Gymnasts Busy In Next Few Weeks

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31077, 4 June 1966, Page 15

Gymnasts Busy In Next Few Weeks

r pHE New Zealand gymnastic team may not have

emerged with great honours at the Olympic Games at Tokyo, but it is obvious from the greater numbers of school pupils taking up gymnastics that the efforts of the three New Zealand women at Tokyo have provided an impetus for the sport in New Zealand. This year there will be considerable activity in Christchurch gymnastics. The South Island championships will be held at Nelson on July 15 and 16, and on July 29 the Canterbury primary schools’ championships will be held at Cowles Stadium.

The national schools’ gymnastic festival will be held in Christchurch from August 19 to 22. After the New Zealand championships at Wellington from August 25 to 27 the Canterbury championships will be held at Cowles Stadium on October 1 and 2. To prepare competitors

for the coming championships the Canterbury Gymnastic Association has created a special women's coaching squad and will also run a coaching clinic during Queen’s Birthday weekend.

The women’s coaching squad is for the most promising young gymnasts in Christchurch. It trains once a week under the guidance of Mesdames B. Thomas and M. Duncan and Mr C. A. R. Buchanan. At present the girls are being taught gymnastic techniques and instructions in set exercises which they will have to perform in the coming tournaments. The Canterbury representative team will be chosen from the squad.

The Canterbury selectors have prepared a thorough programme as the basis for selection. A system of trials has begun already and will continue until June 17, when the team will be announced.

The coaching clinic is being run by the association for gymnasts and allied clubs such as the Y.M.C.A. and Boys Brigade. It has two nationally ranked instructors, Mr M. Gotz—coach of the world games team—and M. G. Howard, the New Zealand men’s champion.

This clinic is the only one in the South Island and is based on St. Andrew’s College.