"Lady" Paddy Hall Fourth In St. Moritz Games Slalom

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29724, 18 January 1962, Page 2

"Lady" Paddy Hall Fourth In St. Moritz Games Slalom

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright)

ST. MORITZ (Switzerland), January 16. Miss Paddy Hall who skied splendidly to take fourth place in the second Commonwealth Winter Games women's slalom at St. Moritz, was originally entered as "Lady Paddy Hall from New Zealand.” When she sent in ■ her entry form, the Swiss were amazed by the Christian name “Paddy”—a nickname usually given to Irish males. So to make quite sure she was entered for the women’s event a clerk of starters wrote her down as the “Kiwi Lady” on her form. A second clerk copying out the list of starters wrote her down as "Lady Paddy Hall.” The Kiwi "Lady” was racing in her first slalom for more than two years but she had the fourth fastest time of 45.75ec of the 11 starters on the first faster course, and 51.2 sec for the more difficult second course. Her aggregate of 96.65ec would not have put her among the first six, however, had not several of the better-fancied English girls missed the gate on the second course. Miss Hall, before going to the North Island and then overseas, was one of Canterbury's leading skiers. In 1959, at the age of 19, she won the New Zealand women’s title, beating Miss P. Prain, who represented New Zealand at the 1960 Winter Olympics. Originally from Horora<ta, Miss Hall was a New Zealand representative against Australia in 1958, when she won admiration by trying to continue after a 'crash. She was in hospital for six weeks as a result and off work as a kindedgarten teacher for six months. Another Canterbury skier,

Anton Coberger, was placed fifteenth with an aggregate of 115.7 points in the men’s slalom. Another New Zealander, Richard Owen finished twenty-third with 150.9 points. The event was won by a 19-year-old Canadian, Lyn Cullis with an aggregate of 73. New Zealand failed to finish the three-man team race, which was won by England.