Hawke’s Bay news in brief: Injuries and illness force CHB Olympic cyclist’s retirement

Long-term injuries and illness have forced Central Hawke’s Bay’s two-time Olympic cyclist Regan Gough to announce his retirement.

The 27 year old has been a longtime member of the endurance team winning a team pursuit World Championship gold medal in 2015 and silvers in 2017 and 2020. He was also a member of the pursuit team that finished fourth at both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.

Gough was the country’s most successful junior rider, with six medals at the Junior World Track Championships including rainbow jerseys in the madison and the points race.On the track, his unique mix of speed and endurance lead him to a key role as team starter.

Since the Tokyo games he has battled illness and injury including long Covid, influenza, tonsillitis, bronchitis, sinus infection and appendicitis.

Fully funded learn-to-swim lessons extended

Thousands of Hawke’s Bay schoolchildren will continue to enjoy fully funded Learn-to-Swim lessons for another year, with the Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust extending the Royston Health Trust Learn-to-Swim and Water Safety Programme.

Following the success of the initial pilot in 2023, the Trust said it has committed to funding two additional years of the initiative.

The programme, scheduled to run throughout 2024 and 2025, will provide over 700 students per term, ranging from year 3 to year 8, with eight fully funded Learn-to-Swim and water safety lessons each.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust to offer this vital programme,” Jacqui Gray, chair of Royston Health Trust, said.

“Ensuring that children have access to quality swim lessons and water safety education is paramount for us. It’s an investment in their health, well-being, and future.”

Primary and intermediate schools throughout Hawke’s Bay are invited to enrol in the programme, with sessions having already commenced in the first school term at the Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre in Hastings.

Interested schools can register by submitting a registration of interest to harshi@hbaquatic.co.nz.

Lotto Cyclone Gabrielle money meeting held

The fate of more than $10 million raised in a special Lotto draw and appeal run in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle is expected to be revealed soon.

The Department of Internal Affairs confirmed that the Trustees of the Cyclone Gabrielle Appeal Fund recently held a meeting to discuss funding allocation. They anticipated an announcement on funding shortly.

For more than a year $11.7m sat unspent with the Department of Internal Affairs.

Much of the money generated from the Lotto draw must be distributed in accordance with the Gambling Act, meaning it can only be used for “community purposes”.

This meant it could not be used to help individuals or businesses clean up or for infrastructure work.

The fund was set up to focus on projects that help to build resilience for the future and fix facilities where people come together, such as sports clubs, marae, or community halls.

Boat fire not deemed suspicious

A large fire that sank a boat at Napier’s Meeanee Quay on Friday has been deemed not suspicious by police.

Fire investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the blaze on the C Shadow vessel, and Napier City Council has confirmed that the Harbour Master is dealing with this matter on-site.

According to Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, while the vessel was underwater it released a considerable amount of pollutants, diesel, and hydraulic oil into the marine environment in addition to the thick, dense smoke that lingered in the air for hours after the incident.

“Whilst efforts were made to contain as much of the contaminants as possible, there was very little that could be done based on the situation,” a post on social media said.

Dive contractors were contacted, and the vessel was refloated at 7pm and towed over to the Napier Sailing Club, where it was lifted out at approximately 8pm.

Woman still in ICU after double fatal crash

A woman in her 70s remains in a serious condition following a crash that killed two others on Friday.

The woman was critically injured in a two-vehicle accident on State Highway 2, Poukawa, near Pekapeka wetlands on Friday afternoon and was transported to hospital Hawke’s Bay Hospital before being flown to Wellington Hospital.

A Te Whatu Ora- Capital and Coast spokesman said she was in a serious condition in ICU on Tuesday afternoon.

Three people remained at Hawke’s Bay Hospital in a stable condition following a crash on Thursday last week.

A Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand, Hawke’s Bay spokeswoman said a woman in her 80s, man in his 20s and man in his 50s were all stable after they had been seriously injured in a crash on Pakowhai Rd on Thursday.

A woman in her 20s had been discharged from Hawke’s Bay Hospital as of Tuesday after a crash on Brookfields Rd on Saturday night which left four people injured, one seriously.

A man in his 20s had been discharged from Hawke’s Bay Hospital as of Tuesday after a crash on Sunday afternoon at a rural property on Whakapirau Rd in Maraekakaho, left him seriously injured.

New defibrillators for hubs and holiday park

The gift of a new defibrillator at Waimārama Holiday Park and a rollout to establish community emergency hubs in rural Hawke’s Bay areas are some of the things Hato Hone St John is doing to help keep Hawke’s Bay safe.

The organisation said teams are working with Hastings District Council and the community to ensure community resilience for the hubs – including basic first aid skills – following Cyclone Gabrielle.

They are also helping with a significant rollout of automated external defibrillators (AED) across the region to ensure better survival outcomes.

“Our goal is to increase the distribution of AEDs across Hawke’s Bay as best practice and as a form of community resilience following the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle,” Hato Hone St John community engagement coordinator Harris Dowson said.

The new device Waimārama was donated by the Royston Health Trust and facilitated by the Hato Hone St John Hawke’s Bay Area Committee. It will be accessible 24 hours a day to the public.

Youth week for CAB

Hawke’s Bay rangatahi will be the focus of a special initiative this week from the Citizens Advice Bureau.

From March 11-17, Hawke’s Bay branches will form part of the 80 CABs around New Zealand that will be shining a light on its youth services.

CAB can give young people information about their legal rights and responsibilities, provide advice, and connect them with the specialist services they may need.

It can provide resources to help rangatahi with starting tertiary study, getting a job, going flatting, buying a car, getting ID, and more.

“We want to make sure rangatahi know we are a safe place for them to come to when they have a question or need some advice and they don’t know who to ask”, CABNZ’s youth engagement advisor Anika Green said.