‘Intimidating’ ski jump on slalom course

Press, 9 August 1980, Page 56

‘Intimidating’ ski jump on slalom course

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TIM DUNBAR

A jump nearly three metres high may scare off one or two prospective enfants for this week-end’s $2OOO Skin Jeans professional dual slalom ski race at Mount Hutt.

“It .should be a little interesting coming off there,” said the American race coach, Bill “Bear” Kenning, who is setting the course. Although agreeing that this first jump might, intimidate people, Kenning insists thpt it will be safe. ■ Only a few g;/js past the big jump will be another one, but that should be little more than 1.3 m —the same as:the jumps for last Tues-

day’s Smirnoff pro-am "at Coronet Peak.

This will be the first big race restricted to profession-

als that has been held in New Zealand, and proper “pro gates” will be used at the start. Skiers will : be electronically, timed. One problem with the otherwise . successful Smirnoff pro-am was that one course was about 1.55. faster than the other.

“The terrain 'changed so much there; here it’s, .relatively even and I’m hopeful there’ll only be three-tenths of a second difference,” Mr

Kenning said. Among the entrants are I

expected to be the two Swiss skiers, Kurt urbuchen and Herve Durgnat, who took the two big prizes ($lOOO and $750) at Coronet. “I’m hoping for at least 20 skiers from down there and about 40 altogether,” said Mr Kenning.

All those who qualify for the final 16 from today’s eliminations will receive $5O and the winner will get upwards of $5OO (some of the $2O a head entry fee will be added on). The Coronet Peak skiers’ entries will, in some cases, be dependent on their arranging transportation north. One in this category is the former New Zealand slalom champion, Robin Armstrong. Christian Witt-Dorring, the Austrian, "who like Mr Kenning is based at Mount Hutt in the northern summer, is intent on improving his third place position at Coronet. The former Europa Cup champion joked after the pro-am that Mount Hutt would not let Kurbuchen enter. “Too fast,” he said. There is easy access to

the course (next to the second platter lift) and for non-ski-ing spectators “a. cat or two'” should be available to get them up there. The

finals will be held tomordrow.