Ski-ing COACHING IN CANTERBURY

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28551, 2 April 1958, Page 14

Ski-ing COACHING IN CANTERBURY

N.Z. Champion As Instructor Karl Burtscher, the 21-year-old Austrian who holds both the New Zealand amateur and open ski titles, will be one of the professional instructors under contract to the Canterbury Ski Association this winter. Plans for ski schools were discussed at last evening’s meeting of the asso-> ciatlon. Burtscher, the finest skier even to compete in this country, was a member of the Austrian 01ym4 pic squad from which a team to compete at Cortina d'Ampezzo in 1956 was selected. He came to New Zealand early last year and beat several of Canada’s leading professionals at Mt. Ruapehu for the national open title. Butscher re, ceived much of his early ski training from Toni Sailer, the Olympic champion and present world champion. Five overseas Instructors havd already contracted to join the re, cently-formed Canterbury Instructors’ School, and several further appointments may yet be made to cater for the large number of applications from ski clubs. The chief instructor and organiser of the instruction system in the province will be Georges Jacomelli, a Swiss whq has coached in Canterbury for the last six years. In a letter to the association Burtscher said he hoped to be able to make the word “wedeln’* really mean something in New Zealand. Wedeln is the new revolutionary technique in which will be taught by instruc, tors in Canterbury this seasotu and Burtscher Is one of the lead) ing exponents of this style. By signing the Canterbury Ski Association's contract, Burtscher had automatically become a professional. Cantago Trophy The Southern Districts Ski Association wrote asking that the Cantago Trophy, competed for annually by the Canterbury and Otago associations be awarded on the results of a special ski meeting. In the past, the trophy has been awarded on the results of the South Island championships. The Southern Districts association suggested that the special meeting be held at the new ski field at Lake Ohau. The meeting decided to decline the suggestion on the grounds that Canterbury was already fully taxed with ski meetings this year. It considered the trophy should be awarded on the same basis as before. The North-Eastern Districts Ski Association (Australia) wrote confirming arrangements for its team to visit New Zealand this year. "We suggest that we visit only one ski field in Canterbury, and would prefer to compete in downhill and giant slalom or slalom events,” said the letter. The team will be in Canterbury from July 23 to July 27. The following Canterbury skiers have been selected from the original nominations from clubs to take part In the special Olympic training which will be organised this season: R. S. A. Chaffey. A. Coberger, B. Hall, J. Godfrey, M. Sandelin. J. Stamers-Smith. J. Willis, Misses K. Guy, P. Halt A. Latham. P. Stamers-Smith, S. Edwardes.