This month, a team of four girls from Westlake Girls and four boys from Westlake Boys showcased their incredible skills and determination at the annual Adventure Racing Hillary Challenge final in the Tongariro National Park. This event, which they qualified for in May, is known to be a highly challenging event over five days.

The competition included 12 one-hour challenges on the first two days such as rock climbing, raft building, disc golf, and problem-solving. These activities tested the participants’ physical endurance, teamwork, and strategic thinking.

The adventure continued with a two-day rogaine on the side of Mt. Ruapehu. Despite the harsh conditions, with temperatures starting around 1°C, the team demonstrated resilience by pitching their tent fly in the snow for an overnight stay! The team had an absolute ball over these two days and came away beaming and excited for the final challenge.

The final day pushed the competitors to their limits with a gruelling 50km multisport race that included a 2km kayak each, 9km run, 30km mountain bike and a final 7km run. The team had a slow start to the race but did an exceptional job coming back up through the field.

Ultimately, the team achieved an impressive 10th place in New Zealand. This is a remarkable accomplishment, especially considering that none of the team members had participated in the Hillary Challenge before. With a relatively young team, all but one member are eligible to compete again next year, promising even greater potential for future success.

Congratulations to our Westlake Boys and Girls for their outstanding performance and for representing our schools with such pride and perseverance.

A special congratulations also goes to Sasha Bosch, who was awarded the “Toughness Award” which is given to the toughest female of any team in the competition!

After finishing 5th in the Auckland netball competition and then 5th at the Upper North Island Secondary Schools Championship, Westlake Girls’ top four finish at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball Championship in Christchurch was a phenomenal way to finish the season.

The tall team was led by Year 13 defender Jaz Zanders, who was jointly awarded the Auckland Netball MVP of the Year, and her vice-captain, Tai Baillie, the NZ Under 20 Touch Squad member. They faced a tough pool in Christchurch with Howick College, the Auckland and Upper North Island champions. After struggling to beat New Plymouth Girls High School, 34-25, they went down to Howick 25-44 in their second match.  This meant an all-important encounter against St Andrews College the next morning would determine a top 8 placing.  The Christchurch team led for most of the game holding a 5-point lead going into the last quarter. However, in the last five minutes, Westlake went on a scoring spree to level the game at 39-39 and claim the final spot in the top 8 on points differential.

The uphill climb continued into the top half of the draw, with Wellington’s top team, St Marys, and the defending national champions Avondale in their group. Coach, April Ieremia asked her determined side to empty their tank against Wellington’s best, and they did! The thrilling goal-for-goal encounter handed St Marys their first loss of the season, 35-34.

Westlake’s next match was even more challenging. They needed to overcome  Avondale College to secure a top 4 finish at nationals and potentially a finals spot. Staying in the game took indescribable willpower, but phenomenal shooting from Karmen Maritz and Phia Marshall kept Westlake close to the National Champs and victory in the final quarter, 35-34. Tears and screams of joy and elation filled Court 4 as the team had done the incredible and were now just one win away from making the final. The last time Westlake girls had made the final of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Champs was in 2018 when they went down to Mt Albert Grammar.  Tawa College, however, was the last hurdle, and they were determined to push the North Shore side hard.  With tired bodies and their fuel tanks nearly empty, Westlake went down to Tawa.
The Swans met fellow Auckland team St Kent’s in the bronze medal match, but by then, Westlake had played their best the previous day and went down by 10 points. It was a memorable week that rewarded Westlake with the top four finish they never expected until they arrived at the Christchurch Netball Centre.

The students now have a couple of weeks off before Summer Strength and Conditioning begins in November.

The team received support from the One Foundation Limited for travel expenses, for which they were very grateful.

In week 10 of Term Three, the Year 12 Outdoor Ed cohort finished off their adventurous year with their Mountain Trip in the Whakarewarewa Forest- Rotorua. Students had the chance to explore and experience the thrill of Mountain Biking and test their skills on different tracks. They also had the opportunity to complete their performance assessment and push themselves to their limits.

Year 11 student Charley March has been selected for the New Zealand Under-17 Football World Cup Squad travelling to the Dominican Republic, representing both school and country on the global stage.

This is a fantastic achievement for Charley and Westlake – congratulations, Charley!

The Westlake Girls diving team competed at the Auckland Secondary Schools competition in August. The competition consisted of 23 other schools, with our team taking first place overall, overtaking Albany Junior and Albany Senior High School in the standings, taking their 12-year winning streak. The overall team score was 749.20, with second place far behind at 584.75. Our team consisted of Grace Campbell, Grace Young, Charlie Barron, Charlotte Wilson, Isabelle Butler and Jaemay Tan.

In the junior girls, Charlotte was third, and Izzy was 13th. In the 15-16 girls, Charli placed 12th, Grace Young placed 13th, and Jaemay placed 14th.

Finally, in the senior girls, Grace Campbell placed third. Charlotte placed third with Grace Campbell in the synchro competition. Grace Young and Jaemay finished in 14th place, and Izzy, paired with an Albany Junior diver, placed together in 16th.

The girls won the Secondary Schools Cup thanks to these outcomes.

• Cross Country:

o   Under 14 Girls – Astyn Nasmith 1^st (New Zealand Champion) and Kaylan Nasmith and 2^nd.

o   Under 17 Girls – Stella Beale 7^th.

o   Cross Country Teams Relay – Under 20 Girls 2^nd.

• Enduro:

o   Under 17 Girls – Stella Beale 9^th.

After finishing third at the School Basketball World Champs in Macau, China (July 2024), Westlake Girls High School continued their impressive unbeaten run from the Auckland regular season into the 2024 New Zealand Secondary Schools National Championship, held in Palmerston North from 30 September to 5 October. Their dominant performance throughout the tournament highlighted the strength of their basketball program, led by coaches Bronwen Davidson and Nela Fotu.

Westlake sailed through pool play with commanding victories against Rangitoto College (102-44), Manukura School (87-38), Christchurch High School (100-25), Rotorua High School (104-37), and St Peters College (81-69). They advanced to the quarter-finals, defeating Hamilton High School 81-62.

In the semi-finals, they showcased their offensive prowess and defensive discipline with a 94-71 win over Tauranga Girls High School. The final was a rematch of the 2022 and 2023 championships against St Andrews College, where Westlake secured a resounding victory, 97-69, claiming their third consecutive national title.

Kodee Williams-Sefo earned the MVP award with a standout tournament performance, accumulating 110 points, 63 rebounds, 19 assists, and 21 steals. Other key players included point guard Amy Pateman, who contributed 108 points, 32 assists, and 22 steals, and Emma-Kaye Schroeder, who led the team with 165 points and 22 steals, demonstrating exceptional endurance. Forward Zenthia Stowers was the anchor in the defence and a key scorer with 96 points who disrupted many of the opposition’s plays.

Imani Rasmussen dominated the boards with 74 rebounds, using her 1.9m height to block many scoring attempts. Starters Elin Vincent and Lily Fotu were critical in the defensive lineup and impressed with their relentless hustle. They disrupted opponents’ flow and added deflections that caused other teams many headaches!

Charlotte Mawston added another dimension off the bench with her defence and speed, excelling on many fast breaks.

As one of the five seniors, Brennah Latoalevi-Nosa brings a calm and steady presence to the court, especially in high-pressure situations that require composure and patience. In addition to her leadership, she is a sharp three-point shooter, adding depth to Westlake’s offensive game. Most memorably, Brennah’s iconic pre-game chant, “Lock-In”, will leave a lasting impact for years.

With five seniors finishing high school this year, Westlake introduced three junior players to the squad, giving them invaluable experience at this pinnacle event and preparing them for next season as Westlake looks to defend their title once again.

Westlake Girls High School’s continued success is a testament to their rigorous preparation, exceptional teamwork, and the depth of their squad, making them the clear favourites at the Secondary School Nationals.

After the tournament, the team will take a well-earned break before focusing on end-of-year exams in November.

Their team bond, shared victories and defeats, laughter, and tears are critical to their success. They have plans to celebrate their remarkable season together at an end-of-year event with coaches, staff, and families, reinforcing their strong bond and shared achievements.

None of this would have been possible without the help of some fantastic organisations.

For the team’s national’s campaign, they received funding from the New Zealand Community Trust for accommodation and air travel costs. For the trip to China, it took six months of intense fundraising from students and parents, coupled with the generous support of sponsors, Precise Homes, Dils Funeral Services, the Asia NZ Foundation, Volvo Cars North Shore and Shakespeare Orthodontics.

Our school is extremely grateful for the support from these generous people.

Honours for the Westlake Girls Sailing Team continue to flow into the fourth quarter of the year after being awarded the New Zealand Youth Performance Award by Yachting New Zealand. The acknowledgement features the team’s inaugural success at the 2023 Inter Dominion Trans-Tasman Test Series where they won the Girls Championship to become the Top Girls Sailing School in Australasia. 

Two weeks ago, the Premier team repeated that feat in Auckland at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club when they again won the Girls Championship Trophy. They then went on to assist the top six New Zealand Girls and Boys teams to defeat Australia and win the overall Inter Dominion Sailing Trophy.

The regatta began ominously for Westlake Girls, with Tasmania’s St Michael’s Collegiate and Brisbane’s Moreton Bay handing the team two losses. However, a decisive win against Whangarei Girls allowed them to top the leaderboard after Day One. 

Demanding conditions on Day Two meant the wind was soft, inconsistent, and unpredictable, causing the course to be adjusted many times. St Michael’s outperformed the rest of the fleet to finish this day at the top of the board and Westlake Girls tucked into second place.

Strong winds arrived on the third and final day of the series, which suited the Swans, whose team thrived in these conditions, showcasing an outstanding performance with a perfect record of five wins in five races.

The team demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination, overcoming a one-point deficit to St Michael’s. With several gear malfunctions during the morning that delayed the races, the Race Committee ultimately decided that the wind was too fierce to continue racing after just one Round Robin and awarded Westlake Girls the victory by a single point. They won 15 out of 20 races to win the Girls Trophy for 2024.

Outstanding performances from the other Kiwi schools (Nelson Girls, Whangarei Girls representing the NZ girls and Auckland Boys Grammar, St Kents and Rangitoto for the boys) handed New Zealand the Inter Dominion Trans-Tasman Trophy over Australia.  Auckland Grammer won the Boys Top Team Trophy.

This has capped off another exceptionally successful year for the Westlake Girls Sailing Team, with victories in every regatta they have participated in this season.  The team will be honoured at the NZ Yachting Excellence Awards on 22 November at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron on 22 November when they are presented the Youth Performance Award of the Year.

Congratulations to Sailing Coach Robbie Wooldridge and Manager Paula Satterthwaite for creating a successful sailing programme.