Category Archives: Oceania

FIJI Football Association president Rajesh Patel wants the Fiji under-16 women's team to make the nation proud in the 2017 Oceania Football Confederation U16 Women's Championship in Samoa next month.

Twenty players were named at the Fiji FA headquarters in Vatuwaqa yesterday.

"We had made a decision that development of football would be in all gender groups and not only in men's and that is one reason why we want to develop women's football to start from a young age," Patel said.

"The recent achievement saw the Fiji U19 women's team coming with a silver medal and I have already got a congratulatory message from the OFC president David Chung. It is something which we have not only invested in the players but we have invested in the coaches too. We have got qualified coaches as well with B license and Marika Rodu is one of them."

The Marika Rodu-coached side had been grouped with PNG, Cook Islands, and American Samoa in Group B at the championship. The team leaves on Tuesday.

Fiji U16 squad: Raijei Pasirio (Ba), Filomena Celua Racea (Tailevu Naitasiri), Seruwaia Naimasi Vasuitoga (Nasinu), Amelia Cevariki (Navua),Fatima Tabua (Nasinu), Laniana Alisi Qereqeretabua (Ba), Avisaki Bania Toro (Tavua), Adi Lusiana Lagilevu Captain (Ba),Tabua Likumotovai (Rewa), Harina Erasiti (Lautoka), Dilaisiana Yauyau (Tailevu Naitasiri), Kelera Radinicilia (Navua), Viniana Tibulia Buke (Tailevu Naitasiri), Titilia Takayawa Waqabaca (Ba), Losana Uluitai Bainivalu, (Tailevu Naitasiri), Vani Bainivalu (Tailevu Naitasiri) Ulita Alfred (Labasa), Sovaia Ranadi Yalobo (Ba), Eseta Sinukula (Tavua), Emily Vularokociri (Rewa)

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Fiji selects team for Oceania U16 event - Fiji Times

The CNMIs Carol Lee resumes her training at the ITF/OTF regional facility in Fiji to prepare for another world-ranking tournament.

Lee, who completed her stint in the 2017 Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group II in Tajikistan last week and helped Pacific Oceania finish fifth in the pool, returned to Fiji last Tuesday and will be playing in the Oceania Closed Junior Championships 2017. The tournament will run from Aug. 7 to 11 in Lautoka and is a Grade B2 event under the Juniors ITF Circuit. The singles champion in the Oceania Closed will be awarded 120 ranking points, while 80, 60, 40, 25, and 10 will go to the runner-up, semifinalists, quarterfinalists, losers in Last 16, and losers in Last 32. Eighty and 60 points will be given to the doubles champions and runners-up, and 40, 25, and 10 to the semifinalists, quarterfinalists, and losers in Last 16.

Its a big tournament and I will be training in Fiji for two weeks to prepare for the competition, said Lee, who joined the same event last year and got only one win.

She defeated Kaitlyn Portela of Australia in the Round of 32, 4-0, 4-1, but lost to Daniela Kovacevic, also from the Land Down Under, in the Round of 16, 3-5, 3-5. In the doubles, Lee and Palaus Ayana Rengiil bowed to Australias Kaitlin Staines and Jessica Zaviacic in the opening round, 3-5, 3-5.

The CNMI player is hoping that the matches she played in the Fed Cup in Tajikistan would help her prepare for tough games in this years Oceania Closed and allow her to get better results.

Playing one single and three doubles games gave me more confidence as I challenged women players in the Top 900 and below in the world during the Fed Cup, the 15-year-old Lee said.

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Carol back in Fiji, preps up for Junior ITF tourney - Saipan Tribune

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The 684-passenger vessel is one of four sister ships that at the core of the Oceania fleet.

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The 684-passenger Insignia(Photo: Oceania Cruises)

What's it like on an Oceania Cruises ship? See for yourself with a scroll though our latest Cruise Ship Tour,in the carousel above, which offers a deck-by-deck look at the upscale line's 684-passenger Insignia.

As can be seen in the tour, Insignia is chock full of cozy and elegant spaces including six lounges and bars; a Canyon Ranch SpaClub; deck-top pool area; and small casino.

Originally built in 1998 for now-defunct Renaissance Cruises, Insigniais a sister to three other Renaissance vessels also in the Oceania fleet: Regatta, Nautica and Sirena. It has four other sisters that sail for Azamara Club Cruises, Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises.

Created by veteran travel writer and ship photographer Peter Knego, the Insignia photo tour is part of our ongoing series of cruise ship galleries. For an inside look at dozens of other passenger vessels sailing the world's oceans and rivers, click on the links below:

Adventure Canada:Ocean Endeavour AmaWaterways:AmaViola;AmaCerto American Cruise Lines:American Eagle American Queen Steamboat Company:American Queen;American Empress Azamara Club Cruises:Azamara Quest Avalon Waterways:Avalon Myanmar;Avalon Visionary;Avalon Passion Carnival Cruise Line:Carnival Imagination;Carnival Miracle;early icons of the Carnival fleet;Carnival Vista Celebrity Cruises:Celebrity Solstice Costa Cruises:Costa Diadema;Costa Atlantica;Costa Luminosa CroisiEurope:Elbe Princesse Cruise & Maritime Voyages:Discovery Crystal Cruises:Crystal Symphony Cunard Line:Queen Mary 2 Disney Cruise Line:Disney Wonder;Disney Fantasy;Disney Magic;Disney Dream, Fantasy compared Emerald Waterways:Emerald Sky Hapag-Lloyd:Europa 2 Hebridean Island Cruises:Hebridean Princess Holland America Line:Amsterdam;Koningsdam;Westerdam;Rotterdam; Maasdam Hurtigruten:Midnatsol;Lofoten;Nordstjernen;Fram; Trollfjord MSC Cruises:MSC Meraviglia Norwegian Cruise Line:Norwegian Getaway;Norwegian Escape;Norwegian Sky; Norwegian Joy Oceania Cruises:Nautica;Sirena;Marina; Insignia Paul Gauguin Cruises:Paul Gauguin P&O Cruises:Britannia Princess Cruises:Regal Princess;Diamond Princess;early icons of the Princess fleet;Star Princess;Golden Princess Regent Seven Seas Cruises:Seven Seas Mariner;Seven Seas Explorer;Seven Seas Voyager Royal Caribbean International:Quantum of the Seas;Anthem of the Seas;Freedom of the Seas;Harmony of the Seas Scenic Cruises:Scenic Gem;Scenic Sapphire Seabourn Cruise Line:Seabourn Encore Silversea:Silver Galapagos;Silver Cloud;Silver Muse Tauck:Inspire;Savor Un-Cruise Adventures:Safari Endeavour Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection:S.S. Maria Theresa;River Countess Viking River Cruises:Viking Skirnir;Viking Herja;Viking Hild Viking Ocean Cruises:Viking Star;Viking Sea;Viking Sky Windstar Cruises:Star Breeze;Wind Spirit

Retired ocean liners, cruise ships and yachts:SS Rotterdam;Royal Yacht Britannia Theme galleries:10 cruise ship suites that will blow your mind;the last of the great ocean liners;ship christenings with Queen Elizabeth II;Royal ship christenings through the years;9 most amazing megaships;25 most beautiful cruise vessels

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Photo tour: Inside Oceania Cruises' Insignia - USA TODAY

In the wondrous history of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), where tales of victories with double-figure margins abound, New Zealand has been a constant at the top. In a confederation filled with underdogs, New Zealand have cemented their status as the only powerhouse ever since Australia left the OFC to join the more competitive Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

So, it came as no surprise when New Zealand sealed qualification to the 2017 U-17 World Cup by thrashing fellow qualifiers New Caledonia 7-0 in the final of the OFC U-17 Championship, their sixth successive title in the age group.

The matches before the final had seen New Zealand eviscerate Samoa 11-0 and thump Fiji 5-0. New Zealand were so dominant in the competition that they swept all the awards on offer too forward Charles Spragg got the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball, while goalkeeper Zac Jones claimed the Golden Gloves Award. For good measure, New Zealand even snatched the Fair Play Award.

Here's how New Zealand thumped fellow qualifiers New Caledonia 7-0 in the final:

New Zealand's domination of the confederation is hardly a surprise. While other teams like New Caledonia and Samoa have amateurs or semi-professionals playing even for the national men's team, all of the New Zealand's U-17 players play for the youth teams of professional clubs like Wellington Phoenix, who are based in New Zealand, but compete in the Australia's A-League, or teams like Auckland City, which compete in the New Zealand Football Championship.

As a result, their players get a structured football training from a younger age than their Oceanic counterparts.

Take Golden Boot winner Spragg for instance. At the age of four, he joined Auckland's Papakura City Football Club, where he would go on to spend a majority of his childhood along with another New Zealand U-17 player Max Mata. He soon moved to Waitakere United Football Club and travelled to England to compete in the Nike Cup, where they faced off against the creme de la creme of club football like Chelsea and AS Roma.

However, the young Turks will be well advised to not get carried away by the margin of wins in the OFC U-17 Championship.

If history has any lessons for this young team, it is that their dominance in OFC competitions will matter for zilch at the world stage. Only last month, the New Zealand U-20 team was shoved aside 6-0 by theUSA in the Round of 16 stage at the U-20 World Cup.

Understandably then, in seven previous appearances in the U-17 World Cup, the New Zealanders have made it to the Last-16 stage on three occasions, but have never progressed further.

The U-17 event in India then will be New Zealand's opportunity to show that they're not just heavyweights in their own backyard.

"The World Cup is a great opportunity for young New Zealand players. You know we don't get to experience world class football in terms of opposition very often. It's also the first time our young players will get the opportunity to represent the country on the world stage. I know we have got a really top group of young men, so I'm looking forward to getting them there and seeing what they can do," coach Danny Hay told Firstpost after the U-17 World Cup draw in Mumbai after his side had drawnMali, Paraguay and Turkey.

"It's tough, I'm not going to lie. You only need to look at European, African and South American qualifying to recognise that we have drawn three very big teams. Mali didn't lose at all. Paraguay played 12 games in South America and only lost once. And I think Turkey only lost to England and Spain, the top two sides in Europe. That pretty much says it all. It's going to be difficult, but a good challenge," Hay added.

At the 2015 World Cuptoo, New Zealand had been drawn in the same group as Paraguay. The Oceania side beat the South Americans 2-1 to make it to the last-16 stage where they eventually lost to Brazil. However, Hay believes that the South American outfit will be baying for blood this time around."I spoke to their coach during the World Cup draw. They're definitely out for some revenge. And they won't allow that (losing to New Zealand) to happen again. They're an absolutely quality side," he added.

While Hay was handed the reigns of the team mid-way through the two-year World Cup campaign in 2015, this time around the 42-year-old has been around for the whole cycle. "We've had the full squad for a lot more time now. So we know a lot more about the players now in terms of style of playing and philosophy. New Zealand have got to do things pretty smartly because in terms of financial resources we are not even in the same realm of some of the other countries. We have to try and make the most of what we have," saidHay, whorepresented the national team for many years and was also the captain for a while.

His side's attacking intent was beyond doubt at the Oceania tournament, but bigger challenges await.

Continued here:

FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017: Oceania big guns New Zealand hope to finally leave mark on world stage - Firstpost

RealSport101

Oceania 2019 Rugby World Cup Qualification Series Review ... RealSport101 Fiji has qualified as Oceania 1, with Tonga also making it through to the 2019 World Cup in Japan. and more »

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Oceania 2019 Rugby World Cup Qualification Series Review ... - RealSport101

Mack Horton tried the 200m freestyle on for size for the first time at an international championship meet. Current photo via Mike Lewis/Ola Vista Photography

Oceanian athletes rose to the occasion on the whole on night 2 of the 2017 FINA World Championships. Although Australian breaststrokersTaylor McKeown andJess Hansen missed out on a final berth in the womens 100m distance, 2016 OlympianEmma McKeon rocketed to a podium finish by winning silver in the 100m fly in Commonwealth Record-setting time.

Mitch Larkin,Emily Seebohmand Holly Barrattallmade it through to the finals of the mens and womens 100m backstroke, while New ZealandsCorey Main also sneaked into the 8th spot in the mens 100m backstroke race tomorrow night.

Olympic gold medalistMack Horton was back in the water after his 400m freestyle silver medal performance last night, however, the 21-year-old didnt fare as well this time, finishing 11th and out of the hotly-contested mens 200m freestyle final. Marking the first time Horton is tackling this distance individually at an international championships meet, he clocked a new personal best time of 1:46.81 to validate the decision to tack this on to his freestyle portfolio.

Ive never really raced that event internationally, so that is a massive learning experience. I definitely want to swim more 200s at this level, Horton said post-race. Hortons 400m free nemesis, Sun Yang, advanced to the 200m final.

Additional soundbite:

McKeon now accounts for 2 of the 3 silver medals for the nation of Australia with her individual 100m fly and 4x100m freestyle relay. Hortons 400m free silver accounts for the 3rd medal.

Loretta grew up outside Toledo, OH, where she swam age group and high school. Graduating from Xavier University, she stayed in the Cincinnati, OH area and currently resides just outside the city in Northern KY. Loretta got back into the sport of swimming via Masters and now competes and is

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Oceania Round-up: Horton Pleased With 200 Free Experiment - SwimSwam

Oceania is sometimes described as a continent; however, it is a vast region where the waters of the Pacific Ocean rather than land borders separate nations.

The countless small islands are known for their white sand with swaying palm trees, astounding coral reefs, and rugged volcanoes. Oceania also contains the deserts of Australia and the highland rainforests of Papua New Guinea, as well as indigenous tribal communities and modern world cities side by side.

Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea are by far the largest countries in this pseudo-continent, and the former two are the most visited by travellers. Oceania includes the vast island nation groupings of Polynesia (extending from New Zealand to the north and east), Melanesia (to the west, and south of the equator), and Micronesia (almost wholly north of the equator).

As its name indicates, this region is defined by large expanses of ocean dotted with many small and large island nations. The climates range from tropical to desert to near arctic.

Australasia is a more narrow region, consisting of Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and nearby islands.

Colonialism by European powers has had a pervasive influence on the social landscape and culture of most of the region. British colonialism has made cricket part of the Australian and New Zealand summer, and has also resulted in either one or both forms of rugby becoming an integral part of the cultures of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. The bringing of British indentured labour from India to harvest sugar cane in Fiji has led to long-term political unrest, but also means that Nadi has some of the best kofta balls to be had outside of Mumbai. Francophone New Caledonia sees the modern capital and tourist hub Noumea surrounded by Melanesian villages rarely visited.

See the country articles for detailed information on how to Get in.

The major countries of Australia and New Zealand offer connections from all continents, although there are few direct flights from South America. The main air hubs in the region are at Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Brisbane and Perth. There are other gateways offering opportunities to get in and interesting itineraries. Air France connects New Caledonia direct with Tokyo and Paris and also flies to Tahiti. Onward connections to Sydney and Auckland are possible. Fiji Airways connects Nadi with Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Singapore with connections through to Sydney, Auckland and Tahiti. Tahiti is connected to Los Angeles, and you can fly to the Cook Islands direct from there. Air New Zealand provides a service to Tonga and Samoa from Los Angeles and Auckland. The Los Angeles service is subsidized by the New Zealand government as a form of aid to the two countries. Manila, Guam and Honolulu offer a gateway to many countries of Micronesia, mainly on United Airlines. Air Niugini also operates flights from Port Moresby to several cities in East Asia and Southeast Asia

The smallest islands with less tourism present additional challenges to get to. Many are entirely deserted, and some have restrictions on access.

Several South Pacific cruises traverse the vast ocean, but a few berths are available for the patient traveller on bulk freighters or container ships plying the trade routes. The distances are enormous, as the Pacific Ocean is larger than the entire land mass of the planet.

Without a yacht, and a lot of time, the only way for travellers to get around between the main destinations of Oceania is by plane. Auckland, Brisbane, Los Angeles and Sydney have good connectivity to the region. It is usually possible to fly from the west coast of the United States through to Sydney or Auckland via Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji or even the Cook Islands. Nadi Airport (IATA: NAN) in Fiji serves as the main air hub for the Pacific islands, so flying to other Pacific island nations would likely require a plane change there.

However, air routes tend to come and go depending on whether the airlines find them profitable or not. Much of English-speaking Polynesia receives regular flights from Air New Zealand. Melanesia is mainly serviced by national and Australian airlines. Fiji Airways also has a relatively good network of flights form their hub in Nadi to the other Pacific island nations. Don't expect daily flights. Patience is required.

Flying between Micronesia and the other two areas is problematic and may involve flying all the way to Honolulu or a complicated route through Manila, Sydney and Auckland.

Some flight options within Oceania, among others, are:

There are some options for boats, cruise ships, private yachts, adventure cruises, and even cargo ships.

Consult the guide for the destination you are visiting.

Many indigenous languages are spoken throughout Oceania, and with the exception of the Australian aboriginal languages, most of these languages belong to the Austronesian language family which also includes other languages such as Malay, Indonesian and Tagalog.

Due to a history of British and American colonisation, English is the dominant language in Australia and New Zealand, and a common second language throughout much of the Pacific islands with the exception of French-ruled New Caledonia and French Polynesia. In some areas, such as Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, English-based creoles are co-official with standard English, and may be hard to foreigners to understand, though educated locals are almost always able to switch to standard English if necessary. French is naturally the main language in New Caledonia and French Polynesia, while Hindi is also spoken by a significant minority in Fiji, primarily those of Indian descent.

All island groups are fascinating and with time and money you can spend months just travelling around. There are some stunningly beautiful islands (Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia), some fascinating cultures and festivals, some wonderful diving and totally deserted beaches.

Having histories dominated by colonisation, nearly all destinations give travellers opportunities to explore the often grim, but also interesting, stories of the past.

There is some unique wildlife to be discovered in the region. Australia and Papua New Guinea are the homes of marsupials, the species of mammals that include cute favourites like kangaroos, koalas, wombats and possums, and also the Tasmanian devil. Here you will also find the monotremes, in the species of platypus and echidnas, the only mammals in the world to lay eggs.

In New Zealand you can stumble upon (or more easily, see in human-made facilities) the shy and mostly nocturnal kiwi a flightless bird that has given the people of the country their nickname. Other flightless birds include the takahe, thought extinct until 1949, and the kakapo (night parrot). Other evolutionary oddities include the ancient tuatara, bats that hunt on the ground, and frogs that don't croak. A quarter of the world's seabirds breed in the New Zealand region.

Marine life is abundant and diverse throughout and one of the main reasons for travellers to explore this part of the world. Tropical fish and colourful reefs are perfect matches for scuba divers and snorkellers, but much can also be seen from the deck of a boat. You have the opportunities to see larger animals such as manta rays, dolphins and even whales.

In southern Australia and in New Zealand, seals, sea lions and penguins can be seen in their natural habitat, with Kangaroo Island, Phillip Island, coastal Otago and Stewart Island being popular sites.

The Pacific theatre of World War II involved land, sea and air battles between the Axis (mainly Japan) and the Allies (mainly the United States and Australia), from 1941 to 1945.

The remnants of the war can be seen at many places, such as the Kokoda Track on New Guinea.

Cricket is a popular sport in Australia and New Zealand, and is typically played over the summer.

Rugby is one of the most popular sports in Oceania, with rugby union being the dominant code in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, and rugby league being dominant in Australia and Papua New Guinea. In international competition, New Zealand are widely regarded as the undisputed kings of rugby union, while Australia occupies the same position in rugby league.

The pristine, white sandy beaches found throughout the South Pacific are great for just lying back and enjoying the peace and quiet.

There are locations for diving throughout Oceania. For coral and tropical fish, explore the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, Fiji has some reef around Nadi, and spectacular unspoilt, brightly coloured coral on the more remote islands. Samoa is favoured by scuba divers. Cook Islands has accessible reef just off the beach on the main islands. Vanuatu has accessible reef too, but the facilities make it more challenging to access than Fiji. There are diving opportunities in the temperate waters of Tasmania and New Zealand too.

There are good opportunities to dive to shipwrecks. The Rainbow Warrior off New Zealand's North Island is one of the more famous ones, and the oceans of Micronesia have many interesting relics from WWII. The Marshall Islands and Bikini atolls are known as quite a ship graveyard, offering some of the most interesting wrecks in the world, including submarines and the only aircraft carrier accessible to divers. Most of the wreck sites are not for beginners though.

Vava'u in Tonga is a popular destination for yachts crossing the Pacific. Yachts can also be chartered there.

Being an oceanic area, there are countless opportunities for great fishing experiences.

Australia and New Zealand are home to some very significant and famous hiking trails, for example the ones of the Flinders Ranges, Abel Tasman and Tongario National Parks. The rugged, volcanic landscapes of many of the Pacific Islands offer good opportunities as well.

New Zealand has become famous as a place with a well developed infrastructure for almost any kind of adventure and extreme sports. As well as being the birthplace of commercial bungy-jumping, you will also find skydiving, paragliding, river rafting, power boating, rock climbing, cave exploration and a long list of what seems as self-invented combinations. The east coast of Queensland has many opportunities as well. Also, the Blue Mountains near Sydney are great for rock climbing, canyoning and hiking.

The volcanoes and many caves to be found throughout the Pacific islands are fit for some adventurous exploration as well, and the many tropical islands are perhaps even prettier when watched gliding above them.

Although not the first thing coming to mind, there are snow sports in the southern parts of Oceania. New Zealand has reliable winter snowfalls, and around 10-12 ski areas, mostly in the South Island. These include Treble Cone and Cardrona (Wanaka), The Remarkables and Coronet Peak (Queenstown), Mt Hutt near Christchurch and Whakapapa and Turoa on Mt Ruapehu in the North Island. Many northern hemisphere race and olympic teams train in New Zealand during the northern summer. The Snowy Mountains in New South Wales have the largest ski resorts in the southern hemisphere.

Although staple foods from outside the region, such as rice and flour, now have a firm foothold, the traditional staples of roots and tubers remain very important. The cheapest is usually cassava, which also plays a food security role as it can be left in the ground for a long time. Sweet potato is a very important crop and is found in most parts of Oceania with the major producing area being the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Taro and yam are also widespread. The latter is the most valuable of the roots and tubers and there are many customs associated with its cultivation. In the Sepik area of Papua New Guinea, for example, sex between married couples is supposed to be forbidden while the yams are growing. On the other hand, in the Trobriand Islands the yam harvest is a period of sexual liberty.

In Australia and New Zealand, the food culture is largely similar to Europe and Northern America. Nevertheless, there are still some unique dishes and ingredients to be found, some known by the native inhabitants before the arrival of the Europeans, and others invented in more recent times. Thanks to recent immigration, Asian dishes and restaurants are also widely available and popular.

Kava is a drink produced from the roots of a plant related to the pepper plant and found mainly in Polynesia as well as Fiji and Vanuatu. It has a mildly narcotic effect. Other names include 'awa (Hawai'i), 'ava (Samoa), yaqona (Fiji), and sakau (Pohnpei). Traditionally it is prepared by chewing, grinding or pounding the roots of the kava plant. In Tonga, chewing traditionally had to be done by female virgins. Pounding is done in a large stone with a small log. The product is then added to cold water and consumed as quickly as possible, invariably as part of a group of people sitting around and sharing the cup. Check the rules before taking any out of the country, however, as importing kava can be illegal.

If interested in wine tourism, head to Australia or New Zealand. The former is one of the largest wine producers in the Southern Hemisphere.

Almost all of Oceania is safe for visitors, with the exception of Papua New Guinea, which remains a travel destination only for the more adventurous. In particular, Port Moresby has one of the highest violent crime rates in the world.

Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea all have areas where malaria is a risk. Fiji, New Caledonia, the Cook Islands, Samoa and the other islands are malaria free.

Dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika virus is increasingly present in tropical areas. Avoid mosquito bites night and day, especially during an outbreak.

The islands may be remote but sexual diseases know no boundaries. Usual precautions apply.

More:

Oceania Travel guide at Wikivoyage

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Cricket: "SLC regrets the unfortunate incident at MRICS" - CEO

Tennis: Sri Lanka gains promotion to Asia/Pacific Oceania Zone Group II

U-19 Cricket: Revival of Battle of the Lagoons

Swimming: Kyle wins first silver at 17th FINA World Championships

Harshana Godamanna celebrated his 50th Davis Cup appearance by guiding Sri Lanka to get back to the Asia/Pacific Oceania Zone Group II with a convincing 2-0 win over Mubarak Shannan Zayed of Qatar in the Asia/Pacific Oceania Zone Group III promotion tie play off against Qatar played at the SLTA clay court in Greenpath, Colombo on Saturday (22).

The left hander maintained his unbeaten record since the tournament began on July 17 as his win against the Qatari was his fourth on the trot apart from the doubles victory partnered by Sharmal Dissanayake.

Sharmal Dissanayake after winning his first singles tie on day one in the match against Jordan fell back when he was beaten in his next two appearances.

Yet he was buoyed by Harshanas win in the first game against Qatar and he bounced back to keep the Sri Lanka flying high when brushed aside the challenge of Qatari Mousa Shannan Zayid to give host an unbeatable 2-0 lead for Sri Lanka to ensure their promotion to Group II.

Sri Lanka after being in the Group II category for five years saw them being relegated last year after their 5-0 defeat to Indonesia in the relegation tie.

After a year of relegation Sri Lanka will get back to where they were.

Meanwhile Lebanon who had a successful tournament by winning all their four matches in the round robin stage too made their way to the Group II with a convincing 2-0 win over Jordan which was played concurrently at the same venue.

If Harshana was the Sri Lankan star, for Lebanon it was Hady Habib who steered them when he began his sides promotion tie campaign match with a comfortable 2-0 win over Jordans Hamzeh Al Aswad which was his fifth successive win of the tournament. Giovani Samaha added the icing on the cake with a 2-1 win against Mousa Alkotop in the second singles encounter which was sufficient for Lebanon to make their way to the Group II.

In the two relegation play-off matches which was also played at the same saw Syria getting the better of UAE 2-0 while there was a ding dong battle between Pacific Oceania and Turkmenistan with both sharing a win.

Results:

1st to 4th Play-Off

Semi-Finals: Sri Lanka vs Qatar Singles: Harshana Godamanna (Sri Lanka) beat Mubarak Shannan Zayed (Qatar) 2-0 (6/3, 6/3). Sharmal Dissanayake (Sri Lanka) beat Mousa Shannan Zayid (Qatar) 2-0 (6/4, 6/3).

Lebanon vs Jordan Hady Habib (Lebanon) beat Hamzeh Al Aswad (Jordan) 2-0 (6/2, 6/0). Giovani Samaha (Lebanon) beat Mousa Alkotop (Jordan) 2-1 (6/4, 3/6, 6/2).

Pacific Oceania vs Turkmenistan Singles: Aleksandr Ernepesov (Turkministan) beat Heve Kelley (Pacific Oceania) 2-1 (6/3, 1/6, 6/4). Colin Sinclair (Pacific Oceania) beat Isa Mammetgulyyev (Turkministan) 2-1 (4/6, 6/3, 6/2).

Syria vs UAE Singles: Yacoub Makoume (Syria) beat Omar Alawadhi (UAE) 2-1 (4/6, 6/2, 6/3). Kareem Al Allaf (Syria) beat Fahad Janahi (UAE) 2-0 (6/4, 6/2).

Cricket: "SLC regrets the unfortunate incident at MRICS" - CEO

Tennis: Sri Lanka gains promotion to Asia/Pacific Oceania Zone Group II

U-19 Cricket: Revival of Battle of the Lagoons

Swimming: Kyle wins first silver at 17th FINA World Championships

Read the rest here:

Tennis: Sri Lanka gains promotion to Asia/Pacific Oceania Zone Group II - The Sunday Times Sri Lanka

Pacific Oceania's hopes of promotion in the Fed Cup and Davis Cup tennis competitions are over.

The women were swept 3-0 by Hong Kong in their second match in Tajikistan, which determined who would top their pool in Asia/Oceania Zone Group Two and advance to the semi finals.

The Pacific Oceania Fed Cup team in Tajikistan. Photo: Supplied

Steffi Carruthers and Abigail Tere-Apisah were both beaten in straight sets in their singles rubbers against Eudice Chong and Ling Zhang, who is ranked over 100 places lower than Papua New Guinea's Apisah.

With the tie already decided Carol Lee and Mayka Zima suffered the same fate in the doubles, going down 6-4 6-4.

Hong Kong were joined by Uzbekistan, Malaysia and Indonesia in the semi finals, with one promotion place up for grabs.

Pacific Oceania will take on Singapore in the 5th to 8th place playoff, with New Zealand up against Sri Lanka on the other side of the draw.

Meanwhile the men were beaten 2-1 by Jordan in their final pool match to miss out on a chance at promotion from Asia/Oceania Zone Group Three.

In the opening singles rubber, Heve Kelley won the first set 7-5 against Mousa Alkotop but dropped the second 1-6 before losing the decider in a tiebreaker.

Colin Sinclair maintained his unbeaten record, thrashing Mohammed Alyamani 6-1 6-0, to level the tie at one-a-piece, but Brett Baudinet and Aymeric Mara lost the decisive doubles rubber in straight sets.

Sri Lanka topped Pool A and will playoff against the runner-up in Pool B for promotion to Group Two, while Pool A champions Lebanon will take on Jordan.

Pacific Oceania will play the bottom team in Pool B, with the loser to be relegated to Division Four.

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Sport: Pacific Oceania tennis teams miss promotion - Radio New Zealand

By Henry Mendelson 20 Jul 2017Read later

Gallus Oceania has confirmed the Swiss press manufacturer has released its Labelmaster flexo press to the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Gallus is to unveil the Labelmaster Advanced press line with multiweb feature at Labelexpo Europe 2017. The basic versions of this label printing press will also be on display.

The Gallus Labelmaster Advanceds modular design is said to combine flexibility with a high level of automation. All Gallus Labelmaster presses share the same special platform design and can be configured to meet the specific requirements of each customer. In the platform system, the Gallus Labelmaster is made up of modules each comprising two printing units. These modules are available in three different variants. The basic variant covers all essential label printing standards, while Labelmaster Plus features enhanced flexibility to further applications. Labelmaster Advanced is said to meet virtually any requirement and can be configured to include as much or as little automation as required.

The first installations in Oceania are expected in February 2018.

Read L&Ls Labelexpo Europe 2017 new product showcase in issue 4, 2017

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Gallus takes Labelmaster to Oceania - Labels and Labeling