The Star: October 17, 2019

The Star Thursday October 17 2019
38
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‘Cratest’ Bathurst yet
• By Gordon Findlater
CANTERBURY United Pride
put their perfect start to the
National Women’s League on the
line when they host Northern
Lights in a repeat of last year’s
grand final on Saturday.
Starting the campaign with
four consecutive wins is good
enough it itself. However, even
coach Alana Gunn admits she
has been blown away by her side’s
defensive effort which has seen
goalkeeper Una Foyle forced to
make just four saves in as many
matches.
“I think that goes to show how
well our programme is working
throughout the winter season
to be really sound defensively. It
also means were able to focus on
other areas because we know our
defensive template so well,” said
Gunn.
Another impressive part of the
UNDEFEATED:
Britney-Lee
Nicholson (left)
celebrates
scoring the
Pride’s loan
goal against
Auckland at
the weekend
with Nicola
Diminikovich.
Defence will be key for Pride
Pride’s beginning to the season is
that they have achieved their victories
being without White Fern
Annalie Longo since their first
round win over Capital. Their
most impressive yet was a 1-0
win over fellow play-off hopefuls
Auckland on Sunday.
“The depth has never been
stronger. To go away to Auckland
at the weekend and get three
points without her was massive,”
said Gunn.
Undoubtedly their biggest
test of the campaign yet comes
at English Park this weekend
against the Lights, who will be
out to avenge 2-3 extra-time
defeat in last year’s final.
They will also come south with
a strong knowledge of where the
Pride’s strength’s lay – they are
coached by Shane Verma who
was previously an assistant at the
Pride with Gunn.
Kick-off is 1pm.
SUNDAY’S Bathurst 1000
surely goes down as one of the
greatest for New Zealand motor
racing fans after the all-Kiwi
one-two of Scott McLaughlin
and Shane van Gisbergen.
As a one-eyed Cantab it
also feels appropriate to point
out McLaughlin was born in
Christchurch – something that
flies under the radar far too often.
However, it saddens me to
report that for the first time
a Kiwi wasn’t the winner of
another big race on Sunday. For
the first time in its illustrious
nine-year history ‘The Crate
Race’ was won by an Australian
from Lismore.
The story goes that in 2010
four bogans from Ashburton
decided sitting through seven
hours of Bathurst would be
more enjoyable by consuming
a crate of beer each. Since then
a winner’s jacket and trophy
has been given to the first to
complete their crate. Each year
newcomers arrive to take on the
challenge (including myself),
but until recent times the new
blood is usually left in the dust.
I know you’re probably thinking
this sounds like a race for
idiots (it is) but, it has everything
which adds to the drama
of the traditional Bathurst . . .
Much like when Fabian
Coulthard was jumped on with
accusations of cheating, there
were scenes of chaos when the
‘Lismore Kid’ took a tactical
vomit with just two crates
bottles remaining and clearly
gaining an unfair advantage late
in this year’s race.
Tactics are essential leading
into and during the race. What
vessel will you go with? Do
you go light and less flavoursome
with Export Gold or
heavier with Lion Brown. Fuel
consumption is also key. While
One-eyed Cantab
Gordon Findlater
gordon.findlater@starmedia.kiwi
ENDURANCE ATHLETES: Scenes of jubilation moments
after the ‘Lismore Kid’ completed the crate race.
setting early race pace is preferable,
many crate races have seen
the favourites retire early with a
catastrophic fuel spill.
Much like the elite multimillion
dollar budget V8
Supercar teams, the rest of us
have the next 12 months to
develop and analyse the best
tactics going into next year’s
race where there is sure to be
even more drama in the cratest
race of them all.