The Olympics: Sport & Nature Connection

The Paris 2024 Olympics running from the 26th July through to the 11th August and the Paralympics running from 28th August through to the 8th September, so we thought we would share some of our sport and nature connection stories.

These stories have been collected from our community and feature passionate sportspeople from a variety of sports that are featured in the Paris 2024 Olympic games. These sportspeople are connecting to nature through exercise and play, through adventure, learning, and training new skills.

You can listen to the full podcast episode HERE:

Story transcripts below:

Check out our written stories below:

Amora ofa'ai (Tahitian rock lifting):

Fun fact: “The modern-day practice of weightlifting began with the lifting of stones in the ancient cultures of Greece, Egypt, Palestine, and Asia.”

*Hana starts with her pepeha.*

Kia ora my name is Hana, and my sport is Amora ofa’ai or traditional Tahitian rock lifting where you're trying to pick up a stone or rock, a kōhatu from the ground and get it up to your shoulder as fast as you can, as controlled as you can. There are time keepers who record when the rock is lifted from the ground, and then when you've shown that you've completed the lift, which is an arm coming out to the side and you're stable and steady. For wahine/women, there's only one kōhatu, a 60kg rock, and they've recently introduced a masters category. For tāne/men, they have different divisions and different rock weights, according to age and weight of the competitors.

I was first introduced to Amora ofa’ai back in 2015, where I used to work at Te Papa Takaro o Te Arawa. One of our big things was about understanding what it meant to be healthy and well as Te Arawa. This required a lot of research, a lot of experimenting and exploring what our ancestors did once upon a time, at different places, and then unpacking why they did the different activities and the benefits that they obtained as a result.

This led to an invitation to take part in Tū’aro Mā’ohi Tahitian Ancestral Games event in 2015, alongside our whanaunga from Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. So we were put up in an athlete's village type set up with whanaunga from Hawaii, Rarotonga, Rapa Nui, and there were some from Samoa in addition to the Tahitians from the various villages and islands as well. And so over four days, we participated in Tū’aro Mā’ohi Tahitian Ancestral Games, which consists of about 6 or 7 sports based on activities that Tahitian ancestors used to do once upon a time and have been adapted to a modern-day context and, fit for competition.

The origins of Amora ofa’ai can be traced back to one of the islands, Rūrutu, where prospective suitors wanting to progress to the next stage of courting the chieftainess would have to lift their kōhatu from the ground to the shoulders, drop it and just lift it repetitively... I think for a whole day or something from sunrise to sunset, something like that. Another activity was they had to sail a waka from those islands here to Aotearoa. One of the origin stories for Maori arriving to this land is that Māori are the descendants of the Aitoa, which is their word for warrior... or once upon a time it was Aotea. Ngā Aotea i haere roa atu. Roa means far away. Aotea: warrior, Roa: far away. The warriors who went far away and did not return. So you can get all of that substance, and context, and an insight into worldview, relationships, whakapapa through the simple activity of lifting a rock from the ground to your shoulder.

It kind of ruined weightlifting for me... in the best way, because learning about this whakapapa, and the heritage and the origins of the sport and how it relates to us as tangata whenua here. in Aotearoa now, it just changed my relationship with weightlifting.

I used to be mad into CrossFit and lifting big weights and the movement Amora ofa’ai is very similar to a ‘clean’, lifting a weight from the ground up to a shoulder, but it's just a totally different back story and all the other stuff around it that is imbued into that movement. ... it's not to discredit cleans or weightlifting either. It's like an and to and, that serves a purpose, and Amora ofa’ai has these other elements to it that it can offer as well.

The only environments where I've lifted kōhatu to prepare for Amora ofa’ai have all been outside, either in Tahiti by the beach or river where the kōhatu were retrieved from, or where those kōhatu sit now, which is at a marae here in Rotorua.

With regards to external environment affecting practice or performance, I haven't found that to be the case. Although the kōhatu are really effective at exposing what's going on with your internal environment, with your psychological, emotional, and spiritual, state of being. They're very strict teachers that will reveal a lot of things to the lifters. I've had many lessons throughout the years that I'm so grateful for. Probably not at the time, but... (laughs).

Printable transcript HERE.

Archery:

Fun fact: “Historically, archery has been used for hunting and warfare; the earliest evidence of its use comes from South African sites such as Sibudu Cave, where arrowheads dating from approximately 64,000 years ago have been found.”

My name is Jaeda Jaeda Ala’alatoa-Dale and my sport is archery.

I signed up for Archery in 2019. I was in year seven, and I happened to watch The Hunger Games the night before signing up for sport, I haven't stopped shooting since.

My biggest highlight in terms of achievements has been representing my country at the Oceania Cup, where I medaled and my match was live streamed, so my whānau at home could watch. Another one of my highlights was seeing my sister start shooting and also falling in love with the same sport that I am so passionate about.

Archery is pretty special as anyone can get started with it, and there are no limitations to what you can alter so that everyone can have a go. It's super inclusive. Archery depends on our healthy natural spaces as we couldn't shoot field competitions without our beautiful outdoors.

These field competitions are typically set in the bush and archers walk to each target, guess distances and compete against each other. Archery relies on a natural environment, but it also gives back as many use bow hunting as a form of pest eradication, such as deer hunting and pig hunting.

Climate change is affecting my sport as we see more extreme weather in our summer and winter seasons. The extreme temperatures and weather events mean that competitions are postponed or cancelled.

My biggest piece of advice to anyone starting archery or thinking about it, is to definitely approach any part of your shooting and training with joy, and making sure that you keep that passion throughout your journey.

Printable transcript HERE.

Athletics (Trail Ultramarathon Running):

Fun fact: “Athletics is one of the oldest sports on record, with the names of champions documented from as far back as 776 BC. The ancient Olympic Games included events like the pentathlon, which consisted of a running race, long jump, discus throw, javelin throw, and wrestling.”

Kia ora, Ko Jess Lamb toku ingoa. I currently live in Ōtautahi/Christchurch, but I come from Rotorua. I'm a trail ultramarathon runner!

What is Ultrarunning? It is running for a distance longer than a marathon at one time, so longer than 42km.

I got passionate about trail running through living close to the Whakarewarewa forest in Rotorua and whilst doing my mahi with Forest & Bird I came to love the ngahere/forest.

I found out about ultrarunning when I hiked the Kepler trail. As there’s an annual running event there that's so popular it sells out in under three minutes. So are super fascinated that this trail that I was walking over three days could be run in a single day. From that moment in 2022, I knew I wanted to go back and run it. So flash forward to February 2024. I ran my first ultra marathon at the Tarawera Ultramarathon, with the distance being 53km. Since then I have run the Paparoa trail, also 53km, and I'm about to run the Old Ghost Road Trail 81km in August, and the Kepler trail in December.

Trail Ultrarunning has become super popular since Covid, when the only sport people could really do was walk or run in their neighbourhoods, especially in Aotearoa where there are so many epic trails to run, like the Kepler. So the ultrarunning world is at a high at the moment, but I think it's a really good thing because trail running means you're training out in the city or in the mountains a minimum five hours a week. So that connection to our taiao/nature and the beauty that surrounds us, I think makes people become conscious of the impact that they're having, especially around litter and predator trapping.

Despite it being a trail sport I have to do most of my training on the streets because Ōtautahi/Christchurch is a concrete jungle, but it's when I get out in the Port Hills or go explore pieces of bush in the area is where I really receive the benefits, not only because it's actually steep, which is good for strength training, but because having greenery and manu/birds around me makes me feel happy and so my performance improves.

Running on the streets inhibits my performance, not only because I'm more likely to get shin splints, but also because I have those days where I have no motivation to run outside by noisy cars. So going to the hills is really vital for training. Where I run in the forest, it is super obvious that the community trapping there is making a huge difference because there is way more bird life.

Running is hard, so when you start it probably won't be fun. And I know that sounds like why would you try then? But after a few months, you break that barrier, you get stronger and that's when you start developing the running passion. And once you have it, you can't stop. Don't progress too fast, only increase your mileage about 10% max each week, otherwise, you'll get injured.

Honestly, trail ultrarunning is such a fun sport and the running whānau is incredible as a large majority of them are environmentalists or climate activists.

Printable transcript HERE.

Canoe Slalom:

Fun fact: “For centuries, canoes were used as a means of transport (as well as a useful tool for hunting and fishing) in North America, Siberia, and Greenland.”

My name is Hannah Thomas. I am a canoe slalom athlete representing New Zealand.

Canoe slalom is basically a stretch of whitewater, and you have to get down to the bottom as quickly as you can. It's a race against the clock whilst navigating through the upstream and downstream gates.

I started paddling when I was 14 years old. I began paddling in the UK, representing Great Britain. I then moved to New Zealand and started representing New Zealand. This was around when I was 16 years old. I've been on the New Zealand team ever since.

A big highlight for me would be this year coming sixth in the Under 23 World Championships in Slovakia. I did that in kayak cross and yeah, it was a huge achievement for me. I kept composed and I was really happy with my performance.

I'm really passionate about inspiring the younger generation in canoe slalom and basically getting people to have a go and get in a canoe slalom boat. It's great to see people having fun out there and just enjoying it.

My sport connects with nature in terms of some of the rivers we compete in and paddle on natural. It's really beautiful and we do get the opportunity to paddle in a natural river and basically just embracing it. And yeah, just being in the moment.

The environment that I train in does that much for men sometimes. For example, when it's pretty windy, it can be quite hard to navigate through the gates. But at the end of the day, we just adapt to the environment and just remember that everyone's in the same position and basically just getting the most out of each session.

Something I would share with beginners would be to have a go. Enjoy the process. Embrace the journey. I think it's quite easy to get caught up on little mistakes, but I think being out there giving it your best shot is just so important. So just enjoying it.

Printable transcript HERE.

Mountain Biking:

Fun fact: “It has been claimed that the bicycle was invented in response to food shortages due to the “Year without a Summer”, an 1816 weather event caused by the volcanic explosion of Mt. Tambora the year earlier, which darkened skies and lowered temperatures in many parts of the world. The agricultural crisis caused horses as well as people to starve, which led to some horses being eaten as food, which made the remaining ones more expensive to feed. This could have motivated the search for alternatives.”

“Mountain bike is a relatively new sport that emerged in the 1970s, when cyclists in California decided to take their bikes off-road and explore new trails.”

Kia ora, I'm Ella and I am a mountain biker.

I got into mountain biking through family. I started when I was quite young, maybe about ten years old or so. Just doing some laps around Wood Hill, which is a forest in North-West Auckland. Then it became part of a sport that I did in high school and adventure racing.

More recently, it's become a sport that has been my main passion for the past kind of 4 or 5 years. I've been really into mountain biking. It's become a large part of my identity and a large way that I make friends as well.

I'm really passionate about connecting to people. It's a really amazing community to be a part of and then connecting to the forest.

I've been in so many different places from different forests that have been logged and are like forestry areas to historical forests to native forests, to forests that are re-growing. It's been a really amazing way to do that and to be able to explore the environment in that way. I'm really grateful for that.

The environment that I do mountain biking in affects my performance a lot, depending on the temperature.

In the winter, I'm often going for shorter rides because it's much harder to get myself motivated and then to stay out enjoying it when you're getting freezing hands out and about. Then in the summer, you just sweating buckets going up a hill. So you just have to make sure that you are taking notice of yourself and the environment that you're in, that you're keeping track of yourself as you go around so that you can stay safe while you're out and about mountain biking.

I have noticed a lot of changes in mountain biking and environmental factors. In Auckland that has been what the trails look like throughout the year, which can be seasonality, but then has felt like it's got more extreme in some cases. It’s getting more and more dry and the trails that you're riding on really change shape and texture underneath your wheels.

Now that I'm living in Canada and riding here, it's really interesting and kind of scary to be learning about forest fires and how they can be affecting the sport that I really enjoy doing. So we have to be mindful of when in the day we ride and making sure that when we are riding that we don't have a chance of setting a spark alight in the forest because the forest is getting so dry at this time of year when there has not been very much rain at all and that seems to be something that people are talking about having changed over the recent years as we continue to feel the effects of climate change.

Community is really important. There are often lots of local groups that are connected to different forest areas that you might be in.

There are so many different exciting parts and exciting features that you want to do when you're mountain biking, but it can be really nice to go for a ride that doesn't challenge you sometimes, and I enjoy doing those too. Where you're just going down like a four-wheel drive track, or you're more focused on just going for like a half an hour ride so that you can go and have a swim and then come back home or have something to eat and then come back home. So just enjoying the slower moments of the sport as well as the like, fast techy bits where you're really pushing yourself are really important aspects of the sport.

Printable transcript HERE.

Equestrian:

Fun fact: “Equestrian events originated in Ancient Greece, where it was thought that a perfect partnership was needed if rider and horse were to survive in battle.”

My name is Lisa and the main sport that I partake in is equestrian.

I was five years old when I started equestrian, but even before then, I was surrounded by horses. What motivated me to get into it is the fact that I was able to be around them because my cousins had them and they competed internationally around Europe and ended up competing in the Junior Olympics. So I was just lucky enough to be surrounded by them and then be able to have lessons and start it. But I was five years old when I probably started.

I am most passionate about the connection and relationship, and the welfare and all of that that you have with your horse.

Horses are extremely special... and I know that I'm biased when I say that because I'm a horse rider... but they're really ultra-intelligent, and there's a lot of talk in the horse riding community that horses are a mirror of your soul, and that's very much true. You need to have a really good level of self-awareness to work effectively and progressively with your horse. They are masters at checking you when you're being a bit unreasonable or being there for you when you're emotionally upset. You know, like a puppy would come up to you and be like, oh what's up? ...Horses do the same. Not only do they help a person emotionally, but they also let a person ride them and take you places. That working relationship of okay, I trust you, you trust me, I'll take care of you. If you take care of me. That mutual benefit of “this is fun”. That is what I'm most passionate about... just how incredible these animals are and how much of a privilege it is to be able to spend time with them and have them allow you to ride them.

Horses also allow you to explore. Explore places that you wouldn't otherwise. You know, like getting to the top of a big hill, which for some we'll do that anyway. But other people don't have the fitness or don't have the ability, and horses can take you up there. They can become your legs. That happens at Riding for the Disabled all the time.

Horses give this real sense of freedom to explore and even if you're just walking through a forest or if you're having a hoon down the beach, you know you're still connecting with nature thanks to the animal being able to take you there. Also, just the fact that you're connecting with this horse and there's that relationship going on inherently connected in nature.

Competition riding puts a lot of pressure on, and it takes a lot of fun out of the sport. And I think that's where people kind of get lost as they focus on competing and forget about the whole relationship, go have fun with your horse element. If you're just exploring the beach or the forest or the mountains, then it is so much fun. It's just you and your horse. Your horse trusts you, your horse is taking you places you wouldn't think you'd even be able to go. It's just incredible.

I can't describe the feeling and with competition that can be the same. Similar to riding into battle almost because your horse is a bit stressed out because in that environment they can feel the adrenaline of everyone around them and you have adrenaline pumping through you. You're both kind of like amped up, and then you're going towards this challenge that you're not always 100% sure you're going to do. So it’s a real element of trust between you and the horse when you're competing. But that can ruin it... the pressure of trying to get a ribbon can really ruin it for some people. I've seen it happen a lot and it happened to me... the pressure just got to me and I didn't end up enjoying it anymore. So I don't compete anymore. I am going to get back into it now, but I stopped competing for a while.

Most horses get really affected by grass and some horses to the point where they can't actually be on grass anymore, but particularly sugary grass. And that happens when there's a big dump of rain and then there's a lot of sun or it gets a bit warmer, kind of what's happening at the moment.

I think with anything humans need to work in the like cycles of nature. That's what we've always done in terms of managing horses. You know that spring is coming up, and this horse can’t handle grass, so I'll start preparing for that kind of thing. But now that kind of cycle is out of whack and it's really unpredictable. It's winter, so my horses should not be getting grass affected, and they are getting grass affected because it's just been unusually warm, but it's still raining. So the grass is doing really well, which is good for the grass but not good for my horses.

You're working with an animal, you know, an animal that has its own thoughts, it's extremely intelligent, and this animal is letting you ride it and letting you tell it what to do. Appreciate that animal and really, you know, enjoy the relationship. Even if you're competing, go explore and forget about needing to get the perfect circle. Just go and have fun with your horse. It's good for your mental health. It's good for your horse’s mental health.

If you are competing, try not to get caught up in winning a ribbon. It's not about you winning a ribbon. It's the fact that you and your horse have gone and taken a challenge on together. Either way, you've succeeded because you've done it. You know the ribbon is the extra bonus. That is not the goal. I don't think the ribbon should ever be the goal.

Printable transcript HERE.

Rowing:

Fun fact: “Rowing originally served as a means of transport in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome.”

My name is Brenda Lawson and I partook in the sport of rowing from 1983 to 1996. Almost 30 years ago now since I’ve finished, and so quite a long time ago. I rode in eights, fours, quad, doubles and singles. Specialty was in the single and double. In the double, best results were with Phillipa Baker, and we participated from the Olympics in 92, in Barcelona through to Atlanta in 1996.

So I guess the highlights are, at that stage I had won the most New Zealand titles, only just surpassed by Caroline Evers-Swindell later on. I really loved racing on a single, so I won the New Zealand single title seven times and also became under 23 world champion in 1989. I won a World Cup single title in 1994. Phillipa and I got together on the double for the 1992 Olympics, where we got fourth in our first race together, and then we went on to win the World Championships in 1993 and 1994, with a bronze and 1995 leading into the Olympics.

The Olympics 96 didn't go that well for us, but we still qualified for the final... but were sixth there. I actually grew up on water. So our family had a bach in the Marlborough Sounds. We weren’t wealthy, Dad worked really hard to build us a bach and he built a boat. We were always out. Snorkeling, fishing, setting nets, dredging. Which is a terrible thing to admit to these days, but that's what we did back then. I'd never do it again. Swimming, kayaking and doing whatever. So I spent a lot of time on water, so I just felt really at home on the water. Then a rowing coach came to our school. It was actually a friend that said, come on, let's go rowing. And I was like, “oh, okay, we'll go along,” and instantly loved it.

Part of the feeling of rowing is that the oars are long and so through less physical input you can go a lot faster, than, for example, you do in kayaking where the blade’s alongside you. It was a really neat feeling. When you get a rowing boat going along, it feels like you're flying.

I was also very competitive when I was young, and I think that was the result of being shy. Working hard and competing was something I could do, and I could just do it by myself and just go hard. I know at the age of ten I won the cross-country out of 50 schools in our region. So yeah, I was actually, you know, that was my thing whether, I kind of realised it or not at the time. Looking back, anything I did, I had to be really, really competitive in. Relating to that competitiveness, I strive to be faster and better, and then you learn to, you know, how to do a training program, and get faster and better.

I don't think the thought that I would be going to an Olympic Games or a Commonwealth Games or World Champs, really kicked in early. That sort of developed over the years as I rowed. So yeah, it wasn't like I thought, gee, I want to go to the Olympics. I'm going to start training for it. It just sort of progressed as we set goals to win, you know, to go to the school champs and then Club Champs, and then you go up the grades and that.

You do get to row with a lot of people, and teamwork is a really amazing part of that. You have coaches that are out there looking after you, teaching you things. You're learning so much about being on water, how to propel a boat. Yeah, working together, and that was a journey as well, because there were different personalities in boats... you didn't always get along well with everyone, but you still rode in a boat with them and did the best that you could and looked after each other.

Then there's also the single aspect where you can be on your own, doing your own thing... I just used to love being out on water on my own, learning how to row in currents and all the different places that we went to.

I think that's one aspect that I really, really appreciate now in these later years. I'm now still training a lot on water. I'm just about to go to the Waka Ama Sprint Worlds in Hawaii. And training out here in Bowentown, you go out and you're seeing fish and whaitere... and the other day we saw dolphins and just simple little things like crabs and shellfish and starfish and things that I'm seeing out there in nature. So yeah, that's a part that I really, really appreciate. I love going to different places around the country, and the beautiful water. Also in terms of waka, I can go out on much rougher water because rowing is a very flat water sport.

At one stage I considered rowing across the Atlantic with a mate of mine, Rob Hamill, but for me, that was way scary at the time and I didn't do that. But I kind of wonder if that would have been an incredible thing to do. Follow those journeys, use the currents and tackle those rough seas. That’s passed now though.

At various times at Karapiro, they have algae/weeds such as hornwart. So they would come down the rowing course and snag onto the lane lines, and we would have to wait until that was cleared. Even traversing some lakes and avoiding weed patches was quite interesting. Coaching at Taupō there was the algal bloom, which actually also stopped the Taupō Half Ironman, and that was due to a invasive algae which blooms when it has the right conditions. It was a very still period and the algae was able to bloom excessively, whether it's due to the lake warming up, I don't know.

Pollution in New Zealand hasn't been a factor, but I do know of lakes overseas where there were pollution factors. I think at the Rio Olympics the lake used there was not very nice. Then I have my own experience of just gradually progressing in my sport without really, you know, thinking about it.

I think the difference is now that the, you know, TV and sport coverage and computers, we're so much more aware of, these big competitions and what's happening around the world. So it's very easy to just, you know, as a young person, think, right... I want to be really good in that sport and go to the Olympics. But there's a huge journey in getting from beginning to actually getting to the final result. It's that journey that is the really important thing. You know, you may progress in steps, you know, like not logical, but you know, progress well towards that goal. But there's always going to be things that set you back along the way. Not winning races or not meeting performance goals, and you just have to keep keep trying and keep setting goals and keep looking at, you know, your strengths and your weaknesses.

The time that I spent coaching rowing actually made me realise how much people are getting from sport, even stuff that they don't think they're getting, like learning how to control boats, read currents, read the weather, be safe, teamwork, just picking up and handling equipment, looking after it. Sport is just such a wonderful thing. And so yeah, you may not realise all the benefits you’re getting until later, and hindsight's a great thing.

Also now at the age of 56, looking back and thinking how sport and activity is so good for your health and so many people are doing not enough activity in their life. You know, we lead a very sedentary, easy life nowadays if we want to. So I think it's really, really important for our physical and mental well-being that, you know, you can partake in sport and activity.

Coachability is another thing that I always used to focus on. Being able to listen to what your coaches are saying and digest that information and actually understand it, and then act on it. Rather than just listening and just doing what you're told, actually realising why you're being told to do something. Sometimes you’ll get one coach says one thing, and one says another. So it's really important to be able to work through and decide what you believe in as well, and be prepared to be wrong. You know, some things you might try, might not work. So you've just got to then keep going and going and change what you're doing and adjust, and learn all the time.

Printable transcript HERE.

Sailing:

Fun fact: “Throughout history sailing has helped civilizations to develop as people sailed across oceans to settle in new areas or trade with others. The earliest record of a ship under sail appears on an Egyptian vase from about 3500 BC.”

Hello, my name is Jono and I sail a fin.

The fin is a single-handed ex-Olympic dinghy class. It's been around since 1949, and it first featured in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.

I started sailing at a young age. I was probably around three when I was first taken out on a boat, and I went for my first solo sail at around the age of eight.

When my parents moved to New Zealand, one of the very first things they bought was a boat...not a house, not furniture. I think they had a car... because how else would you launch the boat? But, that gives a little bit of context to how I was raised, within the world of sailing.

I started sailing competitively from about 12 years old and have since sailed all over the country as well as overseas in multiple different types of boats. And I've won a few championship titles to boot.

One of my favourite things about sailing is that for the most part, you're surrounded by like-minded people who are trying to make sure that we all have a great time.

To carry on from this, sailors tend to care especially for the environment.

Apart from a few exceptions, sailing takes place on natural waterbodies such as oceans, harbours, lakes, and even rivers. These waterways are often very picturesque, which helps add to Sailing's image of being this wonderful glamour sport.

One of the most magical moments I've ever had while sailing was hanging out over the rail of a skiff and having dolphins crest out of the water just centimetres away from me. This has happened a few times, and I can say the appeal never really wears off.

It's experiences like this that really make me appreciate the oceans, and how important it is that we look after them. Unfortunately, over the years I've seen deterioration in the world's water bodies. I've seen harbours full of rubbish and deemed un-swimmable due to algal blooms as well as regattas moved due to excessive pollution levels in the water.

Fortunately, within the world of sailing, it doesn't take very long to find the presence of ocean conservation efforts like LIVE Ocean... and let's not forget about the environmentalist efforts from BLAKE New Zealand, which of course was founded by one of New Zealand's many famous sailors. As I see it, sailing and environmentalism go hand in hand. We're so reliant on the health of the oceans, not only for the sport, but also the oceans give life to the world. It is super complex, an amazing ecosystem, and it's just so important that we look after them.

My tips for anyone who is wanting to take up sailing is make sure you wear sunscreen. Other than that, have fun!

Printable transcript HERE.

Target shooting:

Fun fact: “Shooting at a mark as a test of skill began with archery, long before the advent of firearms (c. 1300). Firearms were first used in warfare and later in sport shooting (hunting).”

Kia ora! I’m Sian Crowley, and one of my sports is target shooting!

I started target shooting competitively during high school. Both of my parents took part in target shooting at a similar age, and my dad had been involved with the local deerstalkers and target shooting club.

I really love the focused practice of target shooting. It requires the steadying of breath, the focus of the mind, micro-adjustments of positioning and understanding of the rifle and weather conditions.

My favourite competition is the Prize Shoot held annually in Taupō. This competition is a four-position (prone, sitting, kneeling and standing) target shooting competition at 100m. I like the challenge as positions become progressively harder (standing is definitely the hardest with little-to-no support).

Sian at a target shooting competition in Kneeling position

Wind really plays into the conditions, and you have to adjust to this in the moment, making sure not to rush, but to also complete your shots within the timeframe required. It’s a balance… often for standing I’m just stoked to get any shots on the target. My favourite position is ‘sitting’, which I can also use as my ‘prone’ position as it is classified as more difficult.

Shooting connects many people to the environment through the sport of hunting, which I have only done a couple of times for pest control of rabbits. When target shooting and field shooting nature, especially weather plays a massive role in where to aim, when to take the shot and maintaining control over your mind, body and rifle whilst in a constant state of flux. I have found that weather, especially strong winds have increased in frequency over time, which has a larger impact on target shooting.

My message to those interested in taking up target shooting is to find a local club and give it a go! Gun safety is a hugely important part of target shooting, so you’re not only learning skills of mind, body and rifle connection, but also etiquette and culture too. Also, for any women out there who feel like a minority in the sport, don’t give up! The more women showing up in these spaces, the better as it will encourage more women to join too!

Printable transcript HERE.

Sport Climbing:

Fun fact: “Climbing likely began in Africa millions of years ago, when a hominid, a primate ancestor of homo sapiens, put their hands on the hard, vertical surface of the earth and moved upwards, using skills and physical adaptations that evolved over eons of tree-climbing. Much later, the first surviving works of art proved our close relationship to the rocks: a hand on the rock outlined with a spray of pigment. Our African ancestors, it turns out, were superb climbers who used their rock skills for hunting, safety, and ceremonial purposes.”

Hi, I'm Angus. I take part in rock climbing and I particularly love bouldering, which is an element of rock climbing where you climb boulders without any ropes or harnesses and just have some crash mats on the ground.

I've been a climber my entire life. Ever since I was a little kid, I absolutely loved climbing on trees, signposts, and rocks at the beach. ..I'd even climb onto the roof of those playground structure things instead of just up the ladder, much to my parents' fear, but they really came to see how much that I loved it and enjoyed it. When I was 14, my dad took me to a rock climbing gym for some lessons, and I've absolutely loved it ever since then.

Some highlights from my climbing journey. The two main ones would be some of the places that I've gotten to experience, and the people that I've met along the way. I've made many lifetime friends through rock climbing, and it's even how I met my wonderful wife, Sian. I also really love just getting outside and the trek to a climbing location.

Some parts of the sport that I'm really passionate about. The first one is the kind of mind movement, body strength, connection that you feel when you're on the wall. When a climb goes really, really well you almost feel like you flow up the wall and you don't notice how hard you're trying. I really, really love that, particularly when it's outside on an outdoor boulder. It feels like all of the conditions have come together for you to be able to climb onto that thing, and it's just such a joy. Sitting on top of a boulder. Breathing in the fresh air and taking in the view. Once you finish the really hard climb one that you found super challenging.

In that vein, I think climbing is a sport that's hugely connected to nature. It started out outside and continues to have a really strong outdoor aspect to it even though there are a lot more indoor climbing gyms these days.

Something I really love about being outside is how when you climb outside, everything just kind of slows down for a while. You spend the whole day out there, you enjoy the walk in the anticipation of the climbing. You're tuned into the conditions, the weather, the humidity. Just taking in the views. Everything else kind of comes together. It's not just about the rocks. So the environment really does affect your climbing as a sport and how you perform. As climbers, we like it to be cold. It improves the grip on the rocks. Although you can climb anywhere. I'm originally from Queensland and it is very hot and humid there, although we still like it cold. It also needs to be quite dry for rock climbing. We appreciate that the water has shaped the rocks that we climb on, but it needs to be dry to keep your grip on it.

I've been climbing for nearly 18 years now, and I've seen a lot of changes in the sport, particularly due to what I would say is a human-environmental factor. So with the climate changing, it will still take a very long time to change the rocks that we climb on. Although, we might get less good days, we could get hotter temperatures or more storms that mean that we get less time outside. But something I've really noticed is, as the sport has become more popular, there's been a lot more people taking part in it, and that can have an impact on the local environment and crags where we go climbing.

Having settled in Christchurch now, something I really like is that the community is pretty switched in to caring for the rocks and the environment. We do our best to remove any traces of, chalk or human impact on the rocks. We try not to leave any litter. We don't camp at the rocks or leave any mess there. And I think compared to a lot of places that I've been outdoor climbing, it's really working to keep the boulders in a pristine condition for climbing as much as is possible. That's something I really love about climbing in Christchurch and in New Zealand.

Some key pieces of wisdom or tips for beginners in the sport. The first one, I'd say, is, focus on having fun and doing climbs that you like, and the rest will come really naturally. Take a playful sense to it.

Remember, everybody is trying just as hard as you. So if you think *I had a hard time getting up this climb with all these big ladder handholds on it, and there's somebody else who makes another climb with more difficult holds look so easy*... just remember, you're both trying as hard as you can. With time and practice, you will get better at it. It's definitely a skill sport.

Just getting stronger is not the only answer. You can go a long way just by getting good and focusing on your technique.

That's part of what makes it so beautiful, is when you feel like your body is moving and positioning really well to use that strength that you have.

It's a wonderful sport, so I highly recommend everybody tries it out.

Printable transcript HERE.

Surfing:

Fun fact: “The first surfing references were found in Polynesia. Cave paintings from the 12th Century show people riding on waves. In the course of seafaring, Polynesians brought surfing to Hawaii and the sport went viral. Surfing in Hawaii wasn't only a sport but also an important part of the religion. The tree choice was vital and religious rituals were practiced during the surfboard shaping. The ceremonies served as protection and to secure the gods' goodwill.”

Ko Māpua Whakatū (Nelson) ahau, engari kei Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) taku kainga.

Kia ora koutou, my name is Alice. I grew up in a place called Māpua in Whakatū/Nelson at the top of the South Island, and now I’m based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington. The activity that I really like to take part in is surfing.

I always grew up really wanting to get into surfing. I loved the idea of sitting out there in basically a meditative state and watching this incredible scenery that can be all around you. I've always felt completely at home in the moana/ocean, and there I could just be completely swallowed up by it, and actually learn how to use nature's energy to surf these waves... I just thought it was the most beautiful, poetic thing ever.

I studied at the University of Otago in Ōtepoti/Dunedin, and I bought a soft top surfboard for myself, and it was the best decision ever. I didn't have a car, so at the time I only went out periodically with my friends to places like Long Beach and Aramoana. So I never really got fully into it when I was there.

It wasn't until I moved to Te-Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington and moved out to a little flat six years ago to the beach in Lyall Bay, where I started surfing more often.

I think the sport really does connect me to nature. One of the most beautiful experiences I ever had was on a rising full moon, and I was out there and it was just me and this other guy who I didn't know. We literally had this incredible moment where we just stared at each other and just smiled. Basically just yahooing in the water, watching this huge moon rise while we were surfing these glassy waves. It was just unbelievable in a place like Wellington. It's the capital city where so many people are surfing these waves most of the time.

But then when you live at the beach, you can go out when it's really small. There's not as many people there. So that was a really, really special moment for me.

I feel like I'm really connected to nature when I'm surrounded by the moana. It's funny because surfing could be one of the most beautiful experiences, because you're out there in a completely meditative state, even though it's a solo experience, going out with friends, laughing and singing and doing whatever is in such great time. But it's also a very solo experience at the same time, which I find really, really special, and I just feel really connected to nature when I'm out there. The idea that, back in history, this was used as a fun mode of transport, I think is really special. Just that idea that we were literally using the energy created from wind across the moana or swell is just it's incredible to me.

I think that's what I love most about it, is that everything in this world is so connected, and I think it's so easy to think of that as a woo-woo statement, but it's really not. To be able to use its energy and just have so much fun surfing a wave that's just so funny. I just love it. I used to work around the corner here and this boy said to me, God, why would anyone and anyone want to ever do that? He was watching a surfer surfing a wave out there, and I just thought it was so funny because I couldn't imagine not wanting to be a surfer. I just think the act is just the most beautiful thing.

It can be a really awful day raining heaps, but it could be absolutely peaceful out there or if it's a really soft, glassy, moody day with lots of low fog.

Also the energy of the people that you go surfing with. I think it's just another part of that environment, really. Like the other week, I went out and I was kind of like not feeling the best that day, but I went out with two of my girlfriends and we were literally just singing Mr. Brightside… I think it was. Honestly, my mood just dramatically improved after that and I felt amazing. So it's incredible how much like time by the ocean and just watching it, feeling its rhythms and being around people that you love and you care about that also get so much joy out of it, I think is so special to me.

And we also go surfing a lot up in the Wairarapa, which is just an incredibly beautiful piece of scenery. Also, it's just an amazing way to feel so out of the city when it's actually so close by. So I think for me, living in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington has really opened me up to these spaces, connected to me to so many people that I care about and people that care about the environment and want to be able to protect it and be good kaitiaki.

Dredging of harbours, dumping of sediment and that kind of thing... that is definitely apparent around Aotearoa/New Zealand. When I was at Otago University, I did an environmental politics paper, and I wrote about how Aramoana, the break out there was being affected by the dumping of sediment that is dredged from the harbour. This place is like one of the breaks down in Kaikoura, which is also really affected....or they’re worried it would be affected by a dumping of sediment out there. So I think that's really important to think about how all of these things can be impacted. And they don't just impact things that we think really matter on land, but it's just like these incredible places are bringing lots of not just tourism, but a lot of energy and a lot of culture to these spaces because of surfing. I think it's really important to protect those, to be honest.

The beginning stages are definitely very difficult, and I wouldn't say I'm necessarily out of that stage. it's so hard to be a beginner surfer and you think it's such a kook and you think people are going to laugh at you and honestly, no one cares... unless you're surfing into people. Definitely learn the code of ethics 100%. But people aren't watching you, just solely you out there and being like, “what a loser”. People do not do that. In fact, if they did, they're the loser because they should be out there giving it a go as well. I think it's really easy to judge people when you want to be able to do something that they're trying to do.

So it's really hard to know if you're a beginner or an intermediate, but, push yourself, just keep going, challenging yourself, going out with people that are better than you, people that will give you harsh advice is definitely something that I wish I had done a lot earlier on.

Since then, I’ve tried to compete in a surfing competition, which was just such a laugh. It was never something, obviously, that I would, ever win... I'm not at all that level of surfer. But I was just having so much fun and I caught a really fun wave, and I got an award for having the most stoke. Honestly, to me that's what surfing is, it’s just having fun, having a laugh, connecting with people and just, really stripping back what life's all about and just enjoying it, enjoying the passage of time.

So that's what I would say to anyone wanting to get into surfing, just give it a go... and give it a good, good, hard go.