N.Z. skier’s 3rd placing

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32524, 6 February 1971, Page 8

N.Z. skier’s 3rd placing

(Special Crspdt. N.Z.P.A.) ST MICHAEL IN LUNGAU (Austria). New Zealand’s top skier, C. Womersley, of Oxford, achieved another break-through in world ski-ing last week. He finished third out of 112 competitors in the slalom event at the annual Kandahar-Martini meeting in Sestriere, Italy.

Provided his good form continues at a meeting here, he has every chance of getting in the points range which would ensure him a start in the World Cup meeting at Murren, Switzerland, next week-end.

Womersley had been troubled by a stomach upset before the Sestriere event, and although still not completely fit, he produced one of his best performances on his present European tour.

His over-all time of Imin 12.795ec was only 3.ossec behind that of the winner, R. Desigaux, of Grenoble. His second run over the course was a fine piece of ski-ing and he was within a second of the fastest runner.

A top Austrian, L. Heber, who finished just ahead of Womersley in the slalom, won the giant slalom and also the combined event. Womersley finished seventeenth in the giant slalom and was fifth in the combined. The Kandahar - Martini event, organised by the National Ski Federation of Great Britain, in conjunction with ski clubs at various locations in the Alps, drew entries from 12 countries. The fact that the 22-year-old New Zealander was able to finish so well illustrates the value of the sustained competition he has been having. Womersley, with a good starting position, had the pick of the conditions, but New Zealand’s other entry in the men’s section of the competition, T. Stewart, was not as lucky. He started at number 58 and had to contend with a very rutted course. The freshly fallen powder snow did not consolislte in

the mild conditions and cut up badly after the first dozen or so skiers had raced over the course. Stewart finished sixty-sixth in the giant slalom and was disqualified in the slalom race after missing gates. Miss R. Willis, of Christchurch, tackled the giant slalom with lots of spirit and gained twelfth place from the 32 entered. The other New Zealand girl entered was Miss B. John, of Stratford. However, she was disqualified in both the giant slalom and slalom events after missing gates.