in the dying seconds is always a tough one to swallow”, said Billy, “but I feel good on my equipment and in myself. And I’m still in the repechage”
That repechage will be todays Men’s Repechage 4 heat 3 with Billy up against Great Britain’s Stanley Norman, Spanish surfer Kai Ordiozola and Sammuel Reidy of Costa Rica.
Meanwhile Kehu Butler was the best of the kiwis with a great Round 3 heat. He’s straight through to Round 5 where he’ll be against Carloz Munoz, Lucca Mesinas and Brazilian WSL super star Yago Dora.
The rest of the New Zealand surfers have already been knocked out leaving the team in 18th place on the leaderboard.