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The athletes awoke with anticipation for the Team FUNction ceremony to be held mid-morning. The team caught our private chartered double-decker bus and we headed to a mystery location for our team welcome ceremony. We arrived at the Bungalow station, and 47 kiwis squeezed into a small tram carriage. The tram crossed the TT course (a famous 26 mile treacherous TT motorbike racing track) on the way up to Mount Snaefell which is 2060ft high! This mountain is the highest point on the Isle of Man, and on a clear day you can see seven kingdoms; England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Isle of Man, the sea and heaven. The howling wind did not dampen the spirits of the team as we filed into the lovely caf for our ceremony. Chef de Mission Peter Wardell welcomed the team and the parents who had come to support New Zealand. He spoke about how the athletes were young korus on their pathway to wearing a silver fern, and acknowledged their commitment and dedication to reaching this point. Athlete support Sarah van Ballekom, hailing from Ngai Tahu, gave her mihi explaining that the athletes were connected by a silver thread that tied the team together from the corners of New Zealand and would continue to do so long after the Games were finished. Team Services guru Evelyn Williamson presented each athlete with a pendant engraved with a koru from the Kaiterete Spit and a team book. The group concluded their ceremony with a haka which silenced the bustling caf. On our return to Douglas, the tram carted us back through the historic town of Laxey, which is home to the largest operating water wheel (named Isabelle) in the world! The rest of the day was spent training and relaxing in the team lounge. Pete and Sarah dressed up and attended a function held at the Isle of Man Governors house. Unsurprisingly, the Governor took quite a liking to the kiwi contingent, who promised him an impromptu haka at the Closing Ceremony. On return to the team hotel the Ka Mate haka could be heard from the bus stop. Another practice was underway and after some shuffling in the team lounge, the team moved outside and performed the haka on the street, much to the delight of the locals! A great day, the team are in competition mode and ready for action. Bring it on!
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