Skaters show improvement

Press, 8 September 1978, Page 10

Skaters show improvement

BOB SCHUMACHER

By 1

The Tasman Trophy for speed skating stayed in Australia, but the New Zealand team, which returned from Sydney recently, did better than expected and gained some notable individual successes.

Australia retained the ice skating trophy for the fifth successive year, but the result was nowhere as overwhelming as two years ago when Australia won, 63-14. With points from the senior men’s 3000 m still to be finalised, Australia was in an unassailable position, 77-55. In all three sections — senior men’s, junior men’s and women’s — the New Zealand skaters provided stern competition.

A better appreciation of team tactics helped Australia when it matterd most, although the New Zealanders were showing a greater understanding with each race.

The junior representatives, Ross Jensen (Auckland) and Barry Kereama (Southland), skated exceptionally well, according to the team manager (Mr John Kramer) and the coach (Mr B. Blair).

Jensen and Kereama had

their moment of triumph when they crossed first and second in the 1000 m race. Jensen, who substituted for an injured Tony Galvin (Canterbury) in the senior men’s 3000 m, skated a well-judged race in front with two of his team-mates behind him. There was some consternation in the Australian camp as its four representatives found it difficult to overtake the New Zealand trio. They finally succeeded to some extent in the hectic last laps, but placings alternated at the finish.

Although the Australian senior men held a definite advantage, the New Zealand team, especially the Canterbury pair, John Adams and Mark Atkinson, extended their opponents and were consistent place-getters. The real success of the national team was Sue Blair (Canterbury). Deriving the benefits from previous experiences gained on the indoor Sydney rinks, Mrs Blair used her basic speed and increased stamina to good effect.

She won the 1000 m and was runner-up in both the 500 m and 1500 m. Ans Kremer (Westland), an outdoor specialist, skated commendably, improving

her times in almost every event.

Before the Tasman Trophy series, the New Zealand team competed in an international series inv o 1 v i n g world-class skaters from Canada, Great Britain and Australia. That whetted their appetites for competition and helped to prepare them for the Australian championships. Mrs Blair was the outstanding New Zealand competitor, winning the 100 m in record time and eclipsing the old record by Bs. She led early, was passed about half way, but quickly regained the lead and was not overtaken again in a furious finish. In the women’s 500 m, Mrs Blair was second to Judy-Ann Baber, who won the event in record time. Mrs Blair also finished inside the old record. But the big disappointment for the Canterbury skater came in the 1500 m, the first event. She finished second but was disqualified for skating inside a block. That disqualification cost her the aggregate — she was only one point behind Baber — but her second was the best achieved by a New Zealander at the championships. Against international

competitors, the men found the going harder and Atkinson was not helped by two marginal disqualifications. However, Adams skated with considerable determination and reached the semi-finals of the 100 m and 3000 m. Kereama, Jensen and Galvin qualified for the semi-finals of the junior 500 m and went creditably. More awareness of the requirements of pack racing might have given them better results. They were racing against Mike Richmond, an Australian who has performed well at senior world championships.

After the Tasman Trophy competition, Atkinson and Adams were invited to join two New South Wales skaters to form a composite team in the Caltex Trophy international series. The team raced in New Zealand colours.

Both Mr Kramer and Mr Blair returned convinced that an Olympic size ice rink was a necessity for New Zealand and that the country had to be aware of and adhere to the International Skating Union’s rules. They have not always been followed in New Zealand and the national team found some rules confusing.