SKI RACING.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20619, 8 August 1932, Page 8

SKI RACING.

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS HELD FAST SNOW AND FINE WEATHER. \ The Christchurch Ski Club's third aannual championship meeting, postponed from the previous week-end, was held on Saturday and yesterday in Temple Basin, at Arthur's Pass National Park. On both days conditions were ideal, with the one exception, that tho snow, particularly on the first day, was so glassy and fast that good ski-running called for the utmost skill. On the first day it was almost impossible to run the full length of the course without a fall. On the second day there was an improvement, but even then the snow was tricky and a bad, icy piece in the middle of the field, directly on the course to the winning ijosts, upset some of the most experienced. Moreover, the snow was scarce —there was not anything like the extent of snow for ski-ing that there was last season, and in the longer runs soft drifts and tnfts of scrub needed careful negotiation. In both men's and women's downhill events, only one competitor—Mrs A. B. Edwards—made an unbroken run. But competitors answered the challenge offered by the difficult conditions and provided some fine Mu-ing, the standard of somo of the younger ski-racers showing definite improvement on that of the previous championships. The meeting attracted many noncompetitors and, on Sunday, scores of spectators.

Both championships were won by a margin of over 10 points—the men's by Dr. O. Frankel, and th© women's by Miss I. Montgomery. Among the rest of the men there was fairly close competition, hut the women's placing tvcre more decisive. " The championship results were: MEN. O. Frankel, 197.4 points ..I ■T>. Twyneham. 181.4 points . ' 2 .. JI. Ferries 173.7 points .. 3 It. Psec. 173.0 points . 4 " W. Myhre, 171.6 points ..5 L. Fisher. 171.1 points .. c women. Miss T. Montgomery, 1A4.2 points .. 1 Mrs A. B. Edwardes, 180.5 points .'. 2 Miss TT. MontgOTHpry. 142.0 points n Miss T>. Mackie, 96.8 points . . 4 The championship officials wore as follows: —Starter, Mr It. Twyneham: judges and timekeepers, Messrs R. Benttlp and L. Smith; track stewards, Messrs W. Erasmuson, N. Coxhead, and G. Butler. The rluh championships were awarded on the combined results of the downhill race and the slaloms. The Results. The results were an follows: MEN'S EVENTS. DOWNHILL. O. Frankel, lroin 12 2-Ssec .. 1 D. Twyneham, lmin 13 l-sscc ~ 2 E. Farrier, lmin 17 l-ssec .. 3 R. Page, lmin 20 2-ssec .. 4 The downhill was a difficult test over a 500 yards run, starting on a steep slope covered with Boft snow, and ending on the skiing field proper, giving a particularly fast finish. Consequently there was not one competitor who did not fall. The majority had several "spills," all finding the first 100 yards hard going. The winner had a couple of early falls, but he made good time on them, and was quickly up. Practically overy man met trouble on the icy patch near the finish. SLALOM. W. B. Myhre, 44 2-ssec .. 1 O. Frankel, 45 3-ssec .. 2 B. O. Page, 53 3-ssec .. 3 D. Twyneham, 53 4-ssec . . 4 Myhre won the Slalom with his clever turns. He raced on very fast skis. The course was marked out on fast snow, and called for the exertion of all a ski-er's skill. INTERMEDIATE DOWNHILL. L. Fisher . ... . ',-.', ..-- .1 E'. Twyneham .. .. • • 2 INTERMEDIATE &LALOM. N. Coxhead .. . . .. 1 D. Twyneham .. 2 L. Fisher • . . .- - .. 3 Women's Events. DOWNHILL. Mrs A. B. Edwardes;, 19 4-ssec .._' 1 Miss I. Montgomery, 21see . . 2 Miss H, Montgomery, 85sec ..3 Miss D. .Mackie, 43see :. 4 The women's downhill, over a shorter course than the- men's, provided some' clever, spectacular ski-ing, and not a few hard 'falls. Mrs Edwardes made a splendid, unbroken run, travelling over the glassy surface'at a tejrific speed. Miss I. Montgomery fell when near the finish, slid over the line, and had to walk back again, and finish on her skis, in accordance with the rules. . SLALOM. Miss t. Montgomery, 50 2-ssec .. 1 Mlsa H. Montgomery, 58 3-ssec .. - Mrs A. B. Edwardes, 62 8-ssec .. 3 Miss D.. Mackie, 100 2-ssec .. 4 • Miss* I. Montgomery negotiated the fla<rs skilfully, and managed her turns well. Steadiness won her the event, which was closely contested. NOVICE SLALOM. Mrs O. Frankel .. .. 1 . Mrs N. Coxhead • • * INTERMEDIATE DOWNHILL. Miss H. Montgomery .. ■. 1 Miss I. Montgomery . • • - Mrs A. B. Edwardes . - • • d INTERMEDIATE SLAiOM. Mrs A. 8.~ Edwardes .. ••"* Miss H. Montgomery .. ■• * Miss Iris Montgomery .. ■• • •» SKIING NEAR THE CITY. GOOd SNOW IN PLENTY. Christchurcb. winter sports enthusiasts yesterday again took advantage of the excellent ski-ing ground at present available on the .slopes of Mount Herbert; Ski-ing and tobogganing were not restricted to this area, for on the nearer parts of the Port Hills, particularly at Evans Pass, on the SumnerLyttelton road, but also on the Kapaki track, and even above Cashmere, skis and toboggans were being tried. The special train to Lyttelton at 8 o'clock carried nearly 100 people bound for Diamond Harbour, and this numoer was added to when the launch left Lyttelton. There were, if anything, more skis than usual to be seen, though toboggans were no less popular. Later trains and boats carried unusual numbers, and in all some 250 people crossed the harbour. Much Improved Surface. Visions of being able to. ski to the water's edge were destroyed when the party commenced its climb, which was made slower by the snow which lay in drifts across the spur used as a route. However, in the end it was found that the previous two days' weather had made a considerable difference, and excellent ski-ing grounds—for there were more than one—were found fully threequarters of a mile lower down the slopes than last week. Here the snow lay a foot or eighteen inches deep, with occasional tussock-tops showing, while a few hundred yards further on the tussocks were completely buried. While large numbers remained in the lower areas, others pushed on to the main plateau. The snow was in far better condition for ski-ing than last week, and a slight frost had given it just the right crust for good running, without making too icy a surface. There were two minor accidents, both to tobogganers. John Sowden, of Lyttelton, had the top of a finger cut off when a.sledge passed over a wire fence, and Harold May, also of Lyttelton, was badly bruised through striking a stump on oneof the lower .slopes. Unless the snow thaws very fast, sufficient should remain. to give a good ski-ing ground on the main plateau even at the end of the week. '