Waipapa's Tom Marshall has been forced to reconsider his earlier stance of not travelling to contest the Christchurch leg of 2013/14 Cody's D1NZ national drifting championship.

The Far North XI were pretty much blown off Cobham Oval by their Whangarei Invitational counterparts in the fourth and final leg of the inaugural City vs Country 40/40 series.

The family of a Kawakawa teenager selected to represent New Zealand in touch in Australia later this year have been humbled by the show of support from the Bay of Islands community.

The old saying "prior proper planning prevents poor performance" is never more applicable than when you're building or renovating.

A Far North ex-pat who returned home last year has secured the role of Far North development officer for Rugby League Northland (RLN).

The Muriwhenua Women's basketball team ended up with the bridesmaid tag for the second year in a row after losing the final of the Te Tai Tokerau Classic tournament to the defending champions.

A local teenager has been invited to join the Warriors Development Squad.

With the snapper being particularly prolific off the Far North west coast over the past few weeks, one local commentator believed this boded well for those anglers competing in next month's Captain Morgan Snapper Bonanza.

A large crowd turned out to watch a rare and thrilling display of freestyle motocross riding at the Kaitaia A&P Show on Saturday.

A local wahine is gearing up to return to the ring where she'll represent the Far North in a Muay Thai kickboxing fight in Thailand in April.

The long-term focus of an innovative programme launched by a Kaitaia kura earlier this month is to provide students with healthy eating and lifestyle choices.

The Kaitaia Athletics Club recommenced for the final term of the 2013 summer last Tuesday evening on the Kaitaia College bottom fields....

To describe Patric Nussbaum as one unhappy camper risks becoming one of the understatements of the year so far.

The weather played an important part in the Centennial Bay of Islands Sheepdog Trials which were held on Te Ahu Ahu mountain last Friday and Saturday.

A local mother and her son both returned good results at the North Kaipara A&P Show held from January 31 to February 1.

If the numbers of cars in the carpark of the Church Road Bowling Club are anything to go by, the Kaitaia Bridge Club continues to enjoy a surge of popularity that would make it the envy of any local sporting club.

Over the past four years since its establishment, the event formerly known as the Kaikohe Kids Sports Expo has grown from strength to strength, and that progression was expected to continue this year...

The first field day of the new year hosted by the 90 Mile Beach Surfcasting Club attracted a large number of anglers and fish alike.

A Kaitaia cricket umpire is in line to be named New Zealand's most popular on-field official in the Specsavers' Favourite [amateur] Cricket Umpire competition.

The main winners from the Doubtless Bay Fishing Contest and Auction prizegiving held at the Mangonui Fire Station grounds on Saturday and Sunday of Auckland Anniversary Weekend

FINE FORMATION: The Northland Area Team which placed 3rd overall in the New Zealand Pony Club Dressage Championships in Taupo

Four Far North cyclists joined an elite group of two-wheeled aficionados who can claim to have cycled from the bottom of New Zealand to the top.

Far North paddlers scored a number of top places and also secured unforgettable experiences at the 25th annual waka ama sprint nationals on Lake Karapiro last week.

A large crowd of local players converged upon Houhora to take part in the Any Combination 2x4x2 Tournament last month

SO there he was, The Offsider, delivering more of his favourite and most interesting quotes he'd reported on or otherwise heard and seen during 2013 ...

Paihia woman Jo Henwood came close to setting a New Zealand record with a monster big-eye tuna on Saturday.

Oruaiti fundraiserSome good golf and some not-so-good was the order of the day at the Oruaiti School's annual ambrose golf fundraising tournament

Having virtually travelled around the world by kite over the past six months, Ahipara man Les Bore should be able to dine out on stories of his adventures for some time.

There were smiles all round at the Kerikeri Croquet Club recently after the faction learnt it had received a generous grant from Oxford Sports Trust.