Leading skiers to race in Coronet Cup contest

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32068, 16 August 1969, Page 11

Leading skiers to race in Coronet Cup contest

TITANY of New Zealand’s leading ski-racers will travel to Coronet Peak this week-end for the Coronet Cup invitation contest which the Mount Cook and Southern Lakes Tourist Company is promoting for the second successive season. A slalom will be held today and a giant slalom tomorrow and the outcome of these events should provide a useful guide to national championship prospects.

In the men’s events, W. Gardner (Amur!) will be a top contender. Gardner has bad racing experience in America recently which has been reflected in his improved technique and results. He won the 1969 Canterbury giant slalom at Temple Basin in dashing style but was disqualified in the slalom. He also won the combined title at the South Island championships last Sunday with a determined effort, taking third placing in the slalom and first in the giant slalom. Last season he was fifth In the New Zealand combined title at Coronet Peak. T. Huppert (Ngauruhoe) is another leading prospect. Last season Huppert was not available. A very strong racer, he was the 1967 New Zealand combined champion and a member of the 1968 New Zealand Olympic team. T. Stewart (Canterbury Winter Sports) might fulfil the promise he has shown. He was the 1968 Canterbury

junior champion and a member of the 1969 New Zealand team in Australia. Last weekend in the South Island championships he was out of luck having bad falls in his slalom runs which loot him any chance of finishing in one of the top places. His giant slalom run was a much improved performance, he was fourth, 3sec behind the winner. Gardner. A. Watson (Otago University) is racing very evenly this season with a second placing in the Southern Districts Ski Association slalom and combined. Last year he finished sixth in the Coronet Cup. A. Chance (Otago University), is an aggressive skier who races to his limit. Unfortunately he does not always finish a course. In the South Island events he overcame several checks to win the slalom narrowly.

He withdrew from the giant slalom. If he can complete the courses successfully, his times are sure to be very fast. G. Hargreaves (Amur!) won the 1969 Canterbury championships with a consistently good performance. In the South Island events he finished fifth in the combined title. Earlier this year, Hargreaves was racing under the auspices of the L'Ecole de Ski, Chamioun, France, and this type of top competition has improved his racing. He might prove a surprise. R. Womersley (North Canterbury) is a New Zealand representative with enough racing experience to head off the field if he is in the mood. R. Sevy is an interesting competitor. He is an American student from the College of Idaho where he was a member of its ski team

from 1966 to 1968. He is a very fast racer who was unlucky in the Canterbury championships and performed with credit in the South Island championships. The women's events will be very closely contested. The New Zealand representatives, Misses R. WHMs and S. Ryan, will be evenly matched although it might be Miss Willis’s younger sister Miss S. Willis, who surprises. Miss S. Willis skied well in the Canterbury championships and later won both races in the South Island championships. . - Miss B. John (Stratford) will also be competing. The-New Zealand representative, M. Gardner (Amuri), and C. Womersley (North Canterbury) might not be competing. They might still be in Australia. Gardner won the Coronet Cup last year and Mrs A. Pilcher (nee Reid) won the women’s section.