First look at rugby for many Austrians

Press, 2 September 1981, Page 40

First look at rugby for many Austrians

By TIM DUNBAR Many Austrians will have their first look at the sport of rugby when a 45min film about New Zealand is shown on television in Austria next week. The Austrian men's ski team left New Zealand yes terday morning after two weeks “summer” training at Mount Hutt and while the skiers have been here an Austrian television crew has been hard at work. Mount Cook, the West C n ast, the North Island, and Mount Hutt have all been included on the televisions crew’s itinerary as it compiled material for the national channel programme, “Sport on Monday.” “As well as the ski-ing they’ve put in a bit of rugby — about 3min,” said one of the Austrian trainers, Mr Heinz Stohl, in Christchurch yesterday. Coming to the other side of

the world for off-season training on winter snow was worthwhile, according to the Austrian team captain and chief trainer, Mr Karl Kahr. “We achieved almost what we wanted — almost because there were a couple of bad days after the big snowfall,” Mr Kahr said. Mount Hutt had a huge fall of about 70cm last week. Altogether 17 of Austria’s top skiers have been training downhill, slalom, and giant slalom, and the downhillers included Olympic champions in Franz Klammer (Innsbruck, 1975) and Leonhard Stock (Lake Placid, 1980). Mr Kahr said that the downhill course at Mount Hutt was a little short. “But the moment the chairlift is put up it will be very useful and good for downhill training.” He is not yet sure whether Austria will return to New Zealand for training next “summer.”