U.S. SKIERS ATTEND N.Z. TEAM FAREWELL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29588, 10 August 1961, Page 16

U.S. SKIERS ATTEND N.Z. TEAM FAREWELL

Four American ski enthusiast* took part in the function held on Tuesday evening 4o bid farewell to the New Zealand ski team '•zhich left by air last .evening for Sydney for its Australia® toilr.

Film makers as well as skiers, the Americans have been in New Zealand making a film to be called “Skis Down Under” which Includes sequences taken at Ruapehu, Coronet Peak and at the Hermitage. It will probably include a breath-taking view of members at the party skiing down the Tasman Glacier after having landed on the glacier from an aircraft. The Americans, Messrs R. Barrymore, the -leader and producer of the film, B. Johnson, “King Powder” of the Utah ski fields, R. Funk, a leading racing skier in the United States who once broke a leg in an attempt at the world ski speed record by falling at 100 miles an hour, and W. Tishman, who was described as “a professional lesson-taker at ski resorts throughout tftie world." • Mr Barrymore decided to bring the group to New Zealand to make the film after he had seen the film "Snows of Aorangt." The film they have made on New Zealand gkl-ing

will be used for private lectures, cinemas and television in the United States. Mr Barrymore showed a colour film on Tuesday evening at the function which included outstanding views of the slalom and ski jump events ’at the last Olympics at Squaw Valley—views Which brought the viewer close to the competitor with telephoto lenses with an unusual clarity and effect. These were accompanied by a commentary. The film “Ski West Young Man” also included sequences of deep powder snow akl-dng in Utah. It is being left by Mt Barrymore In New Zealand and it will be used to begin an Olympic ski-ing fund to send New Zealand teams overseas for competition or practice. During the addresses which followed the manager of the New Zealand team, Mr S. Boyd, and the captain of the team, W. Hunt, expressed the team’s appreciation of the assistance given to the team by Canterbury skiers, the Canterbury Ski Association and the North Canterbury Ski Club tor the use of its eids at Broken River for training. Mr Hunt made a presentation on behalf of the team to Miss Ann Reid, a member of the team who broke her leg last week in training and had to be replaced. The team wilt travel to the Snowy Mountains When it arrives in Sydney and will spend eight days in training there before moving to the Thredbo ski fields where the first championships wilt be held.