World Cup athletics

Press, 27 July 1976, Page 22

World Cup athletics

i’Bv RON PALENSKb NZPA Staff Correspondent Montreal Track and field’s first World Cup has been given the go ahead by the Internationa! Amateur Athletic Federation. Included among the teams the I.A.A.F. will seek to have competing is one representing all of Africa, but the vice-president of the organising committee <Dr Hans Landwersi said: “We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.” New Zealand has also been invited, but will combine with Australia and compete as Oceania. The lAAF's congress decided to accept a recommendation from its council that the cup be staged

over three days in Dusselt dorf. West Germany, in Sep-' I tetnber next year. It will be held in the same t Dusseldorf stadium which, i was the scene of some of- - soccer's World Cup matches : two years ago. The eight teams invited ; are Africa, America (a team > from all the Americas except ■ the United States). Asia, 1 Europe One (first team in the • 1977 European Cup final), ; Europe Two (the second : team) and Europe Three (the : third). Oceania and the United States. > All men's and women's ■ events will be finals, with I points from nine for first downwards contributing to team points. Dr Landwers said .ne cup I will be held even two years I and it was hoped that in sub-

sequent years, national teams from each continent would compete rather than contin-,' ental teams. I Ail the Olympic Games■track and field events, except: the decathlon, pentathlon,! marathon and the walks, will; be held. Some New Zealanders ( could be competing in Dus-j seldorf twice next year. Dr: Lanawers said he had been, told that New Zealand defin-! itely would be entering the world cross-country championships there in March next year New Zealanders last competed in the cross-country in Morocco last year, when John Walker was best-placed in fourth and New Zealand won th® men's team title. The women’s team was second.