Wind And Waves Mar Kairaki Water Display

Press, Volume C, Issue 29669, 13 November 1961, Page 15

Wind And Waves Mar Kairaki Water Display

After Father Christmas fell into toe river and got wet it only needed a fire to break up the party and the Christchurch Water Spirts Ch* bad both tilings happen at its water sports display at Kairaki yesterday afternoon. The Waimakariri river was in flood, dirty and cold with the incoming tide producing choppy conditions with spray wtspiped up by the easterly wind. Under the conditions the club did particularly well to stage most of its intended programme which included demonstrations by some of the best water skiers in the country. A big crowd watched the display from the river bank and the performances put up by the skiers were well received. In many cases it was nearly impossible for a group of skiers all to take off together because of the waves and it was not possible to stage any pyramids. In the midst of the difficulties to topside tandems—a skier carrying a child on his shoulders—made several <xrciirts unscathed. One of the girls did not even get the frock she was wearing over her life-jacket wet. Before the display the club asked aH compositors to wear life-jackets and all available boats were stationed on the river to pick up skiers who upset. They were kept busy, even though the programme was conftoed to the club’s most experienced skiers. The jump—a wooden ramp kept afloat with drums—was pushed under the water by the force of the current on the sloping deck and it was

not until the tide began to come in that it surfaced again in spite of many efforts to free it. Wet But Undaunted A tableau depicting Father Christmas and two attendant elves ended when Father Christmas submerged and surfaced again clutching his ski in his hand. He completed the circuit of the course in the pick-tip boat waving a sodden red-robed arm to the crowd. One elf kept on her skis to complete the circuit One skier who was able to master the conditions and perform his tricks was W. Prisk w>ho delighted the crowd with double turnarounds—jumping into the air and turning completely around. Several of the girls performed well to carry out toe holds and neck holds in which the handle on the rope is placed behind the heel or behind the neck, leaving the hands free. At 3.45 p.m. the display came to a halt when a scrub fire broke out in the sandhalls and the boats were caJiled in while the men went to fight the fire. It was an hour before the fire was controlled and the boats put out again. However, the water ‘conditions during the afternoon worsened and some of the pick-up boats made some spectacular nose lifts and one practically stood on its stern. It was not a day for seeing first class water ski-tog but the crowd lost nothing in the way of thrills and excitement.