Another world champion from Central Otago has arrived on the international stage.

Nick Collier from Alexandra took out the Under 23 World Kayak Cross Championship in France last week.

It’s hot on the heels of Olympic champion Finn Butcher winning gold, for the first time, at a World Cup event in the Czech Republic, adding to his gold medal in Paris. Nicole Shields also earned a silver in cycling.

This all follows a fresh wave of success from our winter sports athletes competing overseas from the likes of Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, Luca Harrington, Adam Hall, Luke Harrold, Finley Melville Ives, and Ruby Andrews - just a few of the names making headlines.

Throw in America’s Cup winner Dougal Allan, rising athletics stars like Phoebe Laker, Siena Mackley and James Weber, talented Cromwell netballer Grace Tiko, Ironman Braden Currie, and adventure racers Simone Maier and Hamish Elliott, plus a kitchen sink full of promising young rowers and the tennis-playing Milburn clan from Queenstown, and the list just rolls on.

Then there are those with strong Central Otago roots who now live or train elsewhere but still carry the region’s sporting DNA.

Kim Cadzow, originally from Luggate, rode at the Paris Olympics, placing seventh in the women’s individual time trial. She now rides professionally in Europe. 

Ranfurly’s Eden Carson plays for the White Ferns, joined by Arrowtown’s Bella James. No doubt there are others.

And behind all that is a region that oozes grassroots sport, rugby, netball, football, hockey , you name it. From Maniototo to Roxburgh, Alexandra to Omakau, Cromwell to the Wakatipu Basin, our communities are fuelling dreams of world titles and national honours.

It’s a bit different than driving from one side of Hamilton to the other to play sport.

Decades ago, the biggest sporting names out of Central might have been former All Blacks Bevan Wilson and the late Neil Purvis and Don Clark.

Wow, how the landscape has changed. Is it something in the water? With water being a sore subject for many of our communities, perhaps not.

More likely, it’s people. Growth has brought expertise to the region. Competitions are stronger. Lifestyle and training conditions here are second to none.

Sport in Central Otago is well and truly on the map and long may those unique grassroots experiences continue to feed the dreams of our future world, Olympic and national champions. It is an experience, in my opinion, like no other in this country.

That’s my view from the sideline.