Canadian ski team arrives

Press, 17 July 1979, Page 36

Canadian ski team arrives

An Olympic gold medal at Lake Placid, New York, next February is the ultimate goal of the Canadian men’s downhill ski team which arrived in Christchurch last evening for three weeks training at Mount Hutt.

The eight ski racers, comprising the four-man Canadian A team and a “back-up” squad, will also compete in the Europa F.I.S. (International Ski Federation) series which begins at Mount Hutt on July 24. Ken Read, the team’s best-performed racer, came to Mount Hutt last year as a self-styled “advance scout” and won the international downhill in spectacular fashion.

According to the head Canadian downhill coach, Mr John Ritchie, it was Read’s encouraging report and the fact that “it’s Olympic year” which brought the whole team this year. “Getting winter snow is the basic idea,” said Mr Ritchie. Normally the Canadians do their summer training in South America but that part of the world is “getting quite crowded.” The United States is also bringing out a big downhill team which will arrive tomorrow morning. “It takes a lot of work to prepare a downhill — we can use the help,” said Mr Ritchie.

A bit of competition too? “Not much,” said the Canadian, but then added: “Some of their young guys are quite good.”