J. A. Lee Must Be Candidate For Captaincy Of N.Z. Team

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31209, 5 November 1966, Page 18

J. A. Lee Must Be Candidate For Captaincy Of N.Z. Team

rpilE manner in which the evergreen Canterbury surfer, J. A. Lee, continues to increase his stature as a competitor never ceases to astound his compatriots, many of whom gave up the unequal struggle years before they reached his age in favour of less strenuous positions as judges or officials on the beach.

Last season was probably his best. As well as winning his first Canterbury title—the senior belt race championship—he finished a brilliant second, only a few feet behind the national champion, R. Harker (Auckland), in the inter-district belt event.

He followed this up with a fine third placing in the New Zealand belt championship and it was no surprise when he was named among the list of trialists for the New Zealand team to meet Australia at Titahi Bay on January 22. The New Zealand selectors (Messrs H. J. K. Farey, Wellington, J. Fergusson, Auckland, and S. D. Tarrant, Canterbury) are holding trials for the test team of eight seniors and two juniors on December 3 and 4 at Titahi Bay and if the 35-year-old Lee can produce anything like the outstanding form he showed last season he must be assured of a place. And if he is chosen he should undoubtedly be first choice as captain. There could be no more fitting tribute to his ability and service to the movement over the years.

A member of the South Brighton club and an officer of the Canterbury association for many years, he has been the inspiration of many young surfers; and has certainly put much more into the movement than he could ever take out of it.

He has only recently given up the position of chief instructor in Canterbury, a post he first took over about the time the change from the Holger Nielsen method of resuscitation to the expired air method was made. His demonstrations of resuscitation have been given to countless organisations throughout the province and he is now one of the best known and respected officials in the movement.

This season he was elected a vice-president of the Canterbury association, the first major step towards the presidency that will surely be his before he is finished. He is also the association’s delegate to the national body.

Apart from his swimming ability, Lee is also a fine team man and has been a key figure in South Brighton’s many six-man victories at both provincial and national levels. He is no newcomer to the position of team captain, either. He has led a number of Canterbury teams over the years and has always carried out this task with efficiency. The New Zealand selectors would have to go a long way to find another surfer more suited for the post of captain. His appointment would be a fitting climax to an outstanding competitive career. Three other Canterbury surfers have been chosen for the trials —the Dalton brothers, Don and Rex (North Beach), and G. Le Cren (Taylor’s Mistake). Of the four Canterbury trialists, D. Dalton is the only one who has already represented the country. He was a memb£ti of the team which visited Australia two seasons ago.