N.Z. Has Good Prospects In Olympic Games Yachting

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29291, 24 August 1960, Page 11

N.Z. Has Good Prospects In Olympic Games Yachting

New Zealand may gain one or more medals in the athletics at the Olympic Games it is possible that even greater success may attend the Dominion’s representatives in the yachting section. R. H. Roberts in the Finn class and R. J. Watson and M. R. Rae in the Flying Dutchman class could well emulate the feat of P. G. Mander and J. U. Cropp in the 1956 Olympic Games at Melbourne, in winning gold medals. Roberts in the Finn mono- . type has already built up an impressive record in international competition. Winner of the monotype class at the New Zealand championships in 1958, Roberts went overseas for further competition. On this trip he filled second place in the Dutch championships and third in the Spanish, against many of the top European yachtsmen. Roberts’ ability is at once understood when it is realised that, to gain selection in the New Zealand team this year, he beat Mander, and also the former Danish Olympian H. Petersen, who has been nominated as reserve for the yachting team. Included in his other overseas successes was the Prince of Wales Cup event for international 14footers at Cowes last year. Successes The yachting members of the Olympic team left New Zealand six weeks ago for competition on the Continent before the Games and Roberts has been singularly successful. In an international contest at Rotterdam two weeks ago he won a five-race series in his class. Included among those whom he defeated was A Nelis of Belgium, who is currently rated as second in the world in this class. Watson and Rae in the Flying Dutchman class have also a good record. A former national Frostbite champion, Watson has had considerable overseas experience in recent seasons. He sailed in the world 18-footer championships

in the Sydney Harbour, and also competed in the international 14footer ’ event at Cowes in 1958, when he was a member of the New Zealand squad which filled second place. During the last four weeks Watson and Rae have been competing extensively in Holland, which is the home of their class. Rae has had considerable experience in sailing with Watson, and they have been partners in 18-footers and 14-footers as well as in the Olympic trials.

When New Zealand chances are being assessed the prospects of the 23-year-old heavyweight weight-lifter D. Oliver cannot be ignored. In a sport which is tra-

ditionally dominated by musclemen from Russia, Iran and Turkey, Oliver stands out as a good prospect. Although he still has another 10 years before he reaches his peak as a weight-lifter, he could well win a medal at these Games. A butcher, Oliver is in a unique position to build up his weight, and with it his strength. He is 6ft 4in in height, and weighs nearly 20st. In the Olympic trials in Auckland this year Oliver lifted 9501 b, which places him seventh in the world rankings. At the beginning of this month he lifted 9701 b, and his best unofficial total is 9821 b, which would place him in fifth position in the world. W. A. Dalton, New Zealand’s sole entrant in the cycling events, is another who has travelled extensively overseas to gain ex-

perience and competition against the world’s best. He competed in the 1000-metres time trial event at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, and also in subsequent world championships. He has held the national title in the 1000-metres time trial for the last four seasons, and that for the individual pursuit for five seasons. At the 1956 Olympic Games Dalton gained sixth position in the time trial event, and in the British Empire Games at Cardiff in 1958 he took third placing. Dalton competed in the world championships in Paris in 1959 and was fourth, with second fastest time, in the 4000-metre pursuit race.

J. R. Hill will be the Dominion’s only entrant in the rowing and he will compete in the single sculls. Hill has a fine record in this even both nationally and internationally. He has won the New Zealand title for the last three seasons, and has also won the double sculls twice. In the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956 Hill was unplaced in the first round but later won a repechage heat to qualify to continue in the event. He was finally eliminated in the semi-

finals, in a very fast race. In the Cardiff Empire Games in 1958 Hill took second place in the single sculls and third in the double sculls. It is not yet known in what weight the Wellington wrestler F. A. Thomas will be competing. He won the New Zealand light-heavy-weight title in 1958 and 1959, and he has been nominated for this weight as well as for the middle-weight. Although, he is at present a light-heavyweight, it is thought that he may lose sufficient weight in Italy to qualify for the middle-weight class. Thomas toured Australia with the New Zealand wrestling team last year, and he won all his nine bouts, six of them on falls. Among his opponents were several New Australians who had enjoyed good reputations in European rings. The Europeans will probably, be too strong for Thomas at Rome, but he will no doubt

pick up useful experience. Thomas is aged 21. B. A. Pickworth will be the first fencer ever to represent the Dominion in an Olympic competition, and there is no other better fitted than he to take this honour. Last year at the national championships Pickworth finished in the first three in all three weapons N.Z. Titles The foil is Pickworth’s best weapon, and in this event he has won the New Zealand title on three occasions, in 1956, 1957 and 1959. He won the national sabre title in 1958, and filled second positions in 1957 and 1959, on both occasions having finished first equal before the barrage. He was also third in the epee in 1957 and 1959. In the British Empire Games in Cardiff in 1958 Pickworth was placed equal third in the foil event. Although he will probably not make much impression on the skilled and experienced

fencers, the one-armed Auckland fencer is second to none as a determined and patient opponent. Hopes will be high for the success of the New Zealand hockey team, which will be taking part in Olympic competition for the second time. At the 1956 Games in Melbourne the team was seeded seventh and eventually finished in sixth position in the final classification. Whether or not New Zealand can improve upon this ranking at Rome will depend to a large extent upon the type of game adopted by the Dominion’s representatives. It is to be hoped that the New Zealand Olympic team will endeavour to base its play upon the principles of controlled, short-pas-sing hockey built upon a high level of stick-work, which have been traditional with Indian and Pakistan teams throughout their history, and which have been conspicuous by their absence in the methods of European teams. Threat

Provided that an adequate level of mastery is achieved, New Zealand could steal such a march upon Australian, German, British Dutch, Belgian and other European teams, and possess a better than even chanfee of gaining the bronze medal, and of offering the most serious threat to the IndoPakistan supremacy, a supremacy which is progressively hindered psychologically as the need to continue winning becomes cumulatively greater. The 1956 New Zealand team attempted to adopt these principles but did not achieve sufficient mastery of them to assert a clearcut superiority over its European rivals. The 1960 team will need to do much better. A. P. K. White and the horse Telebrae were not originally in the New Zealand Olympic team, but were added early this month after good performances in European contests. Both horse and rider have had impressive performances in New Zealand, although not together, and have competed as members of the New Zealand Horse Society jumping team at the Sydney Horse Show. The standard of show-jumping overseas is not easy to estimate, as there has in the past been very little contact between New Zealand competitors and those from Europe. White filled ninth place in a show in The Hague last month, and finished eighth in a later show, also in Holland. In both these shows he encountered many riders and horses in preparation for the Olympics.