NEW ZEALAND SKI TITLES

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26824, 1 September 1952, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND SKI TITLES

GIANT SLALOM TO T. MCKEON MISS A. JOHNSON WINS TWO EVENTS (New Zealand Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, August 31. The New Zealand ski championships began at East Mount Egmont on Saturday, with the running of the giant slalom, which was included in the championships for the first time. It is a popular event in Europe. The championships were continued today with the ordinary slalom. The weather was much better, and the snow surface remained fair.

The winner of the giant slalom was T. McKeon (New Plymouth), whose time for the 850-foot vertical descent through 29 pairs of gates, was £3.lsec. The women's title went to the South Island champion. Miss Annette Johnson (Springfield).

The first four places in the men’s giant slalom went to members of the New Zealand ski team which competed against Australia last season. W. F. Hunt (Taumarunui), who was second, also competed in the Winter Olympics. Miss Johnson won the South Island women's title last week. She, too, was a member of the team that visited Australia, and was a competitor in the Winter Olympics this year. Conditions were not favourable because of increasing mist. The snow was wet. It took more than an hour for the 20 men and five women to complete the course, set by the Swiss professional, Walter Haensli, a former chief instructor at the Chateau Tongariro. The course was from the top of the new ski tow on the Policeman slopes to about half-way down the outlet gully. Visibility was poorer for the women’s runs. The snowline is about 5000 feet, compared with a normal level for this time of year of about 4000 feet. Hunt made a remarkable run to win I the championship slalom to-day. His skiing was fluent, and he made no mistakes. McKeon was second, and it looks as if these two will contest the aggregate championship. To-day, Miss Johnson had her second win. She is easily the best of the women competing. A comparative newcomer to competitive skl-lng, she has a polished style, and is very fast. Her club-mate, Miss J. Owen,* who ran second, is another consistent performer. • There were 22 starters in the men’s slalom event to-day, and five in the women’s. The course was set with a vertical descent of 600 feet. The men* had to negotiate 39 gates, and the women 20. The course has been ;-set for the downhill championships to-morrow. It is also intended to hold the club teams’ race, in which there are five entries.

Results:— Men’s Giant Slalom.—T. K. McKeon (New Plymouth), 53.1 sec, 1; W. F. I. Hunt (Taumarunul), 58.6 sec, 2; S. S. .Lonsdale (Queenstown), Imin o.6sec, 3. Women’s Giant Slalom.—Miss Annette Johnson (Springfield), lmin 31.9 sec, 1; Miss J. Owen (Christchurch), lmin 37.Isec, 2; Miss T. Keiha (Wellington), 3mln o.2sec, 3 - Men’s Slalom (two runs). —W. F. Runt, lmin o.6sec, lmin 3.ssec, 1; T. K. McKeon, lmin 4.3 sec, lmin 3.Bsec, 2; S. S. Lonsdale, lmin 9.4 sec, lmin s.4sec, 3. Women’s Slalom.—Miss A. , Johnson, 59.25ec, lmin 41sec, 1; Miss J. Owen, lmin 7sec, lmin 48.3 sec, 2; Miss D. Davis, lmin 14sec, 2min 26.35ec, 3.