Skaters need racing

Press, 15 September 1976, Page 40

Skaters need racing

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

"We might not have brought back the trophies, but we learnt a lot and have a group of skaters who are prepared to train hard in the off season and ready themselves for the test next year.”

This comment was made by the manager of the New Zealand speed skating team (Mr Peter Silcock) on his return from Australia, where New Zealand failed in its bid to wrest the Tasman Trophy from Australia in the ice skating test between the two countries.

A lack of racing experience was the main reason for New Zealand’s decisive defeat, 14-63, in the test competition, according to Mr Silcock. However, as the New Zealand skaters became more familiarised with the indoor circuits in Sydney, their performances improved markedly, and they performed much better in the Australian championships, which followed the test series.

Australia’s test victory was achieved more easily

than Mr Silcock had envisaged. However, Australia started with a distinct advantage. The indoor rinks were available to the Australian skaters all year; “they had a much longer period of time to prepare and also had the benefit of club racing once a week.” Mr Silcock felt that the Australians were much more aware of team tactics. He cited the example where one of the Australians fell not far from the finish; instead of the New Zealand skaters applying the pace, the worldclass Australian sprinter, Jim Lynch, went to the lead and slowed the field sufficiently to allow his team-mate to regain contact with the bunch. As the inexperienced New Zealand team adapted better to the indoor circuts, it went from strength to strength. This was reflected at the Australian championships when Mark Atkinson, John Adams, Sue Phillips and Debbie Cade (all Canterbury) were placed in their age groups. Mr Silcock was impressed with the sterling efforts of the women skaters, Misses

Phillips and Cade. "They pushed their opponents to record times and, had they not been plagued by falls, they would have achieved higher placings.”

Mr Silcock considered Atkinson, the national smalltrack champion, skated especially well, although he was suffering from influenza in the test series.

The Australians’ ability to to accelerate into comers and stay close to the blocks also gave them a noticeable advantage over their New Zealand rivals.

Most of the Australian team are expected to be available for its defence of the Tasman Trophy at Lake Ida next year, but Mr Silcock is confident that the New Zealand team is aware of what is required to reduce the gap between the countries.

“The team has returned as keen as mustard; they intend to work hard during summer — weight-lifting has been mentioned as part of their training — and they plan to put the experience they have gained into practice for next year,” he said.