Friday Five: Lord Love a Lefty

Today is not only Friday 13th, but also International Left-Handers Day. Him Outdoors is a left-hander. He tells me that the world is set up for right-handers and that he faces challenges using everyday implements such as scissors, corkscrews and can openers. He is of the generation who were rapped across the knuckles when they wrote with their left hand, so he tried to write with his right. He is also of the generation that used fountain pens, and they are notoriously difficult to manage for those of the sinister persuasion (not my word; it's Latin!).

Barack Obama is left-handed

I admit I have not always been sympathetic, but maybe this is a case of my unconscious bias. Apparently anywhere between 7-17% of the global population is left-handed (depending on what you read) and their struggles are real. Take that comment above: the Latin for left is sinister and the French is gauche. Not very nice, is it? Especially when the relative words for right are dexter and droit, from which we get dexterity and adroit. Linguistics tells us it's right to be right. 

In their effort to counter the negative connotations, left-handedness has often been suggested to denote intelligence and creativity. Sadly there is absolutely no scientific proof for this and there is no difference in IQ levels after studies have been completed. There may be a link between a left-handed dominance and verbal skills, but this is not fully explored or understood. With Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs and Oprah Winfrey all being left-handed, there may also be a link between left-handedness and being rich, or maybe that's just a determination to overcome adversity and make the world conform to you, rather than the other way around.

5 Facts About Left-Handedness

1. There is a town in West Virginia, USA called Left Hand. Apparently it was named after the nearby Lefthand Run Creek. And in a 'take that' moment, there is no equivalent town called Right Hand.
2. The Australian children's entertainment group, Hi-5 uses a left hand in their emblem - one of the cast, Tim Maddren, is a left-handed musician who plays the guitar, piano, trumpet and 'a bit of drums'.Other famous left-handed guitarists include Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Courtney Barnett, and David Bowie, although the latter taught himself to play right-handed due to the fact that there weren't enough left-handed guitars in shops in post-war Britain.
3. Maybe it's because Australia is down under, but kangaroos are left-hand dominant, and all Australian sulphur-crested which cockatoos are left-handed (clawed)? I read this fact but I have yet to test it out - I'll note which talon the cockatoos use to throw tree debris at me next time I'm passing. 

4. This year the Dutch Reach method was introduced to the Highway Code in the UK. It is a method of opening a vehicle door that sees the driver use their hand furthest from the handle to open the door (in the UK this would be the left hand), therefore turning their body and allowing them to see oncoming cyclists before opening the door. The Dutch have been using this method for many years, but they just call it 'opening the car door'. Last year there were 140 cycling fatalities in the UK, and in 2007 (the last year for which I can find the figures for this) 8% of serious injuries to cyclists were caused by dooring (opening a motor vehicle door into the path of another road user). 
5. It is illegal to play polo left-handed - this is to do with reasons of safety, apparently for both horse and rider. Even princes are not exempt; the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge are both left-handed.

Left-hander Prince Charles playing polo with his right

COVID-19: Keep Your Distance

Cyclists have long known that a metre matters. Launched in 2009, the Amy Gillett Foundation's A Metre Matters campaign focuses on advising drivers how to pass cyclists safely. The research and evidence shows that when passing cyclists drivers need to allow a minimum passing distance of one metre (or 1.5 metres in speed zones over 60km) to reduce the number of cyclist fatalities, Over the past few years this recommendation has become law in several Australian states. 

Due to COVID-19 and the fear of infection, in Australia we are meant to be practicing physical distancing, which includes keeping 1.5m between you and another person to help to stop the spread of the virus. In the U.K., this recommended distance is two metres - I'm not sure who calculates this distance and on what exact science it is based. But we get the picture; back off buddy. 

Whereas people are pretty good at observing these measures in shops and work spaces, I have noticed they are not so compliant when it comes to exercising. I have a handful of regular routes that I walk, jog or cycle four-five times week. On my usual walk up Mt Painter I see maybe a couple of other people; last week I saw 49. The same sort of figures are true when jogging around Umbagong Park or cycling trails in Black Mountain. Great. I'm all for people getting out and about to get their exercise, and this is a wonderful country with space for everyone to share. 

But, can we still please adhere to the physical distancing guidelines? I know many walkers wear earphones so if I am coming up behind them, I feel it is up to me to move out the way. If a cyclist is approaching from behind and really feels that they can't move out of the way, then they should alert the person in front to their presence (in the ACT it is mandatory for a bike to have 'a warning device such as a bell'), unlike the person on the e-bike (don't get me started) who overtook me while I was jogging within a foot with no previous indication. 

I don't care who comes here more regularly (it's me), but surely people must realise that we can't share the path in the same way as we used to, and be prepared to give way. I would expect, what with this flurry of exercise being a new thing for some and people not used to the etiquette yet, that when it comes to a case of who blinks/ moves out the way first, it would be about 50/50. Remember that walk I mentioned last week with the 49 fellow folk out enjoying the fresh air and the exercise? Guess how many moved out of my way rather than holding their line on the narrow path. One would expect approximately 20, right? None. Not one person thought they should yield. I felt like I was fighting a battle and losing every single time. I know it's not about winners and losers, but that was ridiculous. It's about compromise, surely? 

And another thing, we are still allowed to smile at each other and say hello. You can be social while maintaining physical distance. As far as I am aware coronavirus is not transmitted through eye contact. So, if you're new to this getting out for a walk/ run/ cycle malarkey, welcome. And please play nicely. 

Friday Five: Birthday weekend

It's not a 'big' or a 'significant' birthday, but I believe in celebrating them anyway. Any excuse for a good meal and/or a get-together with friends should not be missed. Him Outdoors and I are both exhausted after a very busy couple of weeks and moving house. More than half of our belongings are still in boxes, and we might have spent the weekend sorting things out, but that didn't appeal, so...

Five Things I did for my Birthday Weekend:

1. A blind gin-tasting. It turns out that my favourite gins are the most expensive ones. Who'd have guessed that?
2. Breakfast at Rocksalt, Hawker - smashed avocado, whipped feta, and poached egg on rye toast, since you ask
3. Celebrate the christening of the child of friends - it's on the same day as my birthday and sharing the love in the arms of tradition and community makes me happy
4. A bike ride, sussing out our new location, past vineyards, rolling hills and the river gorge - and not a single magpie swoop
5. Invited a bunch of friends round to our new house for home-made pizza and drinks on the patio: houses need cats, conversation, company and laughter to make them complete

Friday Five: Le Tour en Angleterre

Philip Davies (MP for Shipley) has called for the CEO of Welcome to Yorkshire (Gary Verity) to be recognised in the next honours list. It's not that far-fetched; 2.5 million people watched Le Tour in Yorkshire, with the scenery and residents displayed to their best advantage. 

Despite some utter selfie-taking morons thinking they were more important than the race and causing crashes and potential harm to the athletes who have trained for years for the opportunity to participate, the British leg of arguably the world's greatest cycle race has been a resounding success.

5 Great Things about Le Tour in Britain:

1. Yorkshire: dry stone walls; green rolling hills; acres of moors; spectacular villages... and coloured sheep
2. The history: just as the helicopter flies above the beautiful chateaux of France; so we got brilliant aerial shots of castles, colleges, stately homes and abbeys - stunning
3. The crowds - the number of people who turned up to shout and support and add colour and enthusiasm was fantastic to see. And the road closures and the publicity and the all-round welcoming spirit can only bode well for the future of cycling in the country.
4. London - the capital looks great with cyclists streaming through it, past the sights of Big Ben, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London and so many more
5. The Red Arrows flypast at the beginning, with Ian Stannard in the back seat.

Friday Five: Oz ID

It looks like the magpies have stopped swooping for the season, so I am back on my bike. As Him Outdoors and I cycled through the bush at the weekend, we looked around us and thought that we really couldn't be anywhere else.

5 Things that make you sure you're in Australia:

1. Kangaroos bouncing alongside us
2. Kookaburras laughing at us
3. Eucalpytus trees
4. Red earth
5. Cloudless blue sky and bright sunshine

Friday Five: Le Tour Facts

Eugene Christophe, who rode his first TdF in 1906 and his last in 1925, when he was aged 40.

The other day while I was waiting to meet Him Outdoors in a cafe, I picked up a book of photos released to commemorate the 100th Tour de France. Of course, it may be the hundredth race this year, but it is not 100 years since the first one: Le Tour did not take place between 1915-1920 and 1940-45. It seems that only war can stop the tour. It was very saddening to read that so many young men of phenomenal athletic ability who had ridden this incredible race, including winners Lucien Petit-Breton, Francois Faber and Octave Lapize, were killed in the wars.

As I flicked through the photos, I was struck by many differences both great and incidental: every spectator in the early shots is wearing a hat, whereas none of the riders are wearing helmets. Some of the roads are now sealed as opposed to the gravel, and the towns have grown, but the mountains remain the same. And although the bikes are now made of carbon fibre and state-of-the-art gearing, they are still just a frame on wheels. The bike is an amazing invention, and France is a fabulous country through which to ride.

5 Tour Trivia Tidbits:

1. The winner of the very first Tour de France (in 1903) was disqualified for taking the train - now that's blatant!
2. Le Tour has finished in Bordeaux more than in any other city, other than Paris
3. The first death at Le Tour occured in 1910 when Adolphe Heliere was stung by a jellyfish while bathing off the cost of Nice on a rest day
4. Originally cyclists were allowed no outside assistance (pictures show them carrying their own spare tyres slung across their chests). In 1913 the forks of Eugene Christophe's bike broke in the Pyrenees. He carried his bike 14km to the nearest village to repair them at a forge. Unfortunately the lad operating the bellows was judged to have been helping and Christophe was given a four-hour time penalty. That 326km stage took him 17 hours and 44 minutes to complete. (The Swiss rider Celidonio Morini took 21 hours and 24 minutes)
5. The starts were between midnight and 6am to allow the riders to finish in daylight hours.

Friday Five: Adelaide

Local Adeladian resident

We have recently returned from a week in Adelaide. Slowly we are exploring the Australian cities and towns. This week I read that Sydney and Melbourne are both in the top five most expensive cities in the world according to the cost of living index, so although they are still worth a visit, they are not on my viable places to live list. Adelaide, however, has much to recommend it.

5 Things I Like about Adelaide:

1. The hills: farmers markets; vineyards; orchards; cute little towns; winding roads; wildlife and trees - cooler than the town and packed with personality
2. The sea: from timeballs, lighthouses and micro-breweries in former wharf buildings to hippy artwork and squeaky white sandy beaches; it's got all facets of the ocean covered
3. The cycling: The Tour Down Under was made for Adelaide but even when it's not on, the roads are heaven for pedalling perfection
4. The festivals: Adelaide used to be known as the city of churches; now it's called the festival city - theatre; film; music; sport; food; wine - everything has a festival and they're pretty much all fabulous
5. The wineries: Barossa; Eden Valley; McLaren Vale; Adelaide Hills; Clare Valley; Kangaroo Island and many many more, all there just waiting to be drunk!

Friday Five: Goooooold!

It has not escaped my notice that as it is time to do the Friday Five, Team GB has five gold medals at the Olympic Games. Mere coincidence? Of course it is, but I'm not going to let that put me off.

5 Gold Medals:

1. Heather Stanning and Helen Glover collect British women's rowing first ever gold medal in superb style. They led from start to finish in front of a highly vocal and thrilled local crowd to become our newest golden girls.

2. Bradley Wiggins (probably soon to be sir) proves he really is King of the Road with his blistering win in the time trial. Apparently he decided to do this event when his wife couldn't get tickets for the velodrome and he wanted to do something that all the fans could watch. And watch it we did, with only a little bit of drool.

3. As the slowest qualifiers for the Canoe C2 Slalom, Tim Baillie and Etienne Stott came out first and set the time to beat. No one could. They took Britain's first ever medal in this event. The pairing of David Florence and Richard Houdslow came second, so we won silver too! That's making a pretty big splash.

4. I have to admit I know nothing about this event and have never tried it, but it looks as though it requires nerves of steel and reactions of quicksilver. Peter Wilson won gold in the double trap shooting (which I think is equivalent to clay pigeon shooting) after being trained by Sheik Ahmed Al Maktoum (a member of Dubai's royal family), who won gold in 2004. Apparently Wilson just asked him if he would train him and he said yes. When asked what he was going to next, Wilson replied, "I'm going to get very, very drunk, probably do something stupid, and have a lot of fun." I hope he did - he deserves it.



5. After the disappointment of the women's disqualification in the team sprint, home fans' spirits were lifted at the velodrome as the men's sprint team powered to a new world record and a gold medal. It's Sir Chris Hoy's fifth Olympic gold medal and he won it alongside Philip Hindes and Jason Kenny. Fabulous stuff. I got up at 3am to watch it - a small sacrifice. I would gladly do it again. Arise to victory!

All of these athletes are incredible. Congratulaions to all the athletes at the Olympic Games (of every nation) for providing such a world class spectacle of sport. And there are another two weeks to go!

My Newest Favourite Thing: Team Sky

Wow! What a team. What a performance. What a commitment! I've heard people say that they are boring - clearly these people know nothing about cycling and are probably the same people that say that Spain are boring at football. It's a team sport. And what a sport. These guys are supreme athletes. I'm speechless. All aboard the Sky Train!

And I know I've banged on about Cavendish before, but he is truely remarkable, so I will again. The acceleration is incredible, and to win on the Champs Elysees for the fourth time in a row, is a stunning achievement. He'll always have Paris.

And Bradley Wiggins... what can I say? A fabulous and worthy winner. A great winning speech - 'It's time to draw the raffle numbers' - and a passion and to commitment to the sport. Yes, I'm patriotic and yes, it's wonderful to see a British rider win Le Tour. But it's even more amazing to see the yellow jersey lead out the World Champion in the final sprint. The Sky Train has been brilliant. Every rider has pedalled his socks off and I love it all.

 

And the Olympic road race is in less than a week's time. At the last Olympics I was suffering slightly from dual nationality syndrome. No such dilemmas this time. You go boys; bring it home!

Quick Quintet: Photography

5 Subjects I Like to Photograph:

1. My cat
2. Reflections in water
3. Vineyards
4. Plants
5. Cyclists

What Achievement!/?

 

Depending on your point of view, the punctuation after that headline is an exclamation or a question mark. The All Whites (New Zealand's football team, because they have to give everything nicknames here) won this country's highest sporting/ popularity vote at the Halberg Awards.

Their coach, Ricki Herbert won coach of the year for getting his team to the World Cup and ensuring that they didn't lose a game. They achieved more than New Zealand has ever done before in this global competition, contested by almost 200 countries (ten times more than play rugby world-wide). They had previously never got a point at the World Cup.

However, neither did they win a game - and therein lies the problem. There has been controversy stirred up by the awarding of the team of the year accolade to a team that didn't win anything. One of the members of the judging panel has resigned in protest - he is a rugby supporter. The All Blacks were also nominated (they have won all but one test this year) Hamish Bond and Eric Murray were finalists in the team award (they won gold at the world rowing championships) as were the Kiwis (the Rugby league team who beat Australia in the final of the four nations) and the Silver Ferns (gold medal in netball at the Commonwealth Games).

Many of the comments on news and sporting blogs have become quite snide and spiteful, such as the following sample:

"The All Whites shouldn't have even been there. Giving them the team award is an insult to all the sports men and women who actually won something - not get knocked out of the first round of a multi-round competition."

"I don't know how a team that didn't win anything can scoop the awards."

"Congratulations New Zealand for rewarding mediocrity, Way to show the youth of today that participation is the key."

It all begs the question - what are the criteria? If it means winning above all else, then no, the All Whites didn't do that. If it means achieving more than your country has ever achieved, then yes, they did. Incidentally, Julian Dean would have been my sportsman of the year - he completed every one of the UCI World Tour events, a phenomenal achievement which no New Zealander has ever done before.

If it means capturing the attention of the nation and bringing the sport to national recognition, then they have certainly done that. Football is the most popular (both player and spectator) sport in the world and New Zealand's fastest-growing sport. Apparently winning is not explicitly mentioned in the voting criteria, whereas showing 'sporting excellence on a world stage against high-quality opposition' is.
 
The decision was reported in USA Today - "Rugby-mad New Zealand has awarded its highest sporting honor to its national football team which was unbeaten at last year's World Cup in South Africa." It's a big talking point it seems. Don't hold your breath, but they might even stop calling it soccer. So, what are your thoughts?

Lake Hayes Women's Triathlon

The day of the Lake Hayes Women’s Triathlon was beautiful and sunny, dammit, so I couldn’t use the weather as an excuse not to enter!

I’ve done it a couple of times before – a long time ago when I was fit (2003 & 2004). Now I’m really not and it hurts to know that I had it and then I lost it. If ever there was a supportive and encouraging way to try and get back into it, however, it is the Southern Lakes Women’s Triathlon.

This is its 18th year and also incorporates a duathlon for those without the time or inclination to add another discipline to their training regime. In the past, starts have been fierce (I have been scratched, gouged, had my goggles kicked off and received a nosebleed) so it was a welcome addition to have two starts for the swimmers. We began on either side of the big tree and there were two buoys out in the lake so those on the left could swim round one and those on the right picked out the other.

I had swum in the lake the previous week and found that it was plenty warm enough. Also, the distance is only 300m so at current fitness levels, that should take me approximately 8 – 9 minutes. It takes me about that long to wrestle myself out of my wetsuit, so I decided not to wear it. The water really was fine and although my feet went numb, they always do.

The run up to the bikes is the toughest part of the course – you’ve just come out of the water; you’re disorientated; you’re not breathing properly and you’re faced with a gravel hill to run up in bare (numb) feet. Because the entrance and exit point is the same, there was a flag to run around to make sure that everyone went the same distance. My transition was not too bad and I was soon on to my bike and out on the course. Here I merged with all the other disciplines – those who had paddled kayaks and those who had run 1½km as a start to their duathlon.

The bike ride begins with a gravel track that I travelled over very gingerly – I don’t want to puncture my tyres at the very beginning of the bike leg. (One girl got three punctures on this ride.) This would be the only 100 yards or so where I would have been pleased to be riding a mountain bike.

When I watched the World Triathlon Champions in 2003 (the swim was right here in this lake), a Canadian girl in mid-race mode yelled out at us, ‘Where’s the mountain lion?’ At least that’s what I thought she said – it made some sort of sense that in her adrenalin-fuelled delirium she thought she was back home and being pursued by big bobcats. It turns out she was asking the whereabouts of the ‘mount line’ – the point at which you are officially meant to get on and off your bike. I think of this every time I do a triathlon now, and it makes me smile – you find your pleasure where you can...

I like the bike ride on this course – there are no hills, which is always a positive for me. Today there was no wind and the speeds could crank up quite high. Generally drafting is illegal in triathlons so, although this event was pretty low-key in that regard and no mention was made of it in the briefing, I decided against doing it. Not so a couple of others (the only person who passed me on the bike leg did so after sitting on my wheel for a good third of the leg) but that’s up to them.

Back having racked the bike, changed shoes and run round the flag again, it was off on the run leg. Now, this does have hills. It’s on a section of the excellent track that circumnavigates Lake Hayes. By now it was hot and the gravel track was dusty, making it hard to breathe, and it felt like a bit of a struggle.

I was pleased to take on some water at the turnaround. Incidentally, there was a bottle of water in our race packs, but I would have preferred cups at the finish – when you cross the line on a hot day you want a drink immediately, not after you’ve found your vehicle and rummaged around in your bag. This is merely a minor quibble – everything else about the event was very well organised.

I walk around this lake nearly every Friday with my friend and I never think it is particularly tough. Admittedly we usually stop to throw sticks for her dopey dog, and there wasn’t a lot of that going on today. The views are still breathtakingly scenic, however, which could be another handy excuse for lack of breath.

I am not a runner and admire those who are – some of these ladies were skipping past me on the way back when I was grinding my way out. They looked fresh and shiny in their running kit while I was a heaving sweaty lump, and I was gasping by the time I thankfully saw the finishing chute.

We waited and applauded as others came in – each with their own personal achievement. That’s what I like about this event; everyone has a goal and they are all different.

Some are national triathletes down from Auckland to get in some extra training and win the race in what the papers described as a ‘blistering pace’; some are simply comparing their times with the previous year.

Some are entering with a group of friends to have fun and work on their fitness; some are hoping to win a spot-prize (the girl who won the great prize of a Giant bike generously donated by Veritgo didn’t actually own one previously).

Some see it as a perfect opportunity to try out their first ever triathlon or duathlon and they are right to choose it. Everyone there has done well, and by the smiles on the faces, they have had fun too!

I'll be Mark Cavendish

Mark Cavendish has won another stage in Le Tour. We are watching all night - hence the lack of sleep. I love Le Tour, as I have mentioned before. In a great quote from the Guardian it is described as 'chess on wheels'.

I yearn for those sunny villages shown in the helicopter shots as the cameras cruise over castles and chateaux - I'm not sure if it's the history and culture I crave, or just the warmth and sunshine and lack of wind.

Anyway, apparently when he was about 15 Mark Cavendish went out on a training ride with a couple of mates. One said, "I'll be Eric Zabel"; the other said "I'll be Robbie McEwen". Mark Cavendish said, "I'll be Mark Cavendish". People accuse him of arrogance, but maybe that's the attitude you need to win races.

You've got to know you're good and you've got to believe in yourself. There's an expression, 'If you've got it; flaunt it' - I've never agreed with that expression, but I do think that if you've got it, you should use it and be honest about it.

Olympics: It's a very very Madison world

Another day; another medal haul, and this time New Zealand have been invited to the party. Bevan Docherty and Nick Willis claiming bronze in the triathlon and 1,500m respectively were fantastic . It was great to see Docherty bounding onto the podium to celebrate - it's not all about gold, although that would be nice, obviously.

Team GB's dominance at the velodrome continues to such an extent that I read a blog questioning whether we are too good at cycling. What? Do the Aussies ever worry that they are too good at cricket? Do the Scandinavians fret about their dominance of Nordic skiing? Do the Americans get perturbed about their invasion of countries who have democratically elected Communist leaders? There's only one thing to be said - 'On yer bike'!

The problem with success is that you come to expect it. So, it was slightly disappointing that neither the mighty Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish, nor the sensational Hayden Roulston and Greg Henderson managed to sparkle in the Madison. But what an incredible event this is! The BBC live updates on-line covered it in their usual inimitable style. Their descriptions of it included the following:

• The duck billed platypus of the sporting world
• Looks like something out of Ben Hur
• An athletic contest in which participants 'go queer' in their heads, and strain their powers until their faces become hideous with the tortures that rack them, is not sport. It is brutality.
• Who invented this sport? Jackson Pollock?
• The only thing that would make the Madison madder would be to give the participants swords
• The Madison will probably become a West End stage show - as long as Lloyd Webber doesn't have the final choice of riders, or music...

Olympics: Medal weekend

Wow! All those medals; all those records; what a fantastic weekend!

I have great respect for all the athletes who are rowing, riding, sailing and swimming their way to the Olympic podium and to all of those who oh-so-nearly made it. Missing out by one hundredth of a second must be heartbreaking, and if our screams at the television set could help, you know you would have made it, by a fingertip or a bow-ball.

Team GB is looking unstoppable on the track, and it’s fabulous to see all that effort reaping rewards. Britian is currently placed third in the medals table which is actually undreamt of in living memory (if you can have memorable dreams – this is certainly one). I heard one commentator remark that all the other countries must feel like gatecrashers at a private party. But Hayden Roulston had a flier – I hope that was good for heart.

My friend remarked glumly at the beginning of the weekend that I should expect a lot of fourths from New Zealand. I’m sure she is more than happy to be proved wrong by the new Kiwi golden girls in rowing and shot-put to hold a candle to Sarah Ulmer from previous Olympic outings.

And I have to admit I was cheering my heart out for Mahe Drysdale and am so glad he held on to a medal, even if it wasn’t the colour he wanted. I’m even more pleased that he managed to give such a terrific interview, minutes after collapsing, and not blaming his illness as the interviewer so wanted him to, and just remarking that, “I pushed myself to the limit and probably beyond. I'm proud and I guess for peace of mind I knew there's nothing more I could have done. That's a great feeling to know that.”

So huge bouquets to all of the athletes involved, but once again, brickbats to TVNZ who cut away from the rowing as it was still happening to show repeats of the race we had just watched. I know NZ had won its first gold medal and they were very proud of the Evers-Swindell twins, and rightly so. It was a fantastic race with one of the closest finishes between the top three likely to be seen on the water.

But there were other events still taking place. Up until last week NZ were still interested in the men’s coxless four. Now that they have not got a boat in it, the TV coverage decided not to feature it. This is simply pathetic and an example of the parochial arrogance and lack of sportsmanship, usually reserved for rugby ‘supporters’, that tarnishes their reputation amongst sports fans overseas. Most Kiwis are not like this at all, so I wish the media would stop enforcing this image! Are they really so scared of the dreaded four?

Meanwhile, Team GB won the gold in the coxless four, in case anyone in New Zealand cares. Go you good things. Thank God for the Internet and the BBC.

Olympics: Dual Nationality Dilemma

Earlier this month, I became a New Zealand citizen. As I do not have to renounce my British citizenship (I wouldn't), I now have dual nationality. The ceremony was very welcoming and focused on the spirit of inclusion. The Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon Rick Barker) writes, 'Your new citizenship does not mean that you will forget your country of birth, which will always be important to you. I hope that you will continue to share your traditions and your culture with all of us - they are an important part of the shared wealth of our country.'

This is great, and it gives me two countries to support in the Olympics (which is just as well, because if I'd been relying solely on New Zealand, I wouldn't have any medals to be proud of as yet). The problem arises when the countries compete against each other. Most of the time, my loyalties will still lie with Britain. I was born there and spent more than two-thirds of my life there, including the most formative years. So I am thrilled for our cyclists, canoeists, swimmers, and horse-riders who are competing and collecting their medals.

We (and 'we' will always mean Britain, Liverpool, or me and him outdoors) are competing in ten rowing events this weekend along with other cycling, sailing, and athletics events. In nearly all of these events I want Britain to win, and New Zealand to come second in any of the events they are also contesting, but I must admit to a couple of dilemmas in the cycling and rowing.

Is it to be Bradley Wiggins or Hayden Roulston (who are both hard-working riders in the Tour de France)?

Alan Cambell or Mahe Drysdale (who train together and are great mates)?

To keep things fair, I want the Evers-Swindell twins (NZ) to win the women's double scull from Elise Laverick and Anna Bebington (GB), and Matt Wells and Stephen Rowbotham (could there be a more appropriate name?) (GB) to win the men's double scull from Rob Waddell and Nathan Cohen (NZ). Whichever way you look at it, this is a weekend to be glued to the television.

It seems that Britian and New Zealand share many things, and the latest is the barrage of sledging from Australia. John Coates, head of the Australian Olympic Committee, greeted the news that Rebecca Adlington had won gold and Joanne Jackson bronze in the 400m freestyle, as 'not bad for a country that has no swimming pools and very little soap.'

Apparently Britain's sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe has rashly wagered that Britain will finish higher on the Olympic medal table than Australia. His Aussie counterpart, Kate Ellis has countered that green really isn't his colour and that the Brits are serial chokers. There has been a further comment that Britain are only good at sports at which they can sit down. Everyone appears to be getting into a lather, but I suppose all is fair in love and sport.

Meanwhile, huge congratulations to Rebecca Adlington for her latest gold medal and wolrd record. And to Michael Phelps for more of the same - just one more to go now!