Tense senior marching championship looming

Press, 18 March 1983, Page 24

Tense senior marching championship looming

If Trish Flanagan, the renowned leader-instructor of the Acme Pioneers senior marching team, can match the confidence of her old and first instructor, she will be looking forward to this week-end’s national championships. Acme was surprisingly beaten in the Interdominion championship at Hamilton by the Wellington team, Mcßae Metro Ford, a team which has subsequently been placed only third in Wellington centres, and nowhere in the North Island titles.

And Mr Roy Cairns, now of Lower Hutt, who started the then-Patricia Anderson in marching, says her team was robbed in the Interdominion.

“In my 35 years or so of marching, I felt sure that if I had ever seen a winner, it was Trish’s team at Hamilton,” said Mr Cairns this week.

“I told her the way they had all marched, she couldn’t miss out,” said Mr Cairns, “but they had some amazing deductions from one judge. He was totally inconsistent with the rest, and I think it is significant that he is not on the panel for the national championships.”

Mrs Flanagan will have all three of her teams at the

championships as part of a nine-strong Canterbury contingent. There are 46 teams competing in the three grades, all told, and the senior grade is probably the strongest in the 37-year history of the championships. Three years ago, Acme became the first Canterbury team to win the senior title, and it was successful again last season. This year, it has suffered only two losses: in the Interdominion and again last Sunday in Christchurch, when it gave a below-par performance and was beaten by McAlpine Stars. Acme has six members from last year’s squad, another former member back from overseas, and five of last year’s junior team. Mrs Flanagan, runner-up for the leaders’ title last year, and Jacki Sibley (McAlpine Stars), the two Christchurch leaders who shared the Interdominion title, will be vying with the current champion, Sharon Wedge (Continental Guards of Auckland), for the leaders’ title.

Mrs Wedge’s team, runner-up .in the North Island championship after being unplaced at Hamilton, will be one of the strongest contenders, but the surprise late contender is Lochiel, of Wellington.

The winner of the national title a record eight times before marching in the Edinburgh Tattoo in 1978, Lochiel has come out of a two-year recess and Colleen Williamson has six of her old team marching still, and again with an eye on this year’s Tattoo in August. Mcßae, led by Janine Brandhoj, can not be overlooked, of course, and nor can the Wellington champion, Avanette UDC, led by Raewyn Cull and instructed by John Lloyd, a former Dominion Chief Judge. However, Avanette was only third at both the Interdominion and North Island championships. The standard of junior and midget teams is considered to be higher in the North Island thqn in the South, and the latter will be relying on Acme Pioneers, midget and junior, the South Island champions, if it is to return with any honours. Strong contenders for the junior title will come from Kilmarnock of Auckland, the recent North Island winners, Valley Guards and Kensington Guards, both of Wellington. Acme, although placed fourth at last year’s nationals, has a new squad of marchers, and is under a

new coaching combination of Mrs Flanagan and Dianne Harker. It might find it difficult to match up to the North Islanders.

In the midget grade, Kilmarnock (Auckland) won the North Island event over Glendair and Todd Lancers of Wellington.

Acme, coached by the Mrs Flanagan-Sharon Laing combination for the second season, also has a new squad of members this season, after being placed second at last year’s nationals.

As far as leaders are concerned, the Todd Lancers, Kilmarnock and Glennette leaders were ahead at the North Island championships, while the young Marina Kapua, of Sockburn Ford Lasers, had a surprise win at the South Island event. The Acme leader, Louise Flanagan, lost all chances of a placing at South Island when she scored badly at the caliper check during the fall in and inspection section.

Two Canty judges are on the panels which total 26. Miss C. Algie, the Canty centre president, is on the junior panel, while Mrs J. Harding is on the senior panel.