Skydiver's Race to Recovery
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Lions roared Selwyn & Ashburton P3 Fire lessons OOUTLOOKUTLOOK P10 Wednesday, June 14, 2017 Skydiver’s race to recovery ERIN TASKER Lee Barraclough hasn’t jumped out of a plane for four months now, and he admits it’s killing him. Skydiving is how he makes a living but it’s also his sport, and right now he should be training hard ahead of a trip to Europe to compete alongside the world’s best sport skydivers. But a shoulder operation on January 25 to fix an injury he picked up com- peting in Europe last year still has the Ashburton man grounded. Instead of adding to his 8000 jumps and fine tuning his tech- nique, the Skydiving Kiwis foun- der is hitting the gym hard and hoping his body will be ready for the challenges ahead. Lee Baraclough skydiver SUPPLIED Barraclough is set to travel to Poland next month where the ‘‘It's as high as World Games are being hosted from July 20-30. The event is only sports can go.’’ held every four years and will be Lee Barraclough televised live on the Olympic Channel worldwide. a freestyle competition where ‘‘It’s as high as sports can go competitors jump out of a helicop- without being in the Olympics. So ter and head for a lake where they it’s basically a chance for sports to perform tricks on the water showcase their sport and how it’s before landing on a raft. evolved.’’ ‘‘So we have to come down and The top 30 canopy pilots from come across the water, and in that the world championships last section across the water is where year qualified for the World we have to perform freestyle Games. Too much wind meant the tricks,’’ Barraclough said. championships didn’t get fin- His favourite trick is called ished, but they got enough compe- Ghost Rider, which involves let- tition in for the Kiwis to show ting go of all the controls. It’s they were among the best. tough, and difficult to practise Barraclough is one of three given there’s no lake at the Ash- Kiwis, along with Chris Stewart burton Airport, just grass, which and Rhys Kempen, competing on isn’t as forgiving as water. the world stage, and he’s the only It’s grass he can only look at one based in New Zealand year for now too, as his shoulder con- round. tinues to heal, and Barraclough ‘‘The three of us have been puts in the hard yards on the competing now for the past four ground. years, and because we just keep He’s committed. He sticks to a going we are getting better and special diet, and no longer drinks, better,’’ Barraclough said. and as a result he’s lost 11kg. His After Poland, Barraclough whole lifestyle has changed, and heads to the Czech Republic for he’s transforming into what he the European Canopy Piloting calls ‘‘full-on athlete mode’’. Championships, and then to ‘‘It’s given me more structure Copenhagen, Denmark, in August in my training, rather than Lee Barraclough is a sport skydiver preparing to head to Europe to take on the world’s best. ERIN TASKER/FAIRFAX NZ for the Swoop Freestyle, which is winging it on natural talent.’’ There’s plenty of food, fashion and fun on offer at Look who moved into Faringdon’s very own South Point retail precinct. our new retail precinct. Stage 19 now available. Sections 401 to 831m2 from $15,000. Call Bruce Harvey 0800 667 849 or visit www.faringdon.co.nz You’re home. Visit Rolleston’s fastest selling development, Dynes Road, Rolleston. Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm to 4pm. FRD30195-AO-SOLUS 2 SELWYN & ASHBURTON OUTLOOK, JUNE 14, 2017 stuff.co.nz YOUR PAPER, YOUR PLACE This newspaper is subject to NZ Press Council procedures. FROM A complaint must first be directed in writing, THE OUR TOP READS within one month of publication, to the editor’s email address. NEWS If not satisfied with the response, the DESK complaint may be referred to the 1. WHEN THE LIONS CAME TO Press Council. PO Box 10-879, TOWN The Terrace, Wellington 6143. Remembering the game of 1983, Or use the online complaint form at Although Queen’s Birthday and lamenting what could have www.presscouncil.org.nz Please Weekend is now a fading memory been include copies of the article and all of early winter getaways, days off ❚ P3 1 correspondence with the publication. work or extra pay, something sticks with me. 2. BARNES STORMING IN During a conversation with Selwyn Sounds announces a top CONTENTS friends, the topic of New Zealand lineup for this year’s event 5 Out and About English came up. ❚ P4 8 What’s On It’s always an interesting 9 Community Cookbook subject for me – I even studied 3. SNOW BUSINESS 11-17 Property Outlook linguistics briefly – but as per Mt Hutt opens and the crowds flock 18-19 Autozone usual, the classic line came out. to do list to the snow 20 Motoring ‘‘We just speak lazy English.’’ ❚ P5 2 3 21 Your Health Oh yeah, nah. We do not. We 21 Puzzles speak our own particular form of 4. SYDNEY FOR SCIENCE 24 Sport the language. We discuss kiwi Lincoln High school student lands specific things, use kupu Ma¯ori science school scholarship and use our own vowel sounds ❚ P10 (loudly and proudly). The whole concept that an 5. UC CHAMPIONSHIP RUGBY Oxford English accent is the Coverage of the Mid Canterbury ‘‘true’’ way to speak English Combined against Roncalli game smacks of colonial subservience. ❚ P24 4 5 That our masters in the Empire, by their very speech, are superior. And what is there not to love about how we talk? It defines us, Contact us EDITOR: Shannon Beynon, [email protected], @ShannonBFFX. we open our mouths and instantly REPORTER: Helena O’Neill, 027 285 2766, [email protected] people know where we’re from, REPORTER: Erin Tasker, 027 201 5866, [email protected] even more so if you speak te reo SPORT: Jonathan Leask 027 403 0007, [email protected] Ma¯ori. DISPLAY ADVERTISING: 03 364 8285 [email protected] – Matthew CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: 03 377 8778 [email protected] MISSED DELIVERIES: fixmydelivery.co.nz HIGH QUALITY FENCES, GATES AND BALUSTRADES Spaces still THAT WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME available on our Spring tours RREGISTEREGISTER Y YOUROUR I INTERESTNTEREST T TODAY!!ODAY!! 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He also knows starting line-up that day was that had it been awarded, and one fierce. Through the early 1980s, of the Lions’ questionable tries Mid Canterbury had a stable not been awarded, the 26-6 team. They had the same coach scoreline in favour of the Lions for years, and it was back in the would have been much different. days before substitutes, so bench As it was, a 26-6 loss to a rugby players only got a run if there was team full of internationals, by a an injury. team half made up of farmers ‘‘We had a really strong team from rural Canterbury wasn’t too and your position always felt like shabby. it was up for grabs,’’ Ross said. Memories of the day Mid Can- ‘‘I remember just before the terbury took on the Lions at the Lions game, all confidence went Ashburton Showgrounds are still out the door because everyone fresh in the mind of Cunneen and was doing their best to make the his fellow Mid Cantabrians who team, and to be named in that took to the field that day.