Old Boys in the news

8/6/2009

* Greg Henderson (1990-94), New Zealand’s premier all-round cyclist – is in line to race in this year’s Tour de France with his Columba High Road team. Greg, the only Kiwi rider ranked inside the world’s 100, has enjoyed a spectacular last few weeks with several podium finishes culminating in his victory in the final stage of the Tour of Catalunya where he outsprinted multiple Tour de France stage winner Thor Hushovd. He is currently in Boulder, Colarado preparing for the 280 kilometre Philadelphia International Championship street race, which he won in 2006. It is the longest running and highest-ranked International Cycling Union single-day cycling road race in the United States.

* University of Otago chemistry Associate Professor Allan Blackman (1977-81) has received a teaching excellence award. Prof Blackman, who writes a column titled ‘‘Chemistry Matters’’ in the Otago Daily Times, said the award was a ‘‘fantastic acknowledgement’’ of the teaching work he had done over the years. He had not been a top undergraduate student himself and could empathise with the problems students had. ‘‘The fact that things didn’t necessarily come easily to me when I was an undergrad makes me better able to see where students might be having trouble,’’ he said.

* Former poet laureate Brian Turner (1957-61) is one of five Otago authors named as finalists in this year’s 13th Montana New Zealand Book of the Year Awards. Brian’s entry Into the Wider World: A Back Country Miscellany is included in the environment category with the winner to be announced in late-July.

* Matthew Caradus (2001-05) is creating a real impression with his musical talents – and his choice of instruments. Matthew plays both the didgeridoo and the mandolin but suggest mixing the two isn’t difficult. ‘‘It’s kind of like singing and playing the guitar. You’re just making noises with your mouth instead.’’ Recently Matthew and his group Native were guest artists at the 16th Whitestone Winter Folk Festival at Camp Iona, near Herbert. He has played the violin since he was five and the mandolin for many years. Several years ago he found a didgeridoo in his basement several years ago, bought another one and after some lessons in cyclic breathing he decided to have a go at playing it. Matthew is studying for an honours degree in music and is keen to get into film music composition.