How Many Gymnasts To Send

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30939, 21 December 1965, Page 23

How Many Gymnasts To Send

(N_Z. Press AsmcMNm) AUCKLAND. Three aeries of trials-to choose the New Zeeland gymnastic team to take part in the world championships in Dortmund, Germany, next September, will be held on March 5, April 2 and May 7. Auckland, Hamilton and

Nev Plymouth could be the venues, but. other centres may make bids to stage the events. The standard of the trials will be the chief guide for the New Zealand association in deciding how many gymnasts should be sent to Dortmund.

The minimum number is a men’s and women's team each of three members, although six for each group could be sent

For over a year a national traininc squad has been working under the direction of the technical committee of the association.

Squad members have met in a centre for intensive training about once a month. and then have returned to their own district associations to continue their preparations. Mr C. E. Spanhake (Auckland), chairman of the technical committee, said yesterday: While we will be keen to have a team that will give the best performance possible at Dortmund. we will also be looking for the young gymnast who has the potential to make good at future Olympic and world championships.” Therefore the gymnasts at

the three trials will be severely judged under strict international conditions.** Mr Spanhake said that the financing of a full teem of 15 would cost about £5OOO in return air fares, while the costs for the New Zealanders during their stay in Germany would probably mean that about £6OOO would have to be found for the entire venture. Methods of raising the money, would probably be considered by the national council of the association at a meeting in February.