New Zealander wins valuable scholarship in Australia

Press, 4 July 1986, Page 23

New Zealander wins valuable scholarship in Australia

By

TIM DUNBAR

David Paterson is one New Zealander who has good reason to speak well of Australians.

For a start Paterson has been awarded a lucrative Australian scholarship to Oxford University where he will complete his doctorate in physiology. The Hackett studentship is worth the equivalent of SNZBO,OOO. It is awarded for three years study at an overseas Institution, and Paterson is the first New Zealander to receive it.

He is in his fourth yearat the University of Western Australia in Perth where he did his Master of Science dfegree. The scholarship, funded by the Australian Government, is awarded by the university.

Paterson also said in Christchurch this week that he had been doing some paid consultancy work for the Bond syndicate as it prepares for the America’s Cup challenge. He has been “pushing buttons” for Bond’s advisers at the University of Western Australia’s multimillion dollar physiology laboratory. Paterson has two mas-, ters in the yachting world as the KZ syndicate asked him to have a look at its training programme. He did this on a voluntary basis.

He said that he had

been sworn to secrecy and was limited to what he could say about either of the rival syndicates. “Both sets of information are highly confidential.” Speaking generally, Paterson said that the Australians wanted a more practical input, the New Zealanders more of a conceptual input. “An overview rather than nuts and bolts.”

Since returning to New Zealand for a visit a few weeks ago Paterson has been Impressed with the support at home for the Kiwi challenge. But he added the public had to realise that the America’s Cup challenge was going to be “damn tough” and it was necessary to get things in perspective. "Most people here seem to think that the Cup’s almost in New Zealand,” Paterson said. “Realistically you have to appreciate that it’s going to be a real battle.” The New Zealand yachts had performed well in the world 12-metre championships off Fremantle in February, but there was a big difference between fleet racing and actual 12-metre racing.

Paterson said that New Zealand would be the

dark horse for the America’s Cup.

“I believe the Americans are going to be very hard to knock off.” There was a tremendous amount of pressure on crews, he said, and the difference between a successful boat and a not-so-successful boat might be having crews with a good mental attitude, and who could cope well under pressure.

In any syndicate group there were a lot of important people behind the scenes to make it work; Cooks, physiotherapists, those welding the boat

“Social cohesiveness is so important. They’re living in cramped conditions and it is important they all work as a unit.”

Paterson is heading for Oxford University in September and will miss the America’s Cup racing. “I’d love to be there. It will be a very exciting time, the population is going to double. The most isolated city in the world is being put on the map.”

The New Zealand man is going to Oxford for personal research and, he said, he was not obligated to Australia in the future. But, depending on the job market in his area, he

would like to go back to Australia sometime.

Paterson’s field is respiration and he has been looking at how man responds to external environmental stresses as far as their breathing is concerned.

He has a special interest in high altitude physiology and to that end went to the Himalayas a couple of years ago. “It gets pretty tough 20,000 feet up.” Next year he will probably venture into the Andes with a Birmingham group for more field work.

He does not have any claims to being “a big time climber,” though. “I’m more an outdoors

and adventure type of person.”

Paterson’s great love is karate and the < main reason he came back to New Zealand was to try for his second degree black belt at the Seldo club in Christchurch. “I did that two weeks ago. My black eye has now dissipated,” he said a little ruefully. He also acted as a judge in the big Seido national tournament in Christchurch recently. Karate, he said, was the most demanding activity in which he had been involved.

There was a very high intellectual component to it ,as well and Sjeido karate was open to all walks of life. “it doesn’t matter who you are.” - .

For the last 18 ’months Paterson has run a dojo (martial arts sch ool) In Perth where he hr id about 40 students. When he arrives at Oxford Paterson, will be too busy with his studies to start another; dojo. But his big a mbition is to be selecte d in the Oxford University karate squad and ■/ competing against Cam'bridge. "I would like to. get a half blue for karate.

“It would be good to keep my han l d in,” Paterson said. “Karate keeps you honest.”,