Contests To Select Fencers

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31376, 23 May 1967, Page 19

Contests To Select Fencers

“The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND. Provincial fencing tournaments will be held in Wellington on June 6 and in Auckland or June 24 to select a New Zealand team to compete at the Australian national championships at Adelaide, held from August 19 for a week. The sole New Zealand selector, Mr B. P. Hampton, of Wellington, will pick a team of at least five men and four 1 women. Those fencers from the South Island who were national finalists in last year's

New Zealand championships, and who wanted to compete at Wellington, would have half of their fares paid by the New Zealand Fencing Association, said the association’s president (Mr A. H. Fenton) in Auckland. There were not more than six fencers eligible, said Mr Fenton. Most of them came from Christchurch. Tour Manager The vice-president of the NZFA and president of the Auckland association (Mr M. A. Sharfe) would be the manager of the team to Australia. The only other nomination for the position was Mr J. R. Matheson, of Canterbury. Australia-New ■, Zealand visits were exchanged alternately in years when there

were no Olympic or Commonwealth Games, said Mr Fenton. In years when there were Games the fencers’ training would be upset if tours were made to Australia or an Australian team came here. Isolation Blamed Mr Fenton blamed New Zealand’s isolation for the lack of- visits from the major fencing countries of the world. Most of the top fencers would rather tour Europe, where they could travel among many countries and so make the trip worth while. To sponsor an overseas team especially to New Zealand seemed a formidable venture because fencing in this country was not regarded

as one of the better spectator sports. In an effort to promote fencing and raise the standard of those taking part, the national association together with the Rothmans Sports Foundation, is negotiating to bring to New Zealand later this year Australia's top professional coach, Mr J. Fetheijs. Mr Fethers was in this country for three weeks last year.

Although many countries now had one or more professional fencing coaches, it would be many years before New Zealand could afford to have a resident coach, said Mr Fenton.

“We have for years been seeking coaches from England, but the wages for them over there are too good.”