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Gym champs on

Stadium 2000 will be packed with around 400 gymnasts, ages ranging from four to 24, when the Marlborough Gymnastic Championships are staged at the weekend. The champs, which will feature around 150 local competitors, begin at 6pm on Friday evening, run through Saturday from 8.30am until 9pm then on Sunday from 8.30am until wrapping up around 5pm. This will be the 40th year the champs have been staged, utilising exercises devised by Marlborough GC life member Tony Quirk. Competitions range from Little Gym Stars, through emerald and ruby divisions to competitive grades 1-9. Spectators are welcome.

On Friday morning the Marlborough Schools Gymnastics Championships will be held at the same venue.

Football weekend

Apart from games involving the top two teams, scores were relatively tight during the weekend round of the Marlborough senior men’s open competition.

On Saturday, Trojans AFC downed Renwick Lonewolves 7-0, with hat-tricks to both Andrew Walmsley and Francisco Zimmermann, while Rangers Reserves, the other unbeaten combination, romped past Trojans Spartans 16-0, Bakoaun Bakoaun scoring five times.

In other games, Central FC beat Rangers Colts 3-1, Rangers Masters downed clubmates Rangers City 4-2, Rangers Athletic got past Trojans Angels 3-1, Trojans Strikers and BV Masters drew 2-2 while Central Wolves beat Picton 2-1.

Points table after eight rounds: Trojans AFC 24, Rangers Reserves 24, Rangers Athletic 18, Rangers City 18, Central FC 15, Rangers Masters 15, Renwick 14, Central Wolves 11, Trojans Angels 8, Picton 6, Rangers Colts 4, Trojans Strikers 4, BV Masters 2, Trojans Spartans 0.

In the senior women’s competition, Rangers Wairau Valley beat Picton 3-0 and BV Chicks downed Trojans 11-2.