{"source_url": "https://www.nzherald.co.nz", "url": "https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=12297380&ref=rss", "title": "Women demonstrate their strength at Northland's Scottish Highland Games", "top_image": "https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/lnhm8rXtpZczOlUt6Ox2p_YHpc4=/1200x0/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/ODZTCJCESVEKDFFBCP3BCHOWV4.jpg", "meta_img": "https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/lnhm8rXtpZczOlUt6Ox2p_YHpc4=/1200x0/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/ODZTCJCESVEKDFFBCP3BCHOWV4.jpg", "images": ["https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/lnhm8rXtpZczOlUt6Ox2p_YHpc4=/1200x0/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/ODZTCJCESVEKDFFBCP3BCHOWV4.jpg", "https://www.nzherald.co.nz/pb/resources/assets/plugin-assets/logo-picker-images/optimized/northern-advocate.svg", "https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/SD7pN0mZVOSjHO068enPJb5x3_4=/16x9/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/ODZTCJCESVEKDFFBCP3BCHOWV4.jpg", "https://www.nzherald.co.nz/pb/resources/assets/icons/navigation/site-logo/svg/nzh-logo.svg", "data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPAAAOrq6v///yH5BAAAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==", "https://secure-nz.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/m?ci=nz-apn&cg=0&cc=1&ts=noscript"], "movies": [], "text": "\n\nWhile tradition and heritage are at the core of Waip\u016b's famous Highland Games, the Caledonian Society doesn't shy away from introducing new elements into one of the longest-running Scottish gatherings in the Southern Hemisphere \u2013 and this year was marked by a great boost for women.\n\nFor the first time in its 149-year history, the Highland Games featured a women's division in the heavyweight competition, with four contestants taking up the challenge.\n\nSonia Tompkins, Rachel Boyce-Bacon, Dee Field and Tahlia Brody took it to the grand arena to throw 10kg stones and Gaelic hammers \u2013 the same weights as the men were heaving \u2013 and tried their skills at caber tossing.\n\nTompkins said competing was a fun experience and she was glad to have joined alongside her friends, Boyce-Bacon and Field.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n\"It feels very unbalanced when you lift the caber, and you're constantly trying to adjust. You just really have to go with the momentum. It's quite the adrenaline rush once you let go of it.\"\n\nREAD MORE:\n\n\u2022 Let the games begin: Waip\u016b Highland games on again tomorrow\n\n\u2022 Another bumper crowd at Waipu Highland Games on a hot day\n\n\u2022 What's On: New Year's eve fireworks in Paihia, Waip\u016b Highland Games and more\n\n\u2022 Strong competition in Heavyweight events at Waip\u016b Highland Games on New Year's Day\n\nWhile Brody, who had played rugby for Bay of Plenty during the last season, had come up North specifically to join the Highland Games, the trio around Tompkins are a group of local friends who were keen to take on a new challenge.\n\n\"We are all going to the same gym, and we were having a coffee together one day, and I just asked the others. It was great to have a goal to work towards to,\" Field said.\n\nIn preparation for the Games, the group held a few training sessions at the beach throwing heavy objects and makeshift weights, including concrete-filled pots they made in their garage.\n\nField said she was surprised they didn't have women's section earlier and welcomed the new opportunity.\n\nProminent female athletes, including Valerie Adams in 2003, had joined the Waip\u016b Games for the heavyweight competitions before, however, having a separate women's division is new.\n\nRugby player Brody who is originally from the United States said having a separate division might boost women's confidence and make them more comfortable when competing in the sport.", "keywords": [], "meta_keywords": ["Northern Advocate", "Ruakaka", "Hikurangi", "Kaikohe", "Waipu", "Paihia", "Kerikeri", "Bay of Islands", "Dargaville", "Kaipara District"], "tags": [], "authors": [], "publish_date": null, "summary": "", "article_html": "", "meta_description": "2020 was the first time the Waip\u016b games had a women's heavyweight division.", "meta_lang": "en", "meta_favicon": "/pb/resources/favicon.ico", "meta_data": {"viewport": "width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, maximum-scale=1.0, minimum-scale=1.0, user-scalable=no", "description": "2020 was the first time the Waip\u016b games had a women's heavyweight division.", "keywords": "Northern Advocate,Ruakaka,Hikurangi,Kaikohe,Waipu,Paihia,Kerikeri,Bay of Islands,Dargaville,Kaipara District", "news_keywords": "Northern Advocate,Ruakaka,Hikurangi,Kaikohe,Waipu,Paihia,Kerikeri,Bay of Islands,Dargaville,Kaipara District", "twitter": {"site": "@nzherald", "card": "summary_large_image", "creator": "@nzherald", "description": "2020 was the first time the Waip\u016b games had a women's heavyweight division.", "image": "https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/lnhm8rXtpZczOlUt6Ox2p_YHpc4=/1200x0/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/ODZTCJCESVEKDFFBCP3BCHOWV4.jpg", "title": "Women demonstrate their strength at Northland's Scottish Highland Games"}, "og": {"description": "2020 was the first time the Waip\u016b games had a women's heavyweight division.", "type": "article", "site_name": "NZ Herald", "locale": "en_NZ", "image": {"identifier": "https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/lnhm8rXtpZczOlUt6Ox2p_YHpc4=/1200x0/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/ODZTCJCESVEKDFFBCP3BCHOWV4.jpg", "alt": "Craig Walker watches on as United States competitor Tahlia Brody prepares to toss the caber. Photo / John Stone"}, "title": "Women demonstrate their strength at Northland's Scottish Highland Games", "url": "https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=12297380"}, "distribution": "global", "rating": "general", "language": "en_NZ", "fb": {"app_id": 34497296301, "pages": 229844183693622}, "robots": "index, follow, NOODP", "article": {"publisher": "https://www.facebook.com/nzherald.co.nz", "tag": "Ruakaka, Hikurangi, Kaikohe, Waipu, Paihia, Kerikeri, Bay of Islands, Dargaville, Kaipara District, Kaitaia, Whangarei, Kaiwaka, Mangonui, Mangawhai, Far North District, Kawakawa, Northland, New Zealand, Tutukaka", "section": "Northern Advocate", "published_time": "2020-01-01T19:00:00Z"}, "publication_type": "NORADV", "canonicalUrl": "http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=12297380", "pageType": "article", "title": "Women demonstrate their strength at Northland's Scottish Highland Games"}, "canonical_link": "https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=12297380"}