Hello, everybody. We've got a classic winter anticyclone plying its trade out there. We've had a smear of frost, some Waikato fog and drizzle along the southern boundary fence. Now another retailer wants a piece of the action, with an offering of Sunday rain. Stick around. There's something for everybody. Right now, it's 6 o'clock. Due to the live nature of ONE News we apologise for the lack of captions for some items. This is ONE News, with Simon Dallow and Wendy Petrie. Tonight ` the battle's over for decorated war hero Willie Apiata. What will he do now after quitting the military? Emotions run high as Iraena Asher's family talk about the last time they saw her. One of the rescued Waihi miners talks about their ordeal and what it was like trapped underground. SCREAMING And get set for the howling and hysteria ` Bieber fever's about to hit NZ once again. War hero Willie Apiata is laying down his arms and joining the battle to help at-risk children. Our most decorated soldier ` the only living recipient of the Victoria Cross ` is quitting the military. His exit could not have come at a worse time for our dwindling Defence Force, desperately fighting to keep personnel. Political reporter Michael Parkin's covered many stories on the military meltdown and joins us now live. WILLIE APIATA'S JUST RELEASED A STATEMENT HE SAYS IT WASN'T A DECISION HE MADE LIGHTLY HE WAS THE DEFENCE FORCE'S POSTER BOY IT'S THE LAST THING THE ARMY NEEDED IN MORALE PROBLEMS ON THEIR HANDS. Five years ago this month, SAS soldier Cpl Willie Apiata received the illustrious Victoria Cross and became the most highly decorated member of the NZ Defence Force, recognised at home and abroad. But its been revealed the 40-year-old is leaving the elite unit. His decoration speaks for itself, and we wish him all the best in his future career, but he's given 10 years' outstanding service as a member of the SAS, 23 years' service to the NZDF in total, and just want to acknowledge the contribution that he's made. Cpl Apiata received the VC for his heroics during a firefight in Afghanistan where he carried a seriously wounded comrade across 70m of open ground to get him to safety. But it seems all has not been right since. Sources have told ONE News Willie Apiata has threatened to leave before. And it's believed his decision to depart may have been sparked by the Defence Force's handling of a request for some extra time off to spend with his family. I've had no indication of that whatsoever, and I think this man's given distinguished service to NZ. Why hasn't he been promoted to at least a sergeant? Maybe those are the sort of things he's saying ` 'Well, Victoria Cross or not, I'm not gonna get promoted. Maybe I might as well be a civilian.' ONE News understands almost two dozen members of our special forces have left this year. And the Defence Minister's confirmed around five badged SAS members like Cpl Apiata have recently quit. Faced with full-time training in Papakura rather than action overseas, some have opted for lucrative security contracts. Things go through cycles. Obviously after coming through a tough rotation of deployment in Afghanistan, people will be for a variety of reasons looking at various options, assessing their life. Willie Apiata will become a part-time territorial soldier while taking up a job with the High Wire Trust helping Auckland youth. Now, you couldn't ask for a more high-profile resignation, Michael, and pretty big hit for our Defence Force. IT IS INDEED A RECENT SURVEY SHOWDED THAT DEFENCE FORCE MORALE IS BELOW 50% THAT'S GOT POLITICIANS SCRAMBLING TO COME UP WITH A NEW PAY PACKAGE THE FIRST IN FOUR YEARS THE ROT HAS STARTED TO SET IN Thanks, Michael Parkin in Wellington. To a developing story now involving an alleged plot to assassinate Fiji's military ruler and his attorney general. A former Fijian cabinet minister now living in Auckland claims NZ secret service agents raided his home and seized items. He spoke to ONE News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver, who joins us now with more details. WE'VE SPOKEN TO FORMER FIJIAN CABINET MINISTER RAJESH SINGH, WHO TOLD US FOUR PEOPLE FROM THE SIS SERVED HIM WITH A WARRANT AND SEIZED HIS COMPUTER, PHONE AND PHOTOGRAPHS. THEY QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT A PLOT TO ASSASSINATE FIJI'S SELF-IMPOSED PM FRANK BAINIMARAMA AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AYAZ SAYED KHAIYUM. MR SINGH SAYS HE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS SO CALLED PLOT, AND THIS IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. I said, 'Look here, we didn't discuss anything of that nature, and I don't condone this. 'Because I've already been caught in Fiji, so I don't want to be a victim of all of these stupid things, 'and I follow the law.' MR SINGH SAYS HE WILL BE LODGING A COMPLAINT TOMORROW WITH THE OMBUDSMAN AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER. HE SAYS HIS GROUP 'MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRACY IN FIJI' IS BEING TARGETED BY THE SIS BECAUSE OF THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH SELF-EXILED MILITARY MAN ROKO ULUI TEVITA MARA, WHO IS NOW LIVING IN TONGA WHO IS ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN THIS SUPPOSED ASSASSINATION PLOT. I SPOKE TO ROKO ULUI, AND HE SAYS HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT ANY ASSASSINATION PLOT, THAT IT'S COMPLETE RUBBISH. WE WANTED TO KNOW FROM THE PM'S OFFICE, WHICH HEADS THE SIS, WHY NZ IS INVOLVED. THE STATEMENT THAT'S COME BACK IS, 'THIS IS AN OPERATIONAL MATTER. 'WE HAVE NO COMMENT ON SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE MATTERS.' Thanks, Barbara Dreaver in Auckland. The couple who tried to help missing Auckland woman Iraena Asher on the night she disappeared have hit back at police who accused them of failing to act. The model's family was also in court, as the coroner's inquest into the 25-year-old's death drew to a close. Donna-Marie Lever was there. Iraena Asher's image was never far from sight as her family arrived at court for what became an emotional morning. Whatever we say, all the words I've said and all that there is not going to change anything. It's` It's` It's` meaningless. While Michael Asher was prevented from breaking court protocol and reading a victim impact statement,... I'm concerned that it does not reflect very well on you. ...he did tell the court he thought his daughter was taken by the sea. You know how vicious the tide is at Piha. It probably dragged her. Last night we reported comments from the officer in charge, who said Iraena Asher may still be alive if the family who took her in had called for help. The suggestion of Sutton's that we may be culpable at all is nothing short of despicable. Iraena Asher was with the couple and one of their sons for some four hours, but took off into the night, and that's when they called police. We did not fail Iraena. The police actually failed Iraena. Earlier that night, police sent a taxi instead of a patrol car when Iraena Asher had phoned for help. The last people to see her alive say her behaviour was odd. She was naked on the road and saluting a streetlight. That's when I began to feel kind of like... this is really spooky. The coroner has heard mixed evidence about whether in fact Iraena Asher was in a manic and psychotic state on the night she disappeared or whether she was under the influence of drugs. Even a clinical psychiatrist couldn't decide. I'm 50/50 on that. It could possibly be that she developed a manic episode very rapidly ` no indication, just bang. I think we've got to keep an open mind about the possibility, however, that there was some substance-induced change in this young woman. The coroner plans to deliver his findings tomorrow. Donna-Marie Lever, ONE News. One of the miners trapped underground after a fire in a Waihi goldmine says he knew it was a matter of hours rather than days before they would be rescued. 28 men were rescued after seeking shelter in sealed safety chambers at the Trio mine in Waihi. Kim Vinnell has the latest developments. Calmly showing us the breathing gear he's glad he didn't need, Steve Sant relives the moment when, 300m underground, the alarm was activated. It was on the radio. They called out, 'Emergency, emergency, emergency.' I think they said 'Truck fire. Make your way to a refuge chamber.' And off you went? And off we went. Hitching a ride in a small truck to his nearest refuge chamber, he joined his colleagues. All they could do was wait. I think some of the newer guys, sort of, might have been a little stressed out, but the older guys in the chambers with them calmed them down. Mr Sant says knowing working in a goldmine meant no risk of a Pike River-type explosion took the pressure off. The mood in there was very good. Everybody was just laughing and joking. Mine rescue leader Dave Oliver was asleep when he got the call. Arriving at the mine, he says the rescue went like clockwork. Where the fire was was particularly advantageous to us because we could gain access. The vent shafts were still running, so that was in our favour too. There was no fear of not making it out. We knew it was just a matter of hours rather than days. The fire on the 35-ton truck, like the one seen outside the mine here, is now thought to be out. Safety experts say from midday tomorrow, the truck is no longer at risk of exploding. They'll then bring the truck to the surface, where a forensic expert will find out exactly how the fire started. The emergency won't stop this miner from going back underground. If you're on the road you and you have an accident, does that stop you from driving? His relaxed attitude not taking away from the serious job mine inspectors still have to do in deciding when the mine can reopen, which could be as early as Friday. Kim Vinnell, ONE News. In just under two hours, the Prime Minister will hold a crunch meeting with the Maori Party over water ownership. And already John Key's ruled out apologising for suggesting the government could ignore Waitangi Tribunal findings on water rights. For the very latest, let's go live to our political editor Corin Dann. JOHN KEY AND THE MAORI PARTY WERE BOTH DOWNPLAYING THE LIKELIHOOD OF A BUST UP THE MAORI PARTY POINTED OUT THERE'S AL ONG WAY TO GO Tariana Turia was carrying out her ministerial duties at Parliament this morning, but questions are being asked about whether she'll even be in government after tonight's meeting. Well, that's not a discussion that I should be having with the media. Labour's adding fuel to the fire, with one of its Maori MPs likening the government's partial asset sales to a 'confiscation'. Farmers wouldn't like it if they took away the water rights and parts of the farm and all that. I think Parekura Horomia should have thought about all that when they confiscated the foreshore and seabed and did nothing about it. The Maori Council's been scathing about what it calls a cosy relationship with National. But Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says the council's now softened that stance. They essentially said that your role in government was useless. They retracted that. However, if the Maori Party's hoping for a back-down from the Prime Minister tonight, it might want to think again. No, we won't be apologising. That's the statement of the government's position, as it has been with other governments, But, look, I'm looking forward to the meeting tonight. I think it will be constructive. Last week the Maori Party was furious and wouldn't rule out leaving the coalition over John Key's comment that the government could ignore any Waitangi Tribunal finding. Today it's a different story. The media suggested that ` that it could be a deal-breaker ` and kept asking us whether we would walk. We haven't actually said that at all, and there's a long way to go in the process. So what are they hoping for tonight? Would you like an apology? > That's what we will be discussing tonight. < Would you like one, though? (LAUGHS) Laughing now, but will they be laughing after talks tonight? Corin, what sort of an outcome do you expect tonight? SEEMS UNLIKELY NOW THAT THERE WILL BE WALK OUT...GIVEN TODAY'S LANGUAGE... UNLIKELY APOLOGY THERE'LL BE DISCUSSION ABOUT COMMON GROUND BETWEEN MAORI AND NATIONAL TALK OF SHARES PUT INTO PARCELS FOR FUTURE TREATY SETTLEMENT MASSIVE ELEPHANT IN ROOM - WATER OWNERSHIP THAT'S WHAT TARIANA MEANS THEY'VE CRIED WOLF ALREADY ON THIS ISSUE THEY NEED TO BE CAREFUL Thanks, political editor Corin Dann. And you can read Corin's analysis of what tonight's meeting means to John Key on our website ` onenews.co.nz. And a top businessman's come out strongly in support of asset sales. Air NZ chairman John Palmer says it's good for NZ. He outlined his views during his first appearance at a parliamentary select committee in three years. Here's political reporter Jessica Mutch. Protest against asset sales has been pretty passionate at times. Many NZers don't like the idea of partially selling off Air NZ and four state-owned energy companies. CROWD CHANTS: Aotearoa is not for sale! But the chairman of Air NZ says the debate has sometimes been hysterical. I don't think the debate has been about the issues at all. It's been about emotion, and in some cases emotional frenzy. It's been unusual of late for the Air NZ chairman to be called before the parliamentary committee. John Palmer put up a passionate defence of asset sales, saying it's good for our economy and for the future of NZ. He says the government hasn't done a good sales pitch. I've been disappointed that there's been a reluctance of the government to be quite forthright about the range of benefits involved here. Those comments haven't impressed some MPs. I think that's a pretty arrogant attitude. I think ordinary NZers understand the issues well. They've seen what happened with privatisation before, and they're very dubious about it. Given the position he's in, I think he should hold his counsel and get on with doing a job properly rather than engaging in the political arena. Air NZ is already a listed company, but the government remains the largest shareholder with 70% of the airline. The chairman's in no rush to sell. Given our disappointment about the current share prices, there probably isn't any particular urgency for the Crown to sell. Mighty River Power is the first to be sold. The government hasn't confirmed which company will be next. Jessica Mutch, ONE News. The judge in charge of Kim Dotcom's extradition trial has resigned. Self-professed internet expert Judge David Harvey was set to oversee Dotcom's trial in March, but he stepped down today after comments he made last week at an internet conference, suggesting the United States is the enemy. Dotcom's lawyers say the resignation is unlikely to affect proceedings. Police are hailing a nationwide crackdown on cannabis that's led to the arrest of more than 2500 people. But critics say police are focussing on the wrong area and wasting taxpayer money. Simon Bradwell explains. It's aerial raids like this that police say have given cannabis dealers a multimillion-dollar headache. This is all about money and you've taken away a huge stream of money for these people. That's gonna hurt. Over the last six months, police have arrested 2500 people and seized 130,000 cannabis plants. This will make a big impact. We've already heard from some drug dealing people, 'We've run out of cannabis.' Using a measure called the harm index that calculates the impact on society, police estimate the raids have saved the country $350m. But critics say that's a pipe dream. Actually what it says is for every $2 we are investing in the problem, we are only saving $1. Because they say around two-thirds of the harm index is made up by the cost of enforcing anti-drug operations. As long as there is demand for this drug, there will be a supply, so it's time, I think, that we started investing more resources into reducing demand. Police say the cannabis seized has a potential street value of $130m ` another number under fire. Total value is probably nearer $40m, $60m, something like that. Police do tend to inflate these things a bit. Police stand by those figures and other results. Police also seized LSD and methamphetamine, more than 300 firearms and residential properties worth $4.6m. And promise not let up in the war on drugs. Simon Bradwell, ONE News. why they're reopening a Rotorua murder investigation. That story's next on ONE News. Also, a towering inferno ` so what happened with the hundreds of people living in this building? The glory of the Games, but behind the scenes there's an Olympic security scare. and this is one scary moment ` meet the bus driver who caught a falling girl. Then at 7 ` quality not quantity. Are we actually getting enough bang for our buck at the petrol pump? Police have revealed that new clues from a secret informant have prompted a re-investigation into a cold case. Security guard Howard Percy (65) was shot dead during a bank robbery in Rotorua in 1976. Lisa Owen with the latest. Much has changed in Rotorua in the nearly four decades since Howard Percy was killed. But his family says one thing has stayed the same. The police have never given up on this case. Flanked by Howard Percy's sons, police announced someone has come forward. They won't say when or who or what they've said, just that it's new information and was delivered face to face. We have had numerous pieces of information over the years since the homicide. The latest piece causes us to bump it up quite a bit. Howard Percy was working as a security guard at this ANZ Bank on Guy Fawkes Day 1976. A balaclava-clad gunman broke in through the back window just after closing at 2. The pair got into a scuffle. Mr Percy was shot twice in the stomach. It was the second robbery at the branch in four months. It stirs every Guy Fawkes. Every time that comes along, you know, it's brought to the surface again. It hurts. This is the gunman's balaclava, filmed by ONE News at the time. It came off during the tussle. A knife was also found. We are currently in the process of having all these items examined using means that weren't available 36 years ago. The ANZ where Howard Percy was shot no longer exists. Police are hoping, along with the landscape, allegiances have changed as well and someone is ready to talk. We want to make it clear that the door is still open for them to come to us. And the Percy brothers have a simple message for their father's killer. Keep looking over your shoulder. We're coming to get you. It's almost 40 years, but in this case, they're hoping time is now on their side. Lisa Owen, ONE News. Rebels say they're closing in on the home of Syrian leader Bashar al Assad in what they're calling a mission to liberate Damascus. After three days of fierce fighting in the capital, the opposition army's said to be within half a kilometre of the presidential palace. It says extra help's also on the way for a battle that could last a month. And rescuers say everyone got out alive after this blaze in Turkey's biggest city. At least 1500 people live in the 42-storey building in Istanbul, which also has shops and offices. The owner says the high-rise has an early warning system. It's believed the fire started in air conditioning units. The reputation of the security firm charged with protecting people during the London Olympics is in tatters tonight. Its boss has revealed he can't provide enough staff less than two weeks out from the Games. This from the BBC's Tom Symonds. MAN: ...the largest security company in the world ` G4S. It has contracts with governments and multinational corporations. But the London Games were supposed to provide a touch of Olympic gold. Instead, the chief executive, Nick Buckles, today faced political fury. Mr Buckles, it's a humiliating shambles, isn't it? It's not where we'd want to be, that is certain. < It's a humiliating shambles for the company, yes or no? I cannot disagree with you. Today only 17 out of 38 security staff arrived to keep an eye on the Olympic road-race circuit being set up in Surrey. In Coventry hundreds of police may be needed to cover for a missing G4S presence at hotels awaiting football teams. Here's the problem: G4S has 10,000 staff on its roster. It's training and equipping more every day at centres like this. But now the Olympic venues are being searched and locked down, G4S staff are not turning up in the right numbers to guard them. In the gap between being trained, often months ago, and being given their security duty, up to 5000 staff have gone missing ` not because they didn't want the work, it seems, but because no one from G4S got in touch. You haven't actively managed people or communicated with them properly between recruiting them and expecting them to turn up to a venue. Could be. < Could be or it is? Well, it clearly is` < 'Could be' sounds very vague. < I mean, we like specific answers. It clearly is in a number of cases. I just don't know how many. Even now, the company's leaving it to the last minute to call in its recruits. So, when do you start work? > I have no idea. The company now regrets bidding for this contract, and no doubt its decision to accept the government's demands last year for a huge increase in the number of staff to be provided. But the company still expects to be paid its management fee for the Olympics ` more than $110m. A heroic bus driver says he was thinking of his own young daughter when he rushed to catch a child who fell three storeys from a New York apartment building. The autistic girl (7) was standing on an air conditioning unit when she was spotted by Stephen St Bernard. He positioned himself to break her fall. 'Please let me catch her. Please let me catch her.' That's all I could say: 'Let me catch the little baby.' The girl wasn't hurt. Her saviour (52) has a torn tendon in his shoulder. To the day's weather, and nice and sunny now everybody's back from holiday, Jim. For weather, see onenews.co.nz It's been a beautiful day for trampers in Abel Tasman National Park right under the crossbar of the anticyclone. Changes are coming but don't throw away your shades just yet. See you after Andrew. Coming up on ONE News ` the hold-ups for residents after a large slip. Tucker time with the All Blacks captain ` how mucking in with Richie can earn you tickets to a big concert. And will your teen be there for a date with Justin Bieber? The countdown to his arrival in Auckland. Quality, not quantity. Tonight on Close Up ` never mind the prices, are we actually getting enough bang for our buck at the petrol pump? Plus, imagine if your home was your prison. She wasn't afraid to speak out against domestic abuse, and she's urging others to do the same. Ring someone, because it is probably happening. 1 There's anger among Pike River creditors following confirmation Solid Energy is the new owner. They've been left millions out of pocket, with some saying receivers sold the mine for well below the expected price of about $100m. Lisa Davies has more. 29 lives were lost in the Pike explosion. So were the livelihoods of many others. It's been very stressful, the whole situation. 70 Greymouth businesses are still owed more than $5m. It's money the unsecured creditors will never see now the mine's been sold to Solid Energy for just $7.5m. There was disappointment the sale price. We always expected the sale figure would be around $100m and that everyone would be paid in full. The receiver understands that disappointment, but says a higher price wasn't possible given the many challenges of the mine sale. We're comfortable we obtained the best price reasonably obtainable at the time of sale. Last year an unprecedented interim payment was made by receivers using $9m of Pike's insurance payout. Contractors were paid the first $10,000 they were owed and 20c in the dollar after that. For Greymouth businesses left in the red, there is one positive ` they are pleased Solid Energy is the new owner. In the future that perhaps the mine can be redeveloped, opened up and perhaps if it's possible, the bodies can be recovered. He lost three men down the mine ` business partner Milton Osbourne, Terry Kitchin and Sam Mackie. They'll always be remembered. Like many on the Coast, payout or no payout, he still wants those men returned home. Lisa Davies, ONE News. Contractors are expected to take up to four days to clear a large slip in Horowhenua. The landslide on Gladstone Rd between the Tararua Ranges and Levin is making the trip to town a little longer for about 30 residents. They spoke to Daniel Faitaua. One by one, debris was carted away by the truckload as contractors worked through the day to clear a rural road near Levin. Started last night, cleared up one lane and then come down again about 8 o'clock. The large slip was triggered by heavy rain. Workers here estimate around 200m3 that needs to be cleared. On the other side of the slip is around 12 houses, residents waiting for the road to be cleared. But by lunchtime, the council opened an alternate route through a forest to allow residents like Joan Leckie to go into town to get medication. What was a 10-minute drive into town now takes half an hour. Very scary, actually. The road is quite rough. But other residents resorted to staying put. The guy that was down at the monastery, we were talking to him this morning, and he said he heard a rumble. Residents for 16 years Judith and Don Tate say they've experienced their fair share of land slips. The last one we had. was seven days, and we were fine. No problems. They're a tough community. They know what's going on. It's not the first time it's happened, so they're prepared for this kind of thing. Contractors hope to have the road cleared by next week. Daniel Faitaua, ONE News. The latest initiative in the clean-up of quake-hit Christchurch is a concert with a twist. You need to 'shout' four hours of your time to earn a ticket. And as Ali Pugh reports, the gig's already got some big names on board. While this looks like a scene from celebrity MasterChef, this special Christchurch cook-off is all in the name of giving back. I think in Christchurch people want to do something, but they're not quite sure how. And I think there's a way of doing it, and I thought, well, you know, I might as well put my hand up to try and help out too. Today's lunch, launching Student Army mastermind Sam Johnson's latest venture, 'the concert', what he's says will be of the biggest gigs to hit the city in years. But entry comes with a catch. And so we're putting on a big rock concert, with the condition that the only way to get a ticket is to do four hours of volunteering. He hopes the initiative will spark a mass movement of volunteers. If you think about 10,000 people doing four hours each, that's 40,000 hours ` the equivalent of one person working for 20 years. Chef Richard Till's signed up, today cooking a 'thank you' curry for some of eastern Christchurch's long-time volunteers. Yes, it's wonderful. Good people working here. More than 100 residents have shown up for this free community lunch today, and it's the first of several that will be held across the city in the coming months for red zone residents. Plus there's another 70 community events listed on the website where keen concert-goers can sign up. They reckon there's no tickets going out unless you've done your four hours, so I'm trying to tick some off here, anyway. The gig's set for November. Until then, it seems this volunteer's found himself a whole new fan club. Alison Pugh, ONE News. Bieber fever's heating up in Auckland, ahead of a whirlwind visit by the teen idol. This morning Justin Bieber entertained thousands of screaming fans at a mini-concert in Sydney. The 18-year-old belted out a few songs from his new album Believe. # We could be starving, we could be homeless, we could be broke. # As long as you love me, I'll be your platinum, I'll be your silver, I'll be your gold. # As long as you la, la, la, la. # The Canadian's expected to arrive in Auckland tonight on a three-day promotional visit. He may stage an exclusive show for selected fans. Updating tonight's leading stories ` our most decorated living military man says his decision to quit the elite SAS unit wasn't taken lightly. Victoria Cross recipient Cpl Willie Apiata will become a part-time territorial soldier while taking up a job helping Auckland youth. ONE News understands his departure may've been triggered by the Defence Force's handling of a request for extra time off to spend with family. A former Fijian cabinet minister now living in Auckland says he's been questioned about a plot to assassinate prime minister Frank Bainimarama. Rajesh Singh says NZ secret service agents served him with a warrant and raided his home. The SIS says it can't comment on security matters. Andrew's here with sport. It had to happen ` drug alarms go off on the Tour de France. We have the latest on this new scandal, which takes the proverbial. Also tonight, the Kiwi Olympians start to descend on London. Plus ` you show us your wing sail, we'll show you ours. It's America's Cup time, which means the spies are out. And coming up, a story about true persistence. Could I have a price check on TENA bladder weakness liners, register 7? Well, it's just a slight weakening of the pelvic muscles. It's no big deal. I'm fine with it. It's no big deal with TENA. The initial flood of NZ athletes has started into London for the Olympic Games, now just nine days away. A number are already ensconced in the official village. Some of the athletics team have just competed in the city, but have different ideas for the final preparations. Here's Olympics reporter Garth Bray. Nick Willis tore up the track at Crystal Palace and his racing strategy. The pace was much too fast. It was almost world-record pace through the first half mile, but I was there, and I figured, well, let's see what happens and try and hang on for as long as I can. Days later he's still upbeat about how it will help his chances of improving on silver in the 1500m in Beijing. Pushing yourself at that overspeed for 1200m is something that's very difficult to replicate in trainings. Rather than joining the athletics team in camp in Cardiff, he's heading to a village in Italy where he based himself last year. You've got throwers; you've got jumpers; you've got distance runners; you've got sprinters. Or you've got Brent Newdick and Sarah Cowley, who are the multi-eventers who do it all. It's very difficult to set up an environment which is ideal for everybody. Those multi-eventers are getting close to the sharp end of their training, but when your top opponent is world number one and Britain's face of the games, Jessica Ennis, how's the pressure? It's a pleasure to have earned the pressure. (LAUGHS) Three weeks out from their Olympic moment, the days are still heavy. Pole vault, shot put and weights. Came back, had lunch, had a little nap, went back out and did some sprints and hurdles in the evening, so... Nah, it's pretty full on. We finished at about 8 o'clock last night. The Commonwealth silver medallist knows it'll take all that and luck on the day to beat the world's best all rounders. Garth Bray, ONE News, Cardiff. NZ's under-23 football team is in a hopeful mood as their players arrived in London as well. Captain Ryan Nelsen insists not much should be read into scratchy warm-up games when they drew with Japan and lost to South Korea. We're in conditions where we're travelling, we're jet-lagged, the preparation was pretty bad, but it was, kind of, us at our worst. And we still competed very well, so we're, kind of, really looking forward to getting over here and settle down somewhere. The Oly-Whites' first game in the Olympic tournament is against Belarus in Coventry next Friday. Think America's Cup, think intrigue. And sure enough, there was plenty of that when Team NZ loosened some of the secrecy today around its new AC72 boat. Stephen Stuart was there as the massive mast was attached for the first time. A huge wing sail means a huge job attaching or stepping it to the catamaran. Some Team NZ staff were just as interested in watching the watchers directly across the harbour ` like this film crew from the America's Cup Uncovered programme which insisted politics kept it out of the compound. Then there was this keen observer trying to uncover Team NZ secrets that had the locals buzzing. They were adamant it was Adam May, wing specialist from the Swedish entry Artemis. No surprise at all to team bosses who've become used to spying once on the water. There's a webcam that runs in to the Viaduct, so they'll be monitoring that. It will spread like a bushfire that the boat's out. So that's all part of it. Do you think they'll be impressed with what they might be seeing today? No, I think it's too early for that. I think we treat each other with a healthy respect and look forward to sailing against them. But first the wing sail will have to undergo extensive testing, with today's procedure repeated over and over. We're expecting to get the boat wing out of the shed on to the boat and the boat into the water to take close to 30 people two hours each day and then the retrieving process. Which is no mean feat, given it stretches more than 40m above the waterline and is bigger than a Boeing 747 wing. The AC72 will be publicly launched on Saturday, despite a windy weather forecast. We'll be well on alert because this thing's gonna want to tow the Viaduct around with it. Sailing proper could still be two weeks away, and they're allowed 30 days before the end of January. Just don't mention to Team NZ what happened on the Waitemata Harbour nine years ago. Stephen Stuart, ONE News. Warriors coach Brian McClennan has confirmed he's been in meetings this week with the club's owners, who are both in town, but there won't be any big signings for next year. Eric Watson and Owen Glenn both say money is available, but McClennan is happy with the signatures of Dane Nielsen and Thomas Leuluai. We've got wonderful talent in NZ. We wanna make sure that we're offering opportunities for that young talent. Kiwis and Souths hooker Issac Luke's been banned for three weeks after an early guilty plea for this tackle against the Roosters. Another doping scandal has hit the Tour de France. Last year's third-fastest overall rider, Frank Schleck, is now out of the tour completely. Schleck ` seen here in the white and yellow helmet ` tested positive for the diuretic Xipamide following the 13th stage. His RadioShack team say Xipamide is not in any of the team's medication, and the reason for it being present in Schlek's sample is unclear. It removes excess fluid from the body. Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong, who is under his own doping cloud, also rode for RadioShack. French police say Frank Schleck is cooperating with their inquiries. 24 hours out from the start of the British Open golf major, and Tiger Woods is grabbing all the attention. It's Tiger's third appearance at the Royal Lytham Links course in 11 years. The two years that I played, we didn't see it like this. This is different. The rough is more lush, the fairways are softer, the ball's not chasing as much. This is different. Tiger's the bookies' favourite to win on a course featuring 200 bunkers. Kiwi legend Sir Bob Charles won his open title on the same course 49 years ago. It's tougher than ever to win a major these days. The last 15 tournaments have been won by 15 different golfers. Get in, do the business and get out. That's the advice the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic are using when the team travels to Melbourne for the trans-Tasman championship grand final. The team's on a tight schedule, flying out of Auckland on Saturday afternoon to arrive less than 24 hours before centre pass on Sunday. The Magic and Vixens have faced each other just once this season, Melbourne scoring a comeback win, 40-39. The Vixens coach is confident her side can repeat the performance. They've got to come out and play us in our home territory, so it'll be tough, but I think we've got some strength all over the court, and I think there'll be some really good match-ups on the court, and we plan to come out the winners. The Magic won't be completely without support though ` they're expecting more than 350 fans to be in the stands on Sunday afternoon. Nine days out from the start of the Olympics, we carry on with our look into what it takes to make the grade and push for a medal. Imagine preparing for the Games, only to be rubbed off the team at the last minute. That's exactly what happened to rower Matthew Trott four years ago. His is a story about never letting go of your dream. Here's Olympics reporter Craig Stanaway. 2008. The country is gripped with a rowing obsession. World champion Mahe Drysdale versus Olympic champion Rob Waddell. Up for grabs, the single scull berth at the Olympic Games. I was gunning for Rob to win, but then when Mahe did beat Rob, that's when I started thinking 'uh-oh'. Matthew Trott's world crashed in. Waddell still went to the games in his seat. Two years' Olympic training counting for nothing. (LAUGHS) I'm not sure if it's character building. Probably character breaking. Did you ever speak to him after the Beijing selection? I can't remember speaking to him specifically about that race. In a situation like that, do you say 'Sorry, mate'? I can't remember having that conversation, but I don't think it was something that either of us really felt the need to talk about. I couldn't do anything about it, so it was just build a bridge, get over it and move on. Matthew Trott rejoined Nathan Cohen in the double after Beijing. More despair was to follow. He was turfed out again a year later. I thought, oh God, here we go again after the 2008 debacle, so` but then I was in the quad` then I got put in the quad, and it turns out I just love it. Yeah. # I'm always pushing myself to the limit, # making sure I stay ahead. # You made me who I am, from the words you said. # It is probably my last shot, and it's probably my only shot. They've got raw speed. In their first race in Lucerne they broke the world record ` or broke the previous world record ` with another crew. So that puts them right up there as having as good a chance as anyone. Willpower and determination got him to London. The lure of a medal will get him to the finish line. Craig Stanaway, ONE News. MEDAL CHANCES GALORE IN THE ROWING Next on ONE News ` developments on the weather front. Jim will have the details. Quality, not quantity. Tonight on Close Up ` never mind the prices, are we actually getting enough bang for our buck at the petrol pump? Plus, imagine if your home was your prison. She wasn't afraid to speak out against domestic abuse, and she's urging others to do the same. Ring someone, because it is probably happening. Come on, Seymour. Come on, Seymour. DOG BARKS Yes, dear? Yes, dear? Hello, there. Did you know NZ TV's going digital? Is that right? Is that right? Yeah. It'll be heaps better. With old TV... Well, let Seymour show you. But with digital ` DOG BARKS DOG BARKS better pictures, better sound and more channels. DOG BARKS APPLAUSE To find out how you can see more and enjoy more, visit goingdigital.co.nz Hi there. We're good for now. The anticyclone's parked up over central NZ. This is how it shone down on the Marlborough Sounds today. Check with Abigail the Burmese for the best fishing spots. For weather, see onenews.co.nz History made over Nelson today. This restored WWII twin-engined Anson is the only one of its type flying in the world. Pilots are owner Bill Reid and Dave Phillips. And that's ONE News for Wednesday.