The Friendly Games1

WEATHER FORE-CAST

Min Max

THU 13 29

Sunny

FRI 15 30

Sunny

SAT 17 34

Sunny

WEATHER FORECAST

Warning: With the Temperatures soaring and an Extreme UV Index don’t forget to

hydrate regularly and cover up to avoid heat distress.

Issue Five Thursday October 16th 2014Photo of the Day

Photo by Phil Williams, The Centralian AdvocateRami Rajakaruna misses a close call at the Baseball

One of the most popular Games events will be held late this afternoon.

Hundreds of spectators line the street for the Masters Mile, making it a highlight of the Games calendar.

The event is expected to be dominated by first-time Games participants Brad White and Emma Kraft.

While there doesn’t seem to a ready-made challenger to Brad, who is

expected to run a near record time, the heat is on in the women’s section.

The return of former sprinter Deana Horwood to the Masters throws another contender in the mix.

Deana was only nine seconds behind Emma in the 5km Cross Country on Tuesday.

Mile co-ordinator John Bermingham said it could come down to a tight race with 2012 Mile winner Andrea Foot also in the mix.

“Andrea and Deana are more sprinters so might have more leg power while Emma has been doing distance and mountain running events so will have the endurance,” he said.

“But there are runners right

though the age groups from the 30s to the oldest runner 86-year-old Glad Gullock.

“For these older competitors to be still running the Mile is really tremendous.”

Emma and Andrea will be battling for outright honours as well as their 30-34 age group.

Deana is in the 35-39 group while two-time winner Cristine Suffolk is in the 40-44 age group and likely to win the gold in this age group, her fifth for the Games.

Brad, 35, recently moved to Alice Springs from Goulburn NSW where he was a regular competitor in the state titles.

He has run in the Stawell Gift invitational mile.

“I’m excited about the Masters Games. There are not many street miles around so they are always fun to do,” Brad said.

“My aim is to run as fast a time as I can but it won’t get under four minutes.

“I’ve run 1:62 for 800m but I will not get near that so I will see how I go.

“My tip for all competitors is to keep hydrated the night before and into the day of your event.”

Brad works with the Aboriginal organisation Congress and spends much of his time in remote communities.

He has been working in Santa Teresa this week but will be in Alice Springs to run the Mile.

The closest challengers to Brad are likely to be Shane Caden and Reuben McLoughlin after their good form in the cross country event.

The Mile route follows Gap Rd from the Lutheran Church to Todd St at the Civic Centre.

The sports entertainment continues after the run with the cyclists hitting top speed in the Street Sprint from 7pm. About 50 riders will compete along Todd St, heading south from near the corner of Gregory Tce. They will have a handheld start and reach speeds of 50km/h and more in the 180m to the finish line before the Stott Tce lights.

The day is expected to be a little warmer than yesterday with the chance of a tail breeze to help the runners along Gap Rd.

There are 250 runners in the Mile with the women’s event beginning at 6pm and the men’s at 6.30pm.

Masters Mile shaping up for a close finish

Top contender Brad White training for the Masters Mile,Photo by Chloe Geraghty, The Centralian Advocate

The Friendly Games2

telling tales fromaround the Games...

If you have news or want to give a shout out please SMS or CALL

The Alice Springs Masters Games isn’t known as the Friendly Games for nothing ... and there was a nice Friendly Games touch at the end of the 5km Cross Country on Tuesday.NSW participants Gwen and Kevin Mitchell, who are aged 68 and 69 respectively, crossed the line together holding hands.Their time for the event was 1.00.48 - which is also pretty cool.

There is a rumour floating around that three-time Brisbane Lions premiership player Darryl White will be dusting off his boots and playing in the inaugural AFL 9s this afternoon.Darryl, who is from Alice Springs, is still playing football and would be a match winner in the game.AFL 9s co-ordinator Andy Hood said he was not on the list two days ago - but both teams involved have been chasing players for the three-game series.

Darryl is a registered participant in the Games and is playing in the basketball competition so don’t be surprised if he has a kick too.

The Sleuth is hearing rumours around the traps that this will be the last Friendly Games to be held. We can assure you there are no plans to scrap the event. The Alice Springs Masters Games will be back bigger and better in 2016.

Another rumour doing the rounds seems to be that Games General Manager Jim Lawrie had quit at the beginning of the Games. The Sleuth has heard this from various sources over the past couple of days. Imagine then, Jim’s surprise when he was chatting to a competitor who relayed the same rumour back to him. He was quick to set the competitor straight.

Lights, cameras... MTB Action!

SPORTS HOROSCOPEThe first half of October 16, 2014 will heighten your inquisitiveness and thirst for new knowledge and

information. This is a wonderful time for studying as well as taking exams and writing tests. The morning will be rich in communication and the evening will be nothing

short of romantic.

ARIESThis is a wonderful day for private talks. Choose the morning if you need to go to see a lawyer, psychologist, tax officer, inspector, physician, realtor, etc. The evening is ideal for reminiscing, listening to music, watching movies and old videos.

TAURUS Practical sober-minded Taurus is just a touch sentimental on October 16, 2014. All day long the Bulls will need support and compassion. The day is good for going to church and interacting with those who are spiritually close to you. You may end up needing a legal or psychological consultation.

GEMINIToday the Twins appear to be inconsistent and overly impressionable. Your plans, preferences, goals and tastes may be changing a lot during the day. You may also prove absent-minded at times. As a manager, you are not only meticulous and controlling today, but kind, generous and attentive.

CANCERThis is a perfect day for Cancer. Many of your wishes will come true before you even have a chance to realize it. This is a wonderful time to increase your authority as well as get engaged in educational, charitable, religious and musical activities. Enrich your knowledge and strengthen your foreign contacts.

LEOIt is equally important for Leo to rely on its business sense as well as its intuition, gift of foresight and knowledge of human psychology. Your instinct of self-preservation will prove to be your best support in the most critical moment.

VIRGODestiny is giving Virgo a chance to make sure it has made the right choice of partner. Don’t pay any attention to seeming differences; regardless of them you still have much more in common than you think. Perhaps, your similar thoughts, plans, outlooks, origins or social positions unite you and bring you together.

LIBRAThe overall atmosphere of October 16, 2014 may be crucial for Libra. If you are scheduled to do some boring monotonous work or go through an unpleasant procedure, start by putting your mind and soul in the right place. Nice music in the background and all the informational, financial and moral support you can find will do you much good.

SCORPIOScorpio has a wide range of opportunities available today. Your own laziness, inertia, restraint and passiveness may be the only obstacles on your way to unconditional success. The sooner you get down to work the better the result will be.

SAGITTARIUSThe day promises success for large-scale secret undertakings as well as for solving your family issues, problems with debts, inheritance and property. Sagittarius may even accomplish some impressive undertaking and earn even more respect in professional circles.

CAPRICORNIt is not beneficial for Capricorn to be a lone wolf today. Cooperate with others and your abilities will double (including the future ones). Don’t be shy to ask for compassion and seek moral support. The Goats can become one with their spouses today – if not physically, then spiritually.

AQUARIUSA financial side of life can be creative, too, you know… Aquarius should think big. For example, give a thought to how you can automatize services, events and cash payments. If you’re employed in the customer service field, take your customers and clients’ emotional state into consideration.

PISCESToday Pisces are prone to show generosity, artistic skills and musicality. The Fishes will be wonderful teachers, successful travellers, lucky lovers or parents. You may be prone to laziness, luxury, extravagance; you may be seeking more benefits and honours.

It’s been 20 years since actor Bill Hunter “accepted” the role of concierge in the foyer of the then-Lasseters Hotel and Casino for the movie Priscilla Queen of the Desert where the stars of the film performed with their best “bibs” in front of the bar where Casbah is now.The Alice Springs Convention Centre is celebrating that memorable event with a free showing of the film in the amphitheatre tonight.Screening of the movie will begin at 7pm and everyone is

encouraged to put on their best frock and get into the spirit of the film.

Master Games competitors are welcome to come dressed in the theme or in their sporting uniforms to add colour to the event.

After the movie, the Juicy Rump Deck will be featuring ABBA music so competitors can dance the night away.

And maybe, just maybe, the infamous bus from the movie will make a special appearance.

Margaret GodfreyNeville ChalmersValda CrabtreePeter Brister

Derek ThomasDennis Ryan

Sandra ThompsonJames SmartKaren Pink

Tom Clements

HappyBirthday

Come celebrate iconic Aussie film at Lasseters

Mountain bikers will be racing up to the Anzac Hill lookout this afternoon - and looking good doing it.But it will all be in a quest for medals and not to take in the view.After two events earlier in the week, the Anzac Hill challenge will be a pure test of climbing ability.Riders will test their legs and their lungs in the 300m climb from the base of the hill to the top in fancy dress of their desire.Should the competitors choose to wear their standard bike gear, they’ll be slugged with a one-minute time penalty, effectively ruling them out of taking home the gold medal. A ruthless scrutineer has been engaged to make sure that no one gets up the hill without having a great time.This is going to be quite a spectacle. Fans can pick a spot on the closed road and watch the riders suffer in an attempt to get to the top of the hill in the fastest time they can.Riders will leave at one-minute intervals from 4pm with the event expected to finish at about 5.15pm. Spectators are encouraged to make their way to Anzac Hill to watch the sun falling over Alice Springs.

The final event on the mountain biking program is the cross country race at 8am on Saturday.The course will be a fast and ‘flowy’ 9.1km circuit.Each age group has a designated number of laps to complete in order to become the cross country Masters Games champion.As it’s the final race, riders will be wanting to give their all before letting their hair down at the closing ceremony on Saturday night.The mountain biking program began on Sunday night with two laps of a 13.5km course around the newly established trails at the Old Telegraph Station.Not only did the competitors have the standard mountain biking obstacles of sand and rocks to negotiate but they had to do it with the aid of their own lights under the night sky.A short course event was also held at the Scout Hall off Larapinta Drive on Tuesday night.Riders set out in groups of up to 10 athletes over a tight and technical course of about 600m consisting of berms and bumps.The highlight of the night was the final race under a dark night and lighting provided by a few artificial moon lights’

The Friendly Games3

For Games info tune your radio to

900 AMofficial broadcaster

Media Partner 783 ABC Alice Springs - abc.net.au/alicesprings

783 ABCAlice Springs

SMS 0477 741 665 with your name, Accreditation ID (on your Accreditation Pass) and make a caption for

today’s photo. The best caption will win a prize. Winners announced in each edition of The Friendly Times.

The Alice Springs Table Tennis Association has had a record number of participants in this year’s Alice Springs Masters Games.The 55 participants is a 10 per cent increase since the

sport’s inclusion in 1998.Most players have travelled from SA with players also making the effort from Gippsland in Victoria, Darwin and Cobar in NSW.“We have all our 12

tables up and in use over the nine sessions during the week and share the OLSH Marian Centre with Badminton which has been a fabulous venue,” spokeswoman Laurel Duffell said.“The venue is so good that flag bearer Graeme Shaughnessy is in the final stages of a proposal to stage the National Juniors here in 2016, which would be sensational for the sport in the NT and Alice Springs.“We have many returning competitors who also visit us outside of the Masters Games.“Some well known repeat attenders include Elfrida Kalich, the nationally-ranked veteran and Darwin local.”Elfrida will fly to Tasmania the week after the Games to compete in the Table Tennis National Veterans, such is her passion for the game. Elfrida is a great sport and smart player

with a fabulous winning record. She has already won three gold medals in the mixed doubles (110-130), women’s singles (55-64) and women’s doubles (<110) partnering up with Lyndal Ellis from South Australia.Dennis Walsh from the Brighton South Australian Club is “having a ball”.“Everyone is so friendly and the competition is good,” he said.“We particularly appreciate all the effort that has gone in to making us feel welcome, including a barbecue at the Desert Park in the lead up to the Midweek party last night.”The competition continues at the OLSH Marian Centre on Sadadeen Rd today and Friday at 4pm and 7pm with three divisions of teams events to be played until the final medal.Medal presentations will be held at 9pm on Friday night.

The abridged form of Australia’s most popular game, AFL 9s, kicks off for the first time in the Alice Springs Masters Games this afternoon.The game will be between Alice Allstars and Clontarf Old Stars in the start of a three-game series between the two teams.As its name suggests AFL 9s has only nine players instead of the usual 18. It’s a fast, free-flowing game on a smaller field with no tackling or bumping.AFL 9s is a growing sport not only in Australia but around the world with an international competition anticipated for next year.The Games competition has attracted 24 players and AFL 9s’ coordinator Andy Hood said organisers were using it as an opportunity to showcase a fast and shortened form of Aussie rules - with the aim of having it included as a permanent addition to the local Alice Springs competition from as early as next year.“I reckon we’ll just do it for about five or six weeks with two 20-minute halves in the first year,” Andy said.Allstars and the Old Stars will lock horns in a best-of-three series starting from 5pm today at Albrecht Oval.Hood, who will be pulling on a guernsey for the Allstars, will do battle with Clontarf’s multi-talented Simon ‘Bomber’ Coutts over the three games.“I played footy for Wests in the reserves and call myself a gypsy

footballer,” Bomber said.“The reason we put our team in is to promote a healthy lifestyle.” Andy has had an impressive playing CV, having played for Rovers in the Central Australian Football League and West Lakes in the Adelaide Amateur League in the early 90s.“I also played SANFL juniors for Port, Norwood and Woodville who weren’t that good,” he said.Allstars will also have Federal hard nut and sporting all-rounder James Nolan, football journeyman Bryan Littlely, 8HA radio personality Rowdy Rodrigues, and John Boyle.The likes of current Rovers A-grade veteran Rob Clarke, South premiership coach Darren Talbot, Ian McAdam, Barkly star Andrew Baker and Karl Hampton, will suit up in a strong Clontarf outfit.Alice Springs Allstars: Andy Hood, Bryan Littlely, Scott Weily, Nick Kossatch, Darren Champness, Jack Spears, John Boyle, Gav McGargill, Danny Fraser, Rowdy Rodrigues, Chad McLaren, Robert Campbell, Lincoln Jenkins, James Nolan.Clontarf Old Stars: Simon Coutts, Shaun Cusack, Ian McAdam, Darren Talbot, Chris McCaskill-Hants, Tom Clements, Jason Bell, Ross Fraser, Randall Gould, Andrew Baker, Rob Clarke, Karl Hampton, Dudley Clarke.The teams meet again in the second game from 9.30am tomorrow, followed by the third game from 4pm.

There will be an international flavour in the Masters Games archery competition.Seven archers from New Caledonia have included the Games in their holiday schedule and will be at the range today.They will take part in the Olympic-style competition with the blue, red and yellow targets.Archery co-ordinator Darryl Wakefield said this was the best spectator event in the sport.“The New Calendonians, aged in their 50s and 60s, were planning their holiday and heard about the Alice Springs Masters Games,” he said.

“They registered months ago and arrived for the Opening Ceremony and have been touring since then.”Darryl said archery was a good spectator sport.“If you have never seen archery before, it is quite interesting,” he said.“There’s no give and take between the men and women - they compete on an equal basis.“We’re putting up a marquee for any spectators who want to come out and have a look.” The New Caledonians bring the number of archery participants at the Games to almost 50.

Meanwhile, the ABA shoot will be held tomorrow and Saturday. This style of archery has 20 lanes with life-size animal targets made of rubber in each lane. The targets include deer, cats, foxes, camels and a 5m black bear.This is only the third time archery has featured at the Alice Springs Masters Games and is again being held at the Dead Centre Bowhunters Club, about 15km from town, off the Ilparpa Road.The competition is set in a picturesque country setting at the foot of the MacDonnell Ranges.

Yesterdays Winner“Stop Hammer time,

(Oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh)”N Ash

Archery attracts International interest

Table Tennis sees a rise in participation

First time sport AFL9s

The Friendly Games4

w

Friendly Times ContactsEditor - Andrea Allen Stories - Steve MenziesPhotos - Justin KennedyDesign - SamboPhone or SMS 0477 741 665

www.alicespringsmastersgames.com.au

2014 Alice Springs Masters Games Partners, Sponsors & Friends

AFL9’s5pm

Game 1 Albrecht Oval

Archery8am

FITA 60/900 round Alice Springs Shooting Complex

Athletics - Masters Mile

6pm Mens & Ladies

Gap Road

Badminton2pm

IndividualsOLSH Marian Centre

Baseball9am

Competition Lyle Kempster Park

Basketball11am

Competition Traeger Park Stadium

Cricket1.30pm & 3.30pm

CDU Oval, Jim McConville Park & Rhonda Diano Park

Cycling - Track & Road

7pm Street Sprint

Council Lawns

Darts9.30am

Team Games Alice Springs Golf Club

Eightball5pm

Competition Club Eastside

Equestrian9am & 10.30am

Competition Blatherskite Park

Football (Soccer)

5pm Competition Ross Park

Golf7am

Competition Alice Springs Golf Club

Hockey8.30am

Hockey Centre Traeger Park

Indoor Beach Volleyball

3.55pmCompetition

Desert Sands

Lawn Bowls8.30am

Mens & Ladies Singles Memorial Club

Motorcycling9am

The ScramblesAlice Springs Motorcycle Club

Mountain Biking

4pm ANZAC Hill Climb

ANZAC Hill

Netball6pm

Semi Finals Pat Gallagher Netball Courts

Shooting - Sporting Shooters

8.30am Competition

Sporting Shooters Club

Softball10am

CompetitionJim McConville Park

Squash2pm

Individuals & TeamsAlice Springs Squash Centre

Swimming1pm

800m FreestyleAlice Springs Town Pool

Table Tennis3.30pm

Team EventsOLSH Marian Centre

Tennis7.30am & 5.30pm Singles & Doubles

Traeger Park Courts

Tenpin Bowling10am

Competition Dustbowl

Touch9am & 3pm Competition Flynn Park

Triathlon, Duathlon

6am Duathlon

Alice Springs Desert Park

Whats on Today

freecall 1800 658 951 www.alicespringsmastersgames.com.au

facebook.com/alicespringsmastersgames @friendly_games

jtk photography To purchase official Games photographs visit jtkphotography.photoshelter.com