Ski appointments are criticised

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32620, 31 May 1971, Page 15

Ski appointments are criticised

A decision of the New Zealand Ski Association’s council— < to appoint a manager (Mr A. s L. Ward) aud an assistant mana- f ger (Mr H. Tur ibull) for a na- s tional ski te' which will at- » tend the 19.2 Winter Olympic Games in Sapp uro, Japan—before ' consulting the clubs was criti- I cised by several delegates at the , association’s annual meeting on , Saturday. £ x Mr R. J. Estall, representing 1 the Canterbury University and < Lincoln College Ski Clubs, said It was amazing that the council would not sav how many mem- < bers it would include in the j touring team and equally amaz- i ing that it appointed a mana- - Ser without calling for nomina10ns.

I would rather see a coach and assistant coach than a twoman managerial staff," he added. Another delegate questioned how the council could appoint a managerial staff when it did not know how many would be going. “There might only be one sjder up to the standard,” he said.

In reply, the vice-president of the council (Mr E. A. M. Hamilton) said that it was impossible to say what the size of the team would be until the selectors saw the standard of ski-ing at the national championships in September. The association’s president (Mr R. S. Duncan) recalled his previous experience in managing a New Zealand Olympic team. “There are all sorts of meetings that a manager is called sway to and many arrangements to make—he is required to do a tremendous amount of work.” A motion that the delegates support the council in nominating the manager and assistant manager was carried. In summing up the matter after a one-hour discussion, Mr Duncan assured the meeting that there had been no “jack-up.” He then closed tne subject, much to the concern of Mr Estall. “This is most unsatisfactory closing such an important subject,” he said, “and I wish my dissatisfaction to be re« , corded.”

Mr Turnbull, who has Just returned from managing a New Zealand team overseas, gave an account of the team’s activities. He felt that the future of ski racing in Europe was not looking too bright and predicted the United States and Canada as the new scene.

“A Can Am series is being | established in America and this should be seriously considered for future overseas trips," he said. Replying to a question, Mr Turnbull said that skiers were interested in coming to New Zealand but they would not come as an entire team until some F.I.S. points races were included on the New Zealand circuit. Ski date.— The South Island championships will be held, subject to confirmation, at Craigieburn on July 31 and August 1.