Fiona Johnson returns

Press, 12 July 1979, Page 30

Fiona Johnson returns

New Zealand’s top woman ski racer, Fiona Johnson, will return home from Europe in a bid to qualify for the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New. York, in February, 1980. She has been attracted back because the United States is sending its top women’s team to Mount Hutt for the Europa International Ski Federation (F. 1.5. series there from July 24 to August 2.

All six members of the United States “A” team have low F.I.S. start points of less than 20 for slalom. Racing against them will be an ideal opportunity for Miss

Johnson to lower her own points to the very tough standards set by the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association.

After five consecutive winters Miss Johnson, aged 18, has been enjoying a summer training with the Swiss and staying with the family of a tennis coach in Disentis, at the head of the Rhine. By returning home early next week she will be taking a gamble by interrupting the rhythm of her training programme — but it is a gamble the former national coach, Jan Tischhauser, was ;

sure the Canterbury girl should take. If the October deadline for Olympic qualification is not eased then the F.I.S. series in New Zealand and Australia (August 6 to 19) will present the only opportunity for New Zealanders, to , meet the points criteria. Anna Archibald, the 19-year-old downhill specialist, will also return to Christchurch in a few days. She has been ejoying a Queensland “summer” after a hard winter’s racing in Europe with the French downhill team. Mr Tischhauser said that she had improved by 3s.