Austrian women skiers in action

Press, 15 August 1986, Page 36

Austrian women skiers in action

TIM DUNBAR

All 12 members of the Austrian women’s ski team now training at Mount Hutt should be in action when the Air New Zealand F.I.S. international series begins there on Monday. The women’s giant slalom that day is the first event of the series and all the Austrian skiers are looking forward to the race, according to their head coach, Andy Rauch. “It is very good to have a race in a training session,” said Mr Rauch from Methven yesterday.

The Austrian team set up their training camp in Methven and Mount Hutt early last week and have since had six days on skis.

Mr Rauch said the team had had very good co-operation from the mountain management during the recent stretch of bad weather. “On two days they opened it (the mountain) only for us and we skied the lower part of Broadway.” Robin Armstrong, director of the Mount Hutt race department and chief of course for the F.I.S. series, is happy with the way the races are shaping. “The ski-ing is great,” he said. “There is a lot of good quality snow for the courses — the last storm gave us excellent preparation.”

As well as the Austrians various Japanese national ski team members training at Mount Hutt will take part in the first section of the 1986 series. Most of the top New Zealand ski-racers will travel back from Coronet Peak on Sunday.

The first section of the series comprises the women’s giant slalom on Monday, the men’s giant slalom on Tuesday, the women’s slalom on Wednesday and the men’s slalom on Thursday. “If we lose days there is the possibility of running two races in one day, but we prefer not to do that,” Armstrong said.

The series will be officially opened at 1.30 p.m. on Sunday by the Minister of Tourism, Mr Moore. Should the ski area be closed the opening will be held in Methven.