WEIGHT-LIFTING TITLES

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30173, 3 July 1963, Page 13

WEIGHT-LIFTING TITLES

CEVERAL New Zealand records are expected to fall when the Canterbury Amateur Weight-lifting Associations holds its Strength Set championships at the club rooms in Oxford terrace this evening. Some notable figures, such as A. Hunt, and W. McDowell, will be absent from the championships, but with their exceptions, the entries are indicative of Canterbury’s strongest men. The Strength Set consists of three attempts at each of three lifts: the first is the Bench or Prone Press: the second, the Squat, or Deep Knees Bend; and the Dead Lift is the third—a lift from which a tremendous weight can be lifted. These lifts will be attempted In three weightgroups ranging from heavyweight to bantam-weight, the distinctions between the classes being much the same as in boxing and wrestling. The Cinderella grade of the sport, the heavy-weight division, has drawn only one entry. It is A. Rickerby, a relative beginner in the sport, but already showing tremendous promise. Another who should be predominant in his grade is D. Hyde, a middle-heavy, who has turned in some consisttent performances recently. However, the non-entry of Hunt has taken some of the edge off the contest in this grade and it is a pity that the two will not be matched. D. Krause, who has been coaching at another club, may be a late entry in the mid-heavyweight grade. In a contest held a short time ago, Krause was a convincing winner in the light heavy-weight grade with a lift of 11201 b, 1501 b clear of the next man.

Probably the most interesting contest will be in the light-heavy-weight, where four competitors are very evenly matched. They are M. Cully, K. Collins, R. Burney, and A. O'Hagan, and of these Cully, who set a New Zealand record of 2911 b for the pull over and press just over three months ago, must stand the best chance. Notwithstanding, it is the most even of the weights. A holder of four New Zealand records, J. Penny should have little trouble in winning the middle-weight

event At a trial contest in April, he beat F. Le Flem by 651 b, but it is not known yet whether Le Flem, who is showing no ill-effects from a recent motor accident, will make light-weight or be forced into this grade. He, too, is a New Zealand record-holder—that of the middle-weight dumb bell press with 1741 b in an attempt in March, 181 b better than the old record.

The likely winner of the light-weight in the absence of McDowell, is R. Bercene. In training recently he pressed 2751 b, 251 b better than McDowell’S national record, and it appears likely that this mark will be erased from the record books in tonight’s ' championships.

The only entry received from the bantam-weight so

far has been that of R. Sager—who would, however, be very difficult to beat if opposed. He will have the incentive of trying to beat the New Zealand record for the pull over and press in his weight—a mark he has exceeded in training.

As well as affording competitors the opportunity of becoming Canterbury titleholders, these championships will also be a useful preview to the South Island championships which the Canterbury association hopes to be holding some time late in August Performances in both of these contests will be watched with a good deal of interest and it is most likely that by the time September—and spring—arrives, Canterbury will be the holder of its fair share of New Zealand weightlifting records.