FINE INDIVIDUAL EFFORT AT NATIONAL SURF TITLES

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30390, 14 March 1964, Page 9

FINE INDIVIDUAL EFFORT AT NATIONAL SURF TITLES

TF the i Canterbury surf A clubs failed to win the Norrie Trophy at the New Zealand ■ surf life-saving championships, which concluded at Auckland on Sunday, their defeat by the narrow margin of half a point by the home clubs was certainly no disgrace. The inevitable disappointment at losing a trophy, held by Canterbury almost continuously since its inception was partly compensated by the splendid allround effort of the women in winning every championship event and some fine individual performances by the senior men.

More than anything else, it was probabaly the poor showing of the senior men in the four and six-man team events which cost the province the coveted trophy. Not one Canterbury club finished in the first three in either the four-man alarm or the sixman rescue and resuscitation events. This performance gave a graphic illustration of the deficiencies of the Jackson Report which this season brought about a great increase in the often tedious team rescue events on local beaches.

The Canterbury women, who did not have to contest heats in the local carnivals and consequently had about half the serious competition that the men and juniors had, were outstanding in all team events. South Brighton won the sixplace championship and Taylor’s Mistake won the four-place alarm with the excellent points deduction of 6.8. Individually, the Canterbury women were also brilliant. A swimmer who has only held her surf bronze for a few weeks, Miss J. Clark, caused a sensation when she defeated Miss L. Harrow (Taylor’s Mistake) in the surf race. Miss Harrow, who is the Canterbury title-holder, was the defending champion. Miss Clark is a new member of the North Beach club. In the 'women’s belt race, a new event, the order was reversed. Miss Harrow won fairly comfortably from Miss Clark, Miss R. Leask (Waimairi) finishing third. Canterbury women also won the surf teams’ race and the march-past championship.

One of the more surprising features of the senior men’s events was the brilliant form of the Waimairi club captain, M. Stevens, in

the surf ski rescue championship. Although a former Canterbury title-holder, he was not regarded as a particularly strong threat to such contenders as R. Dalton (North Beach) and P. Way (Red Beach). However, he silenced all his critics by narrowly defeating Dalton in the final. Dalton, who has won the Canterbury surf ski title in five consecutive seasons, regained the national surf ski title which he won for the first time in 1960. His younger brother, D. Dalton, gained his first national title when he won the paddle board final. B. A. Crowder (Maranui, Wellington) was in out-

standing form to win both the senior belt and surf race titles but it was extremely unfortunate that he had to meet his strongest opponent, R. Harker (Red Beach, Auckland) in the heats of the belt. Only the winner of each heat entered the final and Harker, who would probably have gained a second place in the final or even won it, was eliminated.

It was in the belt event that Canterbury’s G. Dann (New Brighton) showed his best form. The holder of the Canterbury surf and belt double, he was never expected to unseat Crowder or Harker and his third placing against some extremely strong swimmers was a great credit to him. Dann, one of the younger competitors in the final, can be expected to do better as he matures.