views from the top

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33940, 5 September 1975, Page 11

views from the top

School champs The increasing popularity of ski-ing is well illustrated by the introduction this season of a secondary schools’ : championship for teams in i the Canterbury-Westland jarea. The championship will be held at Mount Hutt on i September 22. The organising committee for the j event comprises representatives from Ashburton College, Methven District High School, and the Mount Hutt race coach. John Zapp. The principal of Ashburton College (Mr R. O. McDowell), said there had been a great amount of interest in the event and a trophy to be known as the “Inter-. Secondary’ School Ski Tro-! phy” has been donated. The championship was an ex- j citing development, said Mr) McDowell, and underlined: the growing importance of. ski-ing as a winter sport. Twenty-five schools have shown interest in entering. The competition will consist of a teams’ race over a giant slalom course. Teams will comprise four competitors and the three best times will count towards the trophy.' Racing will start at 12 noon: and prizes will be presented! at the Methven High School! at 5 p.m.

" Racer’s sacrifices Spending two months a ' home every year is one o ' the many sacrifices Keitl ; Humfrey has to make in hi ' bid to become one of th i world’s best ski racers. H I was a member of the . Cana dian B team last season am was given a trip to Austra lia last month as a rewari for his efforts. After th international races in Aus tralia, he came to New Zea land and competed withou great success in the Jin Beam pro-am and the Coro net Cup, both at Corone Peak, last month. Aged 2C he has devoted his life t< ski-ing since finishing high (school. In a year he is abk (to spend about two months (“at various times,” at hii

home in Calgary. Alberta., i Next year Humfrey is aiming for selection in the Cajnadian team for the winter! I Olympics at Innsbruck, | I Austria. The trip to New! (Zealand and Australia was j partly to give him ex-| I perience racing in overseas (conditions. (Japanese wedding Ski-ing has brought an in-; j creasing number of overseas visitors to the small township of Methven which I serves the Mount Hutt skifield. Included among the! visitors are many Japanese,; J and recently a couple from! (that country' decided to I marry while in Methven. I 'There was more reason to; !the couple’s decision to be" J married in a foreign country, ‘than just being different. To! ( be married in Japan costs | (considerably more than in b New Zealand, and it is not " uncommon for Japanese' couples to marry while on}; holidav overseas. Scholarships ; Mr Jim Collins, one of the! l (people behind the proposed 11 (South Pacific Ski Academy,!' I had another purpose in com-j' (ing to New Zealand this 1

I winter While he is here he I is looking for a skier to spend next summer at Pat’s Peak Academy in New I Hampshire. Mr Collins is j j seeking one skier from New I (Zealand and one from Australia. but the New Zealand skier will not be named until after the team' for the Winter Olympics is i announced on September 20. The scholarship will include accommodation and meals. > coaching, and lift passes. Mr I Collins said a travel subsidy! I for the recipient was also' j being considered. The schollarship is for nine weeks. (The Peak is approved fori 'international competition by (the International Ski Feder-I ation. and is a regular train- | ing place for the United IStates team. (Standard races ' Standard races were in-; (troduced at Mount Hutt last; ■week and will be held in; (future weeks every Sunday! (and Wednesday afternoons; |at 2 p.m. The courses will ibe set by either the chief in-' structor, Rene Seiler, or, (John Armstrong, the assist-! ;ant director of the ski| ischool and a former New; 'Zealand representative. The! ( course will be open to alii (comers and if they record ai time within a certain per-| icentage of the course-setter I (they receive a lapel pin.