There’s no ‘i’ in ‘team’, but there’s certainly plenty of ‘ports’ in ‘sports’ as the long-time Inter-port Sports Tournament displayed in February.
Run annually by the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ), the tournament is open to union and non-union port workers past and present from across New Zealand. Originally including bowls, snooker, darts, and cricket in the early 1950s, the tournament now focuses on golf and fishing.
The tournament alternates between North and South Island ports, making hosting rare – every 8-10 years.
This year it was Taranaki’s turn, with Port Taranaki sponsoring the event that saw 44 golfers from Whangārei, Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, Lyttelton, Timaru, Bluff and Taranaki take part. Some have been competing in the tournament for more than 50 years.
Fittingly, Taranaki had the honour of defending the handcrafted wooden Kerekere Waka golf trophy on home turf, having lifted the coveted trophy in Invercargill last year. The waka was donated by the Kerekere family in the 1960s.
And the home team once again came out on top – the Taranaki team (pictured) of Dan Manu, Warren Powell, Tom Neil, Ross Whitmore, Nev Rowlands, and Robert Koot victorious, and now looking to complete the three-peat next year in Lyttelton.
“Everyone had a fantastic time enjoying the spirit of camaraderie that has defined the tournament from the beginning,” says Taranaki tournament liaison and Port Taranaki wharf services operator Brent Whittle.
“Special thanks to Port Taranaki’s generous sponsorship, which ensures this tradition of comradeship and bonding continues for years to come.”
There’s the possibility the tournament will expand next year, with Australian unions having been invited to take part, adding a bit of trans-Tasman rivalry to the tournament.
