Magnificent Standard In Ski Races Expected

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31134, 10 August 1966, Page 13

Magnificent Standard In Ski Races Expected

A S the snow conditions at •* v Coronet Peak. Queenstown, show a steady improvement, the South Island’s leading skiers will be preparing for the hardest South Island ski-ing championships ever held. The standard so far this season has been so high that to win a race at Queenstown is going to require some magnificent racing by the winner. Well as the Canterbury men have been racing in recent weeks, they have been beaten by two Otago skiers, P. Hubrich and G. A. Chance, during this season and will need to improve still further to ensure that they do not suffer this fate again. Hubrich has been in the very forefront of national competition since he received reinstatement as an amateur two seasons ago. His experience as a racer in Europe and as a professional instructor has helped him during recent seasons when he has not been able to afford much time for racing and as he is now in serious training he will be hard to beat.

The youthful Chance has Improved still further since he burst on the scene at the South Island and New Zealand championships last year. Chance combines supurb balance with a will to win and utter fearlessness, and will be perhaps the leading contender in his races. No race has been won while Chance has yet to ski. While Hubrich and Chance are Otago’s main hopes in the men’s events, T. Dunlop could also be to the fore if there are a number of disqualifications as his principle characteristic is steadiness and this alone has been enough to give him prominence in the past—perhaps greater prominence than his technique warrants. Against this trio, Canterbury can provide much talent skiers well tested in the fires of local competition during the last three weekends. Canterbury can provide nine racers to contest the titles with Otago. A week ago G. McFadden (Craigieburn) would not have been included in this group but

his magnificent run in the W. D. and H. O. Wills Trophy last Sunday has capped a season of Stirling endeavour and he has now broken into the top class of local competition. M. Gardner (Amuri) and M. Dennis (Winter Sports) have been the most successful racers in local competition this season but have been strongly challenged by P. Willis (Winter Sports). C. Womersley (North Canterbury and G. Nevell (Winter Sports). These five and McFadden, on current form, are the most likely to achieve success but J. Willis, who raced in neither the Canterbury individual championships nor the Canterbury interclub teams’ championship, is likely to be up with the leaders. R. Poulston (Tasman) and R. Cullen (Craigieburn) are also racing well at the moment but D. Stewart (Winter Sports) appears to stand little chance on his current form. Barring a fall, Miss K. Guy (North Canterbury) should be a clear winner in the women’s events. However, the minor platings are likely to be hotly contested. The great improvement shown by the two juniors. Miss V. Oddie and R. Willis (Winter Sports), should enable them to finish well up but they will be struggling to defeat Miss S. Ryan (Otago), who won last year’s trophy for New Zealand’s most promising woman racer. Others who could finish well up in the combined title ire Miss J. Flower (North Canterbury), Miss V. Christie (University) and Miss H. Preston (Craigiebum). There are a number of part-time racers in Canterbury and Otago who could be the dark horses in the women's events. One thing is certain, whoever . wins the titles at Queenstown, the standard will be as high or higher than it has ever been before and there should be some magnificent racing.