The White Ferns, Team NZ, Auckland FC, the Black Caps, Silver Ferns and Paddle Ferns Photo: Various
How good was that?
The current news climate has left us screaming out for something positive to talk about, but Aotearoa's athletes heard loud and clear to deliver a weekend's worth of incredible success.
From an America's Cup win to perhaps the greatest turnaround in cricket history and everything in between.
Here's the highlights of a golden 48 hours:
The America's Cup is (yet again) New Zealand's cup
The crew of Emirates Team New Zealand celebrate winning the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Match against Britain's Ineos Britannia (not seen), off the coast of Barcelona on October 19, 2024. Photo: LLUIS GENE / AFP
Easily the biggest result in terms of return on investment, Team NZ's win over Ineos Brittania was admittedly the most predictable as well. They took a 4-2 lead into the weekend, winning the crucial ninth race in the best of 13 series by 37 seconds and adding a fifth America's Cup to the team's now formidable legacy.
Auckland FC wins on and off the field
Auckland FC's Hiroki Sakai celebrates after Auckland go ahead following an own goal from a Brisbane defender. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / www.photosport.nz
The last time Auckland had a professional football team, the average crowd was so small the ground announcer just needed to slightly raise his voice instead of using a PA system. So it was fair to say that the 24,000 that showed up to Auckland FC's first ever A-League game at Go Media Mt Smart was a marked improvement, and they got what they came for with a 2-0 win. Logan Rogerson's cool finish to ice the result over the Brisbane Roar sent the big crowd crazy, a great first step in winning over Auckland's famously fickle sporting public.
The Black Caps conquer India
Rachin Ravindra of New Zealand and Will Young walk off the pitch after defeating India by eight wickets in Bengaluru. 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Black Caps chasing a low total on day five in Bengaluru was enough to send jitters up any cricket fan, but we needn't have worried. Will Young and Rachin Ravindra calmly guided the side to the 107 needed to beat India, in a test match that saw the hosts absolutely flayed by the first innings pace attack and skittled for a record low 46. Remember: this was India playing at home, which should make that Black Cap dominance virtually impossible. The resulting eight-wicket win was the first in India by an NZ test side since 1988.
The White Ferns go from arguably worst to most definitely first
The White Ferns celebrate with the trophy after the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Final match. Photo: Isuru Sameera Peiris/Photosport
Seriously, who saw this coming? The White Ferns had lost 10 MATCHES IN A ROW leading into the T20 World Cup, before embarking on an unbelievable run that's seen them now crowned queens of the cricket world. They won the final of the ICC T20 Women's World Cup by a comfortable 32 runs, with Melie Kerr the main contributor by scoring 43 and picking up 3 for 24. Veterans Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates were able to lift NZ's first major women's ICC trophy in 24 years, capping off a memorable night for cricket as we head into our own season's worth of home fixtures.
Silver Ferns smack the Aussies
Silver Ferns Kelly Jackson with team mates Karin Burger and Kate Heffernan celebrate their win during the Constellation Cup. Photo: Marty Melville/Photosport
Another women's team under some scrutiny for their recent results responded by breathing some fire over their biggest rivals, with the Silver Ferns thumping Australia by 14 goals on Sunday night in Wellington. Spearheaded by almost perfect shooting performances by Grace Nweke and Ameliaranne Ekanasio, the margin is the largest over the Diamonds in 14 years and sets the Ferns up for a real chance at winning the Constellation Cup for only the third time.
Heartland heroics
Thames Valley celebrate their win during the Meads Cup Final. Photo: Andy Skinner/Photosport
While Thames Valley and King Country lifted the Meads and Lochore Cups respectively, grassroots provincial rugby was the ultimate winner after two highly entertaining and well attended Heartland Championship finals. The Swamp Foxes took out Mid-Canterbury in Te Aroha 37-29, while the Rams had to go to extra time to get over West Coast by the scarcely believable scoreline of 46-44.
Canoe Polo? Yeah, we're the best at that too
The NZ Paddle Ferns before the world championship final against Italy. Photo: NZ Paddle Ferns/Facebook
The New Zealand Paddle Ferns, our women's senior canoe polo team, blasted their way to a 6-1 win over Italy in the final of the world championships in Deqing, China. Emma Malcolm and Tania Dugdale opened up a lead the women's senior side never gave up, to win their second gold medal at the champs after topping the podium in 2016.
Hayden Wilde wins the last race of the season
New Zealand triathlete Hayden Wilde. Photo: Photosport
He might have been beaten to a gold medal in Paris, but Hayden Wilde capped off his year with a win at the World Triathlon Championship Series finale in Torremolinos, Spain. Wilde got home in a time of one hour and 42 minutes, charging up the field after the first lap of the run leg.
The result came in just as the White Ferns were lifting their trophy, capping off a weekend of glory across a range of sports.
