Leader needed for surf board riding

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32640, 23 June 1971, Page 16

Leader needed for surf board riding

Organised surf board riding in the South Island is slowly and shakily regaining its feet, but a leader is desperately needed. 11 In Canterbury, particularly, the sport needs the guidance of an energetic organiser who is willing to give the time and effort to bring back order. In the last few years there have been spasmodic attempts to co-ordinate it; but these have not been sufficient to prevent it falling apart—in spite of everincreasing numbers participating. The older surfers who kept it together in the past have either left the sport, gone overseas, or no longer have the time to keep things moving. The younger ones, apart from a Very few, seem to want everything laid on for them at their convenience. Even the Canterbury championships, once a wellrun competition to decide the regional representation at the national titles, have degenerated into a farce, leaving only a few minor club and inter-club contests to fill the need for competition. About five years ago, when surf board riding began to be co-ordinated in Canterbury—then virtually the only area in the South Island in which the sport was popular to any noticeable degree—there were

sufficient riders old enough and keen enough to organise clubs and competitions. There were three clubs. Midshore, Breakwater, and New Brighton, and enough regular competitions to keep interest alive. This was the heyday of Canterbury's surfing. The province was given a team allocation of 14 for the national titles and was the only area in the South Island to send representatives. The riders were' good; almost all graduated to the semi-finals and R. Fawcett, of New Brighton, gained second place in the juniors and a position in the national team to compete in the world championship in California. Names such as Fawcett, R. Carter, R. Comfort, G. Ansley (sixth in the 1967 nationals), L. Wilkes, G. Allen, M. Pocock, E. Barberel and J. McDermott (an Australian "transplant” from Auckland who won several national titles), won for the province a reputation equal with the best in the country. But as organisation lapsed and all but the Breakwater Club disintegrated, the edge was taken off the riders and by this year the allocation for the nationals had fallen to eight. Now the only club operating here is a relative newcomer, North Wai. There has, however, been an influx of talented young riders—Fawcett is still

among the best, his brother,; K. Fawcett, is one of the top juniors in New Zealand, and there are others' such as S. King, W. Hawke (sixth junior in the, nationals this year), K. Moore, G. Bassett (a 14-year-otd from Kaikoura who, once he gains the experience in varying conditions, will be prominent nationally), T. Deken, R. and F. Strahl, and S. Teague. Some of the older riders, I C. Pitman and R. Comfort,; for example, are also in top ; form, but there is nothing' for them to aim for here apart from selection for the nationals. Perhaps the most important steps taken in the last year, and the only ones that; are likely to bring back the spark of life to surf board; . riding here, were the initia- - tion of the North Wai invi- ■ tational and the Leathergear 1 mid-winter classic; both are I held in the winter months,; when the sport naturally begins to drag. The best move would; probably be the formation; of a South Island Associa- : tion guided by a committee comprising representatives ; from the four major surf- ; ing centres Christchurch,;; Dunedin, Westport and Nel-; son. This would automatically; mean, because of the dist-I; ance the judges would have ; to travel, that the competi- 1 tion would go ahead regard-; less of the conditions. *