Sportsman’s Notebook Mrs A. Stephens Favoured To Retain Squash Title

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30234, 12 September 1963, Page 8

Sportsman’s Notebook Mrs A. Stephens Favoured To Retain Squash Title

The New Zealand representative and former national title-holder at both badminton and squash rackets, the top-seeded Mrs A. Stephens (Hamilton) will be strongly favoured to regain the women’s title, at the New Zealand squash championships which begin ia Christchurch tomorrow.

Formerly Miss A. Mackenzie, Mrs Stephens is a sister of the prominent Christchurch player, P. L. Mackenzie, and captained the New ZeaTand women’s team which has just returned from Australia. Her record is unapproached: she has won the squash title in five of the last seven years. She did not compete last year, when the championship went to the Australian junior, Miss P. McLenaughan. A power game to equal many A grade men, with firm drives and a particularly impressive overhead, has made Mrs Stephens an attractive player to watch. She has consistently produced too much pace for her opposition in this country, and it seems unlikely that she will be seriously extended in her bid to win her sixth title. N.Z. Club Finals The Cousins Shield and Mitchell Cup finals for men and women’s club teams of five are a feature of New Zealand squash rackets championship meetings, the top North and South clubs in both events contesting the finals. For the first time this year the Christchurch club will be represented, the women’s team meeting Hamilton for the Mitchell Cup. In the Cousins Shield for men, the holder, Timaru, will also play Hamilton and it will be attempting to win the trophy for the ninth time. A very close contest is likely and form should provide a pointer to prospects for the national titles to follow. For Timaru, G. L. Bird, K. R. Green, F. N. Coe, J. N. Isaacs and B. J. Rippin will be opposed by Hamilton’s I. T. Easton, J. S. Walker, L. T. O’Neill, F. Seeley and C. Branton. Bird, Walker and Easton are all members of the New Zealand team which returns tonight from the tour of Australia, aad Bird is scheduled to play Easton, and Walker to meet the title-holder, C. R. Waugh, in the national semi-finals. Powerful Team The Hamilton Mitchell Cup team seems sure to prove too powerful and too experienced for the Christchurch women, but the local team has performed well in reaching the national final, and will gain further valuable experience. Hamilton, the present holder, is headed by two New Zealand representatives, Mrs Stephens and Mrs L. Brownlee. and easily beat Palmerston North, 5-0, in the North Island final. The Christchurch club will be represented by Miss C. Swift, Miss J. Rich, Mrs P.

Leopold, Miss J. McCain, and Mrs H. Simons in playing order. The Cousins Shield and Mitchell Cup finals will both be played at the Chester street courts tomorrow evening. * * * Sailing Ethics An uncompromising stand against unsporting actions during racing, actions which became a noticeably disturbing feature of Canterbury yachting in the last two seasons, is made by the president of the Canterbury Yachting Association, Mr W. H. Beanland, in a message to yachtsmen. In a sport that is governed mainly by the honourable actions of its participants, rules must be obeyed “and if during the race there is an infringement, however ‘rivial, the yacht in error should retire,” he says. Mr Beanland, who is an authority on international yacht racing practice, says that unless the sailing instructions make exemptions the racing flag should be hauled down, and an offending yacht should keep clear of other competitors, and not cross the finishing line. He adds: “During the last season I have witnessed instances where ‘fundamental’ rules have not been observed. This is discreditable when senior classes do not give way and juniors are baffled into giving way, or going about, when there has been no call for sea room and no justification for such a call. “May I appeal to all senior yachtsmen to show by example the ethics of yachting," Mr Beanland says. * * * League “Final”

Although the season is rapidly drawing to a close Canterbury Rugby League supporters can look forward to a club match on Saturday which should be as good as any that have been seen this season. The match, between the top two teams in the championship, Linwood and Hornby, is certain to be close.

If Linwood wins, it will be assured of taking the senior championship but if Hornby

wins, Linwood will still have to defeat Sydenham and Christchurch to gain top honours. Although it is unlikely that either of these two teams could defeat Linwood, it is certain that Hornby will be anxious to inflict on Linwood its first defeat at the hands of a Christchurch club this season. ¥ ¥ ¥ Badminton Fixture The Canterbury division II badminton team will play Waikato at Hamilton on Saturday night in the second division final. To win the South Island zone, Canterbury beat Otago, 10-6, North Otago, 12-4, and Southland, 12-4. Waikato has a strong men’s team, led by the former New Zealand representative, A. Stephens, and the New Zealand colt, G. Jefferson. Little is known of the Waikato women. The Canterbury team, while having no outstanding players, is well balanced, with little difference between the first and fourth players. E. Ogier, a young player, leads the men and the experienced Mrs M. Miller, who has played first division, is top woman. ¥ ¥ ¥ Schools Tourney Three hundred and seventy-nine sports ’teams will compete in the Canterbury Public Schools’ Amateur Sports Association’s winter knock-out tournament at Hagley Park on Friday. Basketball has the greatest number of teams—l74—followed by Rugby 168, and soccer 37. The tournament will start at 1 p.m. and will continue until the finalists are found in each sport. In the basketball section there are ■four grades, each of which has more than 30 entries. Rugby has six grades, from under 15 to under 19, and soccer has two grades, senior and junior. ¥ ¥ ¥ Winter Tennis Unable to be played last Sunday because of rain, the ninth and last round of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association’s winter interclub competition will be played at Wilding Park next Sunday. Because of a lead of two points, Opaiwa, the only unbeaten team, cannot lose the competition but there is some interest in the runner-up. Three teems—Beckenham, St. Albans, and Avonside I—are equal second. In the last round Beckenham will meet Opawa, St. Albans will play the bottom team, Avonside 111 and Avonside I will meet Avonside 11, which is only one point behind the three.

The points are:—Opawa 8. Beckenham 6, St. Albans 6. Avonside I 6, Avonside II 5, South Christchurch 3, Redcliffs 2, Sumner 2, University 2, Avonside 111 0.