N.Z. Surf Titles Begin At New Brighton On Friday

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30677, 17 February 1965, Page 11

N.Z. Surf Titles Begin At New Brighton On Friday

rpHERE is the promise of many stirring struggles written into the high dass entry for the New Zealand surf lifesaving championships, which begin at New Brighton on Friday. And with the New Zealand representatives who recently, if somewhat unsuccessfully, toured Australia attempting to uphold the confidence the selectors placed in them, the standard of the carnival should be particularly high. Unquestionably, the main interest will centre, the senior surf race and belt race championships, both currently held by B. Crowder (Maranui, Wellington), the shock omission from the New Zealand team. He will be out to prove his superiority over his old rival, B. Harker (Red Beach), who was the outstanding swimmer with the team in Australia.

On form, a very close contest seems inevitable but in recent years Crowder has had a slight edge over Harker. There seems to be no reason to believe that this has changed. It would not have been surprising if Crowder had ignored the championships after his shabby treatment. That he has not done so and is now more determined than ever to prove his ability is to his credit.

It is unlikely that anyone else will be in the running for either surf race or belt race titles although results in the surf are more unpredictable than in most sports. Strongest challengers from Canterbury will probably be the new Canterbury surf race champion, D. Staples, and New Brighton’s G. Dann, who has been showing more ability in the belt than in straight surf swimming. Staples finished an astonishing third in the recent inter-provincial surf race, improved even further to take the provincial title a week later, and is now in better form than he has ever been. His chances of taking a high placing in the surf race championship (he is not a recognised belt swimmer) are improving every day. Dann’s form is rather suspect. He retained his Canterbury belt title easily enough, which indicates that he still has the ability, but in the surf race he was not his usual self. Whether or not he can reproduce his best form in either event is problematical. Canterbury’s main object

Gammaclc Room

Nearly 70 years ago a man called James Gammack, whose farm was miles from the sea, left property in trust to the Canterbury Public Library. Income from the trust'has been used to prepare a 32ft x 24ft carpeted room on the first floor of the library; and this week it is in use for the first time—housing a collection of Shakespearian and boating literature. The display is arranged by the British Council and so contains only British publications—but who would credit that the council could have gathered more than 800 different books about sailing, to say nothing of 17 sets of periodicals, stacks of charts, designs and sail plans from England alone? 800 Titles Noone with any interest in sailing should miss this Public Library exhibition, which will be going until March 6. The photographic enlargements which “lift” the display (although the ill-starred Sovereign 12-metre could have been played down) are glorious; and there is even a book telling one how to take pictures of boats.

There are shelves of books about the most technical aspects of sailing and as well as simpler tomes addressed to the backyard constructor. One can select from a host of books about sailing technique, modelling, navigation, fishing, and maintenance. Bibliography The keeler man who wants to cruise offshore is catered for equally with the sheltered-water dinghy enthusiast- There are even books about sailing for children; while the veterans can sit at home and savour the history, the biographies of old salts and the classic, yarns of voyages long past. Most important of all is a little booklet called “Sailing Boats,” with a supplement This contains the titles, authors, publishers, description and price of the books on display. It’s free.

at the championship will be to regain the Norrie Trophy, awarded to the province obtaining the highest points aggregate. Canterbury has by far the beat record of any province in the aggregate, the symbol of surfing supremacy in the Dominion, and it lost the trophy to Auckland last season by the narrowest of margins. The province has an excellent opportunity of re-

gaining the coveted trophy. All the women's events were won by Canterbury teams or competitors last season, a performance which will very likely be repeated at New Brighton. Miss L. Harrow (Taylor’s Mistake) and Miss J. Clark (North Beach), holders of the belt and surf race titles respectively, will be defending their championships. Their appears to be nobody else who wiU -be able to match them. Their main object will be to beat one another. In the six-man rescue and resuscitation event, Eastern United, the title-holder, is again in a very strong position with two teams. However, both South Brighton, which has held the title several times in the past, and Taylor’s Mistake are in exceptionally fine form. If they maintain recent form, any team that beats them will have to have a deduction of less than five points. Sumner seems assured of retaining its senior surf canoe title and New Brighton, beaten irifb third place last season, is making a strong bid for the major honour in the surf boat championship. R. Dalton (North Beach) will be defending his surf ski title and will be trying hard to take the ski double by also winning the surf ski rescue championship. Last season he was beaten by another Canterbury competitor, M. Stevens (Waimairi). Stevens will also be defending his title

but has not been in good form this season. M. Lord (Sumner) is another local competitor who could do well in both events.

Dalton's younger brother D. Dalton (North Beach), who represented New Zealand in Australia, recently lost his Canterbury paddle board title on a technicality. However, he is in good form after indifferent performances in Australia and will be hard to defeat in the national event, a title which he holds. Junior swimmers could also help Canterbury gain valuable points but they do not appear to be as strong as they have been. A. Harrow (Taylor’s Mistake) is the best prospect in the surf and belt events. He has demonstrated much ability this season, Nevertheless, he will have to improve considerably if he is to match the leading North Island swimmers. P. Cooper (New Brighton) is another Canterbury lad who could do well.