SLALOM CHAMPION FOR THIRD TIME . . . Young Canterbury water skier chosen for national trials

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33189, 31 March 1973, Page 4

SLALOM CHAMPION FOR THIRD TIME . . . Young Canterbury water skier chosen for national trials

(By

R. L. SCHUMACHER)

Like a fisii takes to water. Miss Janet Cairney took to water ski-ing. and the attractive 21-year-okl Christchurch girl won her third successive slalom title at the national championships on the Kai Iwi lakes, near Dargavilie. earlier this month. Miss Cairney first started skimming across the water about eight years ago—at that stage only for pleasure —and three seasons later she joined the Christchurch Water Sports Club and competed in novice events. Success in club tournaments was soon forthcoming and Miss Cairnev was selected in the Canterbury team for her first New Zealand championships in 1 Q "0. Tt was not a rewarding meeting for her in terms of achievement, but the exneri ence gained wa« not wasted. The following vear she outclassed the other contestants in the slalom to win bv almost 10 points, retained her title last year, and. in addition, won the jump championship. Her obvious skill on the skis did not go unrecognised and after winning the slalom chamoionship again this season she was selected for the New Zealand squad to train for the world championship in Bogota, Colombia, in September. Eleven competitors, including four women, were named in the squad and Miss Cairnev was the only representative from the South Island Although she is a capable performer in the jump and tricks sections, the slalom remains her specialist event. For this event three buoys are placed on each side of the course, the distance between the skier and boat is 75ft and for women com-

petitors the boat travels at three speeds through the course—.3o m.p.h.. ,32 m.p.h. and 34 m.p h. A skier is credited with six points if she completes each run successfully and if the three runs are negotiated without accident the length of rope is shortened and the same pattern is repeated. At Dargavilie Miss Cairney struck rough water in the preliminary run. but scored 141 points and was in second place before the final round. She improved by two points and a half on this run and her total of 31J was sufficient for her to retain the title.

t It is expected that two e women will be included in the team for the world contest and there will be three , tournaments before Sep- ” tember for the trialists to assert themselves. Constant practice will e be needed, according to 1 Miss Cairney, but she is 5 handicapped by atmospheric conditions and tidal movements. r "The water gets very t cold during the winter s months and my visits to the -lake are governed by tides,” I she said. t f An encouraging sign for j water ski-ing is the increase in membership,

especially of younger competitors in the two Christchurch clubs. Miss Cairney considered that coaching played an an important role in the upward trend of the sport. Two coaches from the national association administer a week-end school in Canterbury each year and there is an annual New Zealand coaching clinic held at Lake Karapiro. Miss Cairney has attended the national school for the last three years and assisted with coaching herself on her most recent visit. Last November she had the misfortune to pull

ligaments in her right leg and was confined to the shore for some weeks. The same injury recurred at the national school in January. There is always a risk of accidents in water ski-ing and several competitors were forced to withdraw from this year’s championships because of internal bruising. “As with snow ski-ing, the participant requires a good sense of balance. Learners start on two skis and as their skills develop they progress to one ski and perform basic manouevres like crossing the wake and turning sharply,” said Miss Cairney. And how would she feel if selected for the New Zealand team? “I haven’t been overseas before — it would be fantastic.” There will also be another important meeting next year. The Pacific Zone championships, which are held in New Zealand once every four years, will be staged at Lake Tekapo in March. The national titles will be combined with the Pacific event.