Scottish scholar’s Queenstown stopover

Tuesday, 21 July 2009, 10:27 am
Press Release: Destination Queenstown

 
Monday July 20 2009

For immediate release

Scottish scholar’s Queenstown stopover

Scottish scholar Gregory Jones jumped head first into his ambassadorial duties in New Zealand with an adrenaline-packed Sunday bungy jumping and jetboating in Queenstown.

Incremental weather during his journey to the resort meant the 18-year-old only had a day to soak up as much of Queenstown as he could – fitting in a Shotover Jet ride and an AJ Hackett Kawarau Bridge Bungy.

“I was a little bit nervous of bungy jumping at first, but it was something I figured if I didn’t do now I would never ever end up doing,” he said.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my brief time in Queenstown.  The scenery is fantastic and I’ve found the people in the South Island really friendly.”

Mr Jones is the 66th winner of the Otaki Shield, an award given to each head boy of Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen, to travel throughout New Zealand visiting Kiwi schools and sightseeing for seven weeks during the Scottish summer holidays.

The scholarship commemorates a sea battle fought in the Atlantic during the First World War of former pupil of the Scottish school, Captain Archibald Bisset Smith.

The New Zealand Shipping Company merchant ship SS Otaki was critically damaged in March 1917 by a German raider and Captain Smith ordered the ships evacuation before going down with the ship himself.

Captain Smith was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery and devotion, and in 1937 his family presented the Otaki Shield to the college to be given annually to the school’s head boys.

The New Zealand Shipping Company traditionally offered a free passage on one of their ships to the winner, however the NZ Government now picks up the tab for the travel scholarship, assisting with air fares and some accommodation.

Destination Queenstown CEO Stephen Pahl said it’s fantastic to see this kind of scholarship continue today.

“Gregory comes from a long line of scholars who’ve now had the opportunity to sample some of what Queenstown has to offer and he’ll no doubt go back and share his experience with his friends and family in the United Kingdom,” he said.

“I’m delighted he had the chance to experience bungy jumping and jetboating in the adventure capital of the world.”

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