Nine To Noon for Friday 22 December 2023

 

09:05 2023 in review

Brigitte Morten, Gareth Hughes, Rebecca Stevenson and Alan Blackman look back on a tumultuous year.

 

09:25 Why star student Leo Guo is Sydney bound

18 year old Leo Guo is relaxing at a Coromandel beach after stunning achievement in his final year of High School. He was the runner up to dux at Lindisfarne College in Hastings last year, this year he was dux. Along with teenagers from around the country he's waiting for his official NCEA level 3 and Scholarship results - but he probably doesn't have much to worry about after getting perfect scores in some of his school exams this year.

09:35 Life on a line hundreds of metres up with Gavin Alexander Lewis

Walking across a tightrope suspended hundreds of metres above a lake sounds like a terrifying nightmare for most people. But for Gavin Alexander Lewis it is a way to focus and relax. Alexander Lewis, along with fellow highliner Angelo Swan, both from Queenstown feature in the documentary Flow State, streaming on TVNZ+. The film is the project of three Massey University students, and centres on the two friends pushing each other in the sport, as well as the role it has had in their mental wellbeing.

10:05 Ultra-runner Jon Nabbs on his 7500km Canada journey

As far as ultra-running goes - it doesn't get much bigger than trying to cross Canada. But that's the goal Kiwi Jon Nabbs set for himself all the way back in May.  He started the 7500-kilometre journey in St John's Newfoundland, and has run through six Canadian provinces, the equivalent of about 130 marathons and six pairs of running shoes on his way to Vancouver. His uber-endeavour was prompted by losing both parents to cancer. First, he walked the length of New Zealand. Then he settled on an even bigger challenge. He runs in a superman suit - now with a woolly jersey as the temperatures plunge to below-zero. He has no support crew - just a pram he's nicknamed 'Shania'. Along the way he's encouraging people in both New Zealand and Canada to donate to child cancer charities. He joins Kathryn to detail the highs and lows of the journey so far. 

10:30 Jeremy Taylor's best music for 2023

Slowboat Records' Jeremy Taylor looks back on what he's been listening to this year, and shares his favourite tracks of 2023.

11:05 Haere Ra, 2023

Wellington chamber choir Nota Bene sing Chrismas songs, and  - Te Radar, Irene Pink, Kennedy Warne, Sam Ackerman and Kirsten Zemke bid farewell to 2024.

11:20 Travels with the Ladies in Red

Sharon Hastie and Kath Hall have spent the last two years travelling the country in their home on wheels, a housebus named 'Ladies in Red". It was Kath's breast cancer diagnosis that made them revealuate their busy lives and leave behind jobs in IT and communications.In October 2021 after downsizing a lifetime of possessions they sold their house to move full time into the bus, along with their dog Sofia. They talk to Kathryn about how nomadic life is treating them.

11:30 Ardie Savea on 2023 and being in a new kids' book

Ardie Savea has had a whirlwind year. Named world rugby player of the year, days after almost taking the All Blacks to world cup glory as the stand-in captain. He is now in Japan after signing for the Kobelco Kobe Steelers for the 2024 season. But the blindside flanker has been reflecting on the foundation years of his career - specifically getting to where he needed to, to train and play for his beloved Ories - the Oriental Rongotai Rugby Club. He and his brother - the former All Black Julian Savea would have to get from south Wellington to places like Porirua and Lower Hutt - and often without a car. Those journeys are at the heart of a new children's book called A One Good Kiwi Story: Ardie Savea. His wife Saskia, who he owns a clothing brand with, and their three kids feature in the book as well. Ardie talks about how he became involved in the project.

11:30 : A couple of Christmas jokes 

Beau and Otis Ackerman (Sam's boys) each share their favourite Yuletide joke with Kathryn.