Sport stacking taking off

Sport stacking is described as the track meet for hands at warp speed - and Whakarongo School kids are nuts about the craze that is sweeping the country.

Students were yesterday excited to take part in a worldwide attempt to break a Guinness World Record.

Children were up-stacking and down-stacking various pyramids at extreme speeds, using 10 or 12 specially designed plastic cups with holes in the bottom.

Kobi Russell, 10, with flame cups, and best mate Thomas Warner, 10, with army cups, were having a great time.

They had practised for ages, Kobi said.

Thomas did some last-minute stack training for the big event.

"I got told off by my nan because I was making a racket, she was trying to watch the news, but I was too noisy."

It took him about 20 seconds to do "the cycle", which was the hardest stack of all, he said.

Assistant principal Richard Lloyd said speed stacking was not just fun and games.

It also improved children's hand- eye co-ordination.

"Initially it was a fad, like the latest thing, but it's better than that, it's a sport as well."

You can even work up a sweat and burn calories and everyone can do it, Mr Lloyd said.

He began importing sport- stacking paraphernalia a year ago with the help of parent Tanya Sadlier, whose son came home from school one day raving about creating pyramids with plastic cups.

"Michael plays hockey and I've just noticed how his eye for the ball has improved. Whether it's him playing more or the sports stacking, I don't know.

"If you're using both hands you're using both sides of the brain.

"Those who don't do sport like running around or whatever, [sport stacking] is a sport they can do," Mrs Sadlier said.

The first New Zealand sport- stacking competition will be held by the duo in Palmerston North.

The Manawatu Open Sport Stacking Championships on December 6 at the Highbury Whanau Centre is the lead up to a national competition in March.

Either four or eight stackers would be selected for the Black Stacks team and hopefully travel to Denver for the world champs next year, Mrs Sadlier said.

 * For more information on speed stacking visit www.speedstacks.co.nz.

- © Fairfax NZ News