N.Z. Fencers In Semi-Finals

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32354, 21 July 1970, Page 17

N.Z. Fencers In Semi-Finals

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent) EDINBURGH. After a diffident start the three New Zealand fencers have reached the semi-finals in the women’s individual foil at the Commonwealth Games.

New Zealand beat Guernsey, 19-15, in first round of pairs bowling, but P. Skoglund (New Zealand) lost to W. C. Woodward (Guernsey) 9-21 in first match of the singles bowls. Some excellent bowling

came from H. Robson and R. McDonald over the closing stages of the match against Guernsey. The victory was fully deserved. New Zealand began badly in the fencing and seemed to be heading for elimination after the first three bouts. Mrs Rosemary Sharfe, of Auckland, was the most impressive of the three. She will start the semi-finals today with four wins for only one loss. Mrs Sharfe won her first bout comfortably with a 4-1 win, but dropped her second 1-4. She stormed through to win her last three bouts, 4-3, 4-0, 4-0. Mrs Helen Whitcher (Wellington) recorded only one win in her first three bouts but won her last two with new-found confidence 4-0; 4-0. Miss Gaye McDermit (Auckland), a bronze medallist in Jamaica four years ago, struggled to find the form that has made her New Zealand’s leading woman fencer over the last four years. She won two of her five bouts and relied on a hits-for-and-against count-back to survive elimination.

The fencing manager (Mr K. Mann) said he was quite satisfied with the New Zealand performance.