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NEWS ARTICLES

New Polaris Offers Single-Seat Freedom For Kids

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Polaris, the industry leader in youth off-road vehicles, has announced another first, the single-seat Polaris ACE™ 150 EFI, the industry’s only single-seat youth model with a protective cab frame.

Modelled after Polaris ACE vehicles, the new Polaris ACE 150 EFI gives kids 10 years old and older (varies by market) the single-seat freedom enjoyed by their adult counterparts. Parents will love the included safety features and kids will love how fun it is to drive.

“Polaris continues to innovate its youth line up to provide a wide variety of safe, fun options for kids,” said Craig Scanlon, Polaris Off-Road Vehicles Chief Retail Officer. “The new Polaris ACE 150 EFI is another way for families to share the off-road riding experience together.”

The Polaris ACE 150 EFI has several features to provide a safe, enjoyable ride. The 150cc, Electronic Fuel Injected (EFI) engine has four speed-limit modes. Standard from the factory the vehicle is limited to 16 km/h (10 mph). Adults are able to adjust the top speed to 24 km/h (15 mph), 35 km/h (22 mph) or 47 km/h (29 mph), based on the skills of the rider. Other safety features include LED daytime running lights, seatbelt, side nets, whip flag and parking brake. Additionally, the vehicle comes with a video explaining safe operation and a helmet to reinforce the importance of wearing proper safety gear.

The Polaris ACE 150 EFI offers a large ergonomic range of adjustability to grow with the driver. This includes ample amounts of headroom, tilt steering wheel and pedals, and adjustable bucket seat for growing riders. Likewise, the vehicle is the most capable youth model, featuring (15.2 cm) 6-in. of rear suspension travel, (22.9 cm) 9-in. of ground clearance, and large 22-in tires. The features enable easier maneouvrability over obstacles and provide easier handling for youth riders. For added customisation, the Polaris ACE 150 EFI can be accessorized with poly roof, half-windscreen, and front and rear bumpers.

The Polaris ACE 150 EFI will be available in Indy Red and initial units are expected into Europe in April, 2017 with full availability later this year. It joins the Phoenix 200, RZR 170 EFI, Outlaw and Sportsman 110 EFI, and Outlaw 50 as part of Polaris youth lineup.

Dennis makes Tigers more self-sufficient

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After having to rely on outside assistance for the past few years, Castleford Tigers RLFC are now able to keep all of their turf maintenance tasks in-house after purchasing a brand new Dennis G860 cylinder mower.

Stuart Vause has been involved with the club for 13 years part time and 3 years as head groundsman after 30 years in the trade working for a local authority. In that time it is fair to say that he has had his work cut-out, which has not been helped by an ageing pitch and an overload of fixtures.

“The season runs from February until the back-end of September and the first-team has approximately 17 home games. In addition, the Under 19’s and Under 16’s play their home games here and the first team also train on it four times a week during the season. Sometimes the pitch can be used up to six times a week and that is quite a lot for an ageing pitch which has no drainage or irrigation system.”

Without having the equipment to hand, Stuart would have to rely on favours here and there from fellow local groundsmen and would also have to call in outside contractors With limited resources Stuart continued to do a remarkable job but when his ride-on mower appeared to have had its day, he knew the time had come to seek investment and look for a new machine.

“Our previous machine wasn’t really the ideal tool and we were having a lot of break-downs,” says Stuart. “My main aim was to become more self-sufficient and I wanted one machine that I would be able to complete a range of tasks with.”

“I looked at a whole range of mowers. I spoke to other groundsmen and got their advice; I did my own research looking online and comparing various mowers and looked at what other users had said about them. The Dennis G860 kept coming up and from my previous position of working for a local authority I was already familiar with the brand. We used to have Dennis mowers for a number of bowling greens and cricket wickets so I knew that they were robust, performed excellently and any replacement parts were easy to get hold of.”

As Stuart says, his research led him to the Dennis G860, which is the ideal machine for someone looking to complete a number of tasks with just one power unit. Featuring an interchangeable cassette system, users have the option of fitting different types of heads including scarifiers, verticutters, brushes, spikers, and slitters – something which Stuart is particularly impressed with.

“In my opinion, the G860’s best feature is the interchangeable cassette system – it’s unbelievable. It means that you’ve got one machine for so many jobs and it’s just so easy – one-out-one in – and if you have a good day at it, you can scarify, brush, and cut all in one day.”

“I’ve got the 8-bladed cutting cylinder, the verti-cutting cassette, the tungsten tipped verti-cutter and the soft brush – which has made my life a lot easier in clearing debris from the pitch after a game. Before I would have to use a hand-held blower and walk round the pitch blowing the debris into piles and then gather it all up. So instead of it taking me approximately three hours after a game, I can now get it done in no time at all and can collect it at the same time as well.”

“The G860 got delivered in June this year and since then, our supporters, players and even away players and coaches have commented on how the pitch has never been this good before. It’s made a massive difference.”

“I’ve always wanted to be more self-sufficient, and I now feel as though I finally am and the grass is the healthiest it has ever been. The improvements that I’ve had in just six months have been amazing so I’m looking forward to seeing how much more of a difference it will make after having the G860 for a whole year.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

Groundsman Excited To Help Out At Cricket Test

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You can forgive Aorangi Oval part time groundsman Jacques Marais for feeling plenty of excitement ahead of the first test between New Zealand and South Africa starting on Wednesday.

Marais has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime to help out at the game.

The accountant has been invited by former Aorangi Oval groundsman Mike Davies to come and help him for five days in Dunedin, preparing the ground at beginning and end of each day,and doing touch ups after each session.

Davies, who is the head groundsman at University Oval, spent six seasons working at Aorangi Oval before shifting to Invercargill for a season.

Marais said he was excited at the opportunity to learn off someone like Davies.

“It’ll be a great experience. I hope there’s plenty of cricket played and not much rain.”

He said the chance to ask Davies and his colleagues anything would be highly beneficial.

“I’m going to ask tonnes of questions just to make sure I’m picking up whatever I can.”

After taking charge of Aorangi in August, Marais has transformed the ground from one that was in a poor state last season to a fantastic condition, capable of hosting domestic matches again.

Marais said Davies had been incredibly helpful since he had started in his role.

“He’s always ringing me or sending me a message to see how things are going with the ground and passes on whatever tips he possibly can.

“It’ll be awesome learning face to face I think I’ll pick up so much more rather than over the phone.”

The excursion south, which will be for the duration of the test, would help Marais learn the finer details of what a groundsman’s role involves.

“It’s the nitty gritty stuff that will be very useful, like what I do if there’s been a disease and there’s no grass growing.

“How I begin to prepare a pitch a month out from a big game and any other little tips and pointers like maintaining and looking after the outfield would also be useful.”

Marais, who was born in South Africa, said it was an awesome game to be asked to help out at.

“While it’s cool my country of birth are taking on my adopted home, I would have been excited at any international match at the ground as that opportunity doesn’t come round often.”

He’s hoping he can bring what he’s learned back to his work and pass it round the clubs in Timaru.

“If I can get information to pass on to the different clubs in the region then that would be great. It’d help with some of the pitches in the area.”

To read the original article, click here

Mourinho Slams Russian Pitch

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Jose Mourinho wants Manchester United’s Europa League tie against FC Rostov to be postponed after condemning the state of the pitch at the Olimp-2 Stadium.

The United manager has questioned how the first leg of their last-16 tie can go ahead after likening the playing surface to the shambolic pitch at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing last summer that forced the cancellation of their pre-season tour game against Manchester City.

Mourinho raised his fears about exposing his players to a heightened risk of injury to a Uefa official, only to be told that his squad are insured “so if something happens, no problem.” To postpone the match, United – who are due to train on the pitch today – would have to make a formal request to Uefa by Thursday afternoon.

“It’s still hard for me to believe we are going to play tomorrow,” Mourinho said, before his players were due to train. “I know we have to, but it is hard for me to believe we are going to play tomorrow in that field – if you can call it a field.”

Henrikk Mkhitaryan is available again after a hamstring injury, but Mourinho said he did not know whether he was prepared to risk the Armenia forward and claimed the pitch had thrown his selection plans into turmoil.

“I don’t know what team to play, really,” he said. “I don’t know if Henrikh Mkhitaryan is going to play. I don’t know. I have now a lot to think because I was expecting something more playable. It is very similar pitch in the summer in China when we and Manchester City decided not to play, but it looks like we have to play.

“I didn’t have any contact with anyone until now [about the pitch]. I just had a quick contact with one gentleman from Uefa when I was looking at the pitch and when I told him about my concerns, the gentleman told me the players are insured, so if something happens, no problem.

“I was analysing these very good opponents that we didn’t speak about yet. In their previous matches against Bayern Munich, Ajax, Atletico Madrid, in all these matches it looked for me a very playable pitch and I was very surprised with what I found here today.”

This is not the first time this season Mourinho has had concerns about the state of the playing surface. Aside from the China debacle, when United’s International Champions Cup game against City was cancelled after the pitch was deemed a safety risk, United’s Europa League group game away to Zorya Luhansk in December was also briefly under threat because of a frozen playing surface in Odessa. Hot air had to be pumped on to the pitch in order to make it playable and Mourinho was also unhappy about the state of the pitch in St Etienne for the away leg of United’s last-32 tie.

Daley Blind, the United defender, echoed Mourinho’s concerns but said they could not use the pitch as an excuse if the game goes ahead.

“The pitch is not the best, not good, maybe quality of game will be a bit different, but it doesn’t have to be an excuse for us, we have to try to win, that’s what we’re here for,” Blind said. “The pitch is not good, maybe not for safety as well, but it is no an excuse, we want to win here, try to play a good game, that’s the most important thing.”

Uefa confirmed on Tuesday night that Rostov had agreed not to train on the pitch on Wednesday in order to protect the surface from “unnecessary damage”.

Ivan Daniliants, the Rostov coach, had already issued a warning that United may be in for a shock with the pitch. “The pitch is the same for everyone but it will still be a problem,” said Daniliants. “In the final of the League Cup [at Wembley], Man United played on an ideal lawn – it was like a carpet. When they arrive here, they will be surprised.”

To read to original article, click here

Former Groundsman Ready For Biggest Challenge of Career

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Former Aorangi Oval groundsman Mike Davies has one major goal.

That aim is to make University Oval, his new workplace, the best cricket ground in the county.

“I work with a great team here in Dunedin, Dunedin Venues Management Limited, the Dunedin City Council and Otago Cricket all want the same thing, for the University Oval to be New Zealand’s best cricket ground and I’m pleased to be working with them to try and achieve that.”

Davies, originally from Christchurch, moved to Timaru to take a golf development role, before being asked to assist with the grounds keeping duties at Levels Golf Club.

“It all just went from there and the rest is history.”

Going from Levels Golf Course in Timaru, then to the town’s small ground like Aorangi Oval,before venturing to Invercargill’s Queens Park last season, has Davies perched at a place where he will face just about the biggest test of all – University Oval in Dunedin.

New Zealand and South Africa face off in the first of three tests on Wednesday, the fifth ranked nation hosting the third best.

In the past, University Oval has been known as a docile pitch, so what Davies prepares for his international debut is sure to be well monitored.

“I’m not nervous. I’m excited at the challenge in front of me. I want to make this ground the best I can.”

Davies is like a kid in a brand new playground ahead of the opening test on Wednesday.

“I can’t wait for them to start playing. It has been tough at times but the last couple of weeks the weather has come right right and really helped me out.”

The 41-year-old is loving life as a groundsman at a bigger venue.

“It’s awesome, I work with a great bunch of people, and they’re all passionate about the same thing.”

.After six years as part time groundsman at Aorangi Oval, he moved to the greener pastures of Invercargill, a place he loved.

“Invercargill was great to me.

“It was my first time as a fulltime groundsman and I just loved it. The weather was a challenge but it was a nice ground and the [Otago] Volts had a good record down there.”

His results were good in Invercargill and the wickets were top quality.

“I’ll always remember Timaru and Invercargill fondly. They’ve helped me get to where I am and were great places to improve my knowledge.”

Weather conditions in Dunedin had made his first season difficult, with the grass weak, however plenty of sun during the last few weeks has given Davies something to work with.

As for the result, he’d love a New Zealand win but his focus is making sure the pitch is competitive for the entire contest and offers something to both the batsmen and bowlers.

“I just want a good game of cricket that sees plenty of people turn up and it goes the five days.

“Making it even for both is a challenge but as the pitch is made from Kakanui clay, the same as what Aorangi Oval and Queens Park used, I think I’ll be fine.”

Currently he’s loving Dunedin, and is hopeful he can entice New Zealand Cricket to bring more matches to the recently revamped ground with a top cricket wicket.

“I’m preparing a pitch for a team like South Africa, about to get married and recently welcomed a bay boy into the world, so Dunedin is great.”

He said with his industry being relatively small, plenty of groundsmen pass things on.

“I’ve just had Karl Johnson from Seddon Park down here helping me, while Jayden [Tohill] from the New Zealand Cricket high performance centre in Lincoln is also helping out.

“We bounce things off each other and that’s a great thing.”

Davies loved Timaru and said working for South Canterbury Cricket was great.

“I left because I wanted to do first-class games and Aorangi wasn’t getting any, but the South Canterbury Cricket Association were an awesome bunch to work for.”

As for a job at Hagley Oval back in his home town, Davies wasn’t interested.

“University Oval is where I want to be, and I have plenty to achieve here and a great company to work with.”

To read the original article, click here