Figure skaters for Australia

Press, 13 June 1979, Page 20

Figure skaters for Australia

Six New Zealand figure skaters have been selected to compete in the Australian championships in Melbourne next month. The team announced at Queen’s Birthday weekend is Allan Brennock and Ann Brennock-Tranter, of Christchurch, Kathy Lindsay (Invercargill), Denyse Adam (Auckland), John Walkingshaw (Invercargill) and Bruce Cochrane (Auckland). Allan Brennock and his sister, Ann, are the present New Zealand senior dance champions. Three years ago they won the junior dance event in Brisbane, but they have been unable to compete since because Australia has had no competitiors in the senior championship. Misses Lindsay and Adam will contest the junior event. Both girls competed in an international competition earlier this year in Italy and Miss Lindsay was the country’s first representative at the junior world championships in Augsburg, West Germany. Walkingshaw, who was third in the novice freeskating last year in Sydney, steps up a grade

to junior and he will face stern competition from two skaters who participated in the junior world championships. Cochrane, who will be representing New Zealand for the first time, has entered in the novice grade. He has shown excellent improvement following a training period in the United States. The team will be managed by Mr Allan Weeds (Invercargill), who is the president of the New Zealand association.

Accompanying the team will be four of New Zealand’s senior judges who will officiate at the championships. It is hoped that some of the Australian skaters will reciprocate and attend the New Zealand artistic championships at the Centaurus rink on August 30, 31 and September 2. After the national championships, it is planned to try and obtain the services of last year’s Austrian men’s champion, Gerhard Hubman, to hold a coaching school in New Zealand. Mr Weeds approached Hubman when overseas earlier this year and the Austrian indicated that he was very keen to come to the country.