Wi Rutene’s moko runs

Press, 12 September 1986, Page 36

Wi Rutene’s moko runs

From

TIM DUNBAR,

in Queenstown

Simon Wi Rutene’s idea to race wearing a full moko did not have maximum effect when the Bolle national ski championships began at Coronet Peak yesterday. The moko certainly looked impressive when first applied with, the use of eyeliner, but by the time the Rotorua skier actually raced in the men’s giant slalom the design had started to run. A combination of falling snow and the movement of his goggles smeared it slightly — and falling on his face when sliding down beside the course beforehand did not help. When the snow began coming down more thickly and the visibility got worse the races had to be cancelled for the day anyway at 12.5 p.m. with only one run completed. Wi Rutene aims to compete overseas wearing the moko during the Northern Hemisphere winter to establish his identity as a New Zealander. In the giant slalom run that was completed yesterday, but will now be wiped, the reigning national champion, Marcus Hubrich (Wellington), recorded the fastest time of 45.995. He had been granted a provisional rerun after prereleasing from his skis on his initial run down the

35-gate course. Wi Rutene, the in-form skier on the national circuit, was only four onehundredths of a second slower with Queenstown's Nicholas Boyer third. Juliet Satterthwalte would have been disappointed that a second run was not possible in the women’s giant slalom as, surprisingly, she had pipped her Canterbury team-mate, Kate Rattray, the title-holder, by 0.43 s with a time of 49.425, The next fastest were the 19-year-old American, Heather Flood, from Sun Valley, Idaho, and two more Canterbury racers, Bergendy Cooke and Adele Coberger. The chief of race, Fraser Skinner, said it was a pity the weather had “turned slightly inclement” as the women who raced first, had had a very successful first run with many favourable comments about the course. Today’s programme will proceed as originally scheduled with 40 entrants in an F.I.S. (International Ski Federation) slalom, doubling as a national championship race. Mr Skinner said that it was now planned to complete the championships tomorrow with the giant slalom. On Sunday there would be either a special slalom or a parallel (dual) slalom.