Ski-Racers' Club Plan For Ruapehu

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30325, 28 December 1963, Page 9

Ski-Racers' Club Plan For Ruapehu

A revolutionary scheme to improve New Zealand’s chances of sicceedIng in international competition has been proposed by a group of skiers at Mount Ruapehu. The group plans to form a special Ski Racers’ Club, to cater exclusively for racing skiers and officials, and to build a high-level 35-bunk chalet on Mount Ruapehu. Work on the hut, which will cost about £7OOO, will begin next summer if a srte is allocated by the Tongariro National Park Board. It is hoped that the chib will be in operation the following winter (19651. Many of the existing clubs, and there are about 40 on Mount Ruapheu alone, are mainly social clubs, creating an atmosphere in winch any dedication to racing or training is almost impossible to achieve. The proposed new club will provide a high-level chalet in which ski-racers and officials can live. All events will be prepared and organised from the chalet and conditions will be such that serious racers will be able to get an early night The chib is aiming at a memberstiio of atxut 100, Including 30 officials. There Is no intention of “steeling" racers from existing chibs. One of its mam rules will

be that every member must also belong to anotlier club affiliated to the New Zealand Amateur Ski Association and the club will not enter any teams in interclub races. However, at some tune in the future it may race under its own name overseas. Although the new club will obviously cater mainly for North Island skiers, a special class of membership will be reserved for South Island skiers. The value of the new club to South Island skiers will be very

limited because of the great distances involved and a similar club in the Southern Alps would be a great asset.

Canterbury is at present the premier ski-ing province in the country and the formation of the new club could be instrumental in its removal from this position if officials do not keep a watchful eye on the progress of the Ski Racers’ Club. Membership of tile club initially will be open to any serious racer or official prepared to accept the rules of the club, although it is envisaged that the standard of ski-ing could grow to the stage where the selection of members would be required.