Leading surfers absent from championships

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31588, 27 January 1968, Page 11

Leading surfers absent from championships

rpHE absence of many lead- ■*" ing surfers has made forecasting the winners in the major events the senior, junior and women’s belt titles—difficult when the second day of the Canterbury surf life-saving championships is held at New Brighton, tomorrow. Those who either hold, or would be likely to win

these events, will in most cases be at the South Island swimming championships at Dunedin. As L. Mclntosh (North Beach), the holder of the senior beltman’s title is a doubtful starter and D. Gerrard (Taylor’s Mistake) is at the swimming championships, the winner may come from any of half a dozen competitors. Most favoured are C. Read, P. Goldsmith and G. Le Cren (Taylor’s Mistake), K. Lanyon and P. Ross (South Brighton), I. L. Gunthorp (North Beach), if he starts, and I. Grieg (Waimairi). B. Ward (South Brighton) and M. Johnson (Waimairi), the top juniors. will also be in Dunedin.

Ward would have been almost certain to win the title, which he should have won last year but for a team-mate’s technical error. He is superior to the best of the seniors with the possible exception of Gerrard. B. Leyton (South Brighton) could well take the title. Such is the ability of Ward, Johnson and Leyton that they have been included in the Canterbury surf team for the inter-district championships at Wanganui next week. In the absence of Miss R. McKenzie (South Brighton), the women’s event may be won by her younger sister. Miss L. McKenzie but Miss R. Leask (Waimairi) and Mrs M. Dalton (North Beach) are likely to challenge strongly.

Another round of the sixman rescue and resuscitation competition will be run but a reduction of entries and interest will mean a final only instead of heats for all three sections. Sixman competition, while to many the blue riband of

life-saving, does not have spectator appeal and clubs find that members show more interest in the individual and craft events. Taylor’s Mistake should repeat its earlier success and take the senior and junior titles and South Brighton appear likely winners of the women’s event. If attention to training is any criterion, North Beach should be certain winners of the senior canoe and boat race. The crew has undertaken a strenuous programme of physical training, bar-bell work and rows of up to four miles. The strongest opposition may come from the former national champions, Waimairi and Sumner. The single-handed rescue event, popular before the Second World War, will be revived tomorrow. Here the competitors swim out and pick up their patients and return them to the shore by any recognised method. This should be a good test of stamina. Taylor’s Mistake will be the hardest team to beat in the beach relay event and Miss J. Sandle and Mrs H. Johnston (Sumner) should fight out the finish of the women’s beach sprint. The senior and junior paddleboard events have drawn good entries and there are a number with good chances of success, D. Dalton (North Beach) and K. Pearson (Sumner) look to have the best prospects in the senior event and T. Haslett (Sumner) impresses as the junior event winner, which he won last year.