Top racers enter "Early Bird”

Press, 8 July 1976, Page 13

Top racers enter "Early Bird”

The opening of the new Mount Hutt facilities on Sunday will correspond with the first of the New Zealand Ski Association’s circuit races of the 1976 season. , rhe Mount Hutt Early Bird Trophy races will be I held on Saturday and Suri- ’ day and a large entry of between 90 and 100 is expected. j On Saturday a giant slaI lorn will be run, and on Sunday the first parallel slalom to be held on the j New Zealand circuit is | scheduled. I The parallel slalom is 1 very popular overseas, particularly in profesi sional events, and for the

last two years has been used in the Queenstown pro-am at Coronet Peak. Competitors race side by side on courses as identical as they can be made. Because the racers are in very close proximity —■ only a few yards separate them — the racing is extremely interesting and exciting for the spectators. Foui members of this year’s New Zealand team at the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck have entered, in addition to the three Canterbury girls who finished in the top three places at the national championships last year. Brett Kendall, Stu'art Blakeley and Robin Armstrong, the three male members of the Olympic team, have entered — but Kendall will be at a disadvantage. He and his brother, Scott, have not registered ’’or races this season, and consequently cannor be considered for the top seedings which would give them better starting positions. Blakeley and Brett Ken-

dall, on their form last year, must be favoured to be in the first three in each event. But Armstrong is very strong in slalom and he might make a bold bid in the dual slalom. Scott Kendall trained in Europe with the Canterbury coach, Werner Hanni, earlier this year, and showed, rapid improvement, to the stage where he beat his brother on two occasions. Haniin Johnstone, who skied particularly well last year, until badly injuring a knee, will be back on the snow this week-end. He recorded good times in training, last year and, had be not been injured, he would probably have made the Olympic team. Sue Gibson is the only member of the women’s Olympic team racing. Janet Wells, the other competitor at Innsbruck, is still recovering from injuries she suffered in Europe. Miss Gibson will be opposed by Anna Archibald, the New Zealand women’s champion last season, and

Julia Allison and Fiona Johnson, who were second and third respectively. Since last season, Misses Archibald and Johnson have had a further season in Europe under Hanni, and it will be interesting to gauge their progress over the last few months. Jonelie Mills, who won an International Ski Federation race in Australia two seasons ago, is among the entrants, along with severa’ promising young racers. These include Rachael Wells, Janet’s sister, Leigh Muschamp, Anne and Jane Pairman, and Margot Smith. Earlier this week the Canterbury Ski Association had received 67 entries from registered race r s. It expects a few more at Mount Hutt on Saturday morning, and about 30 junior racers.