N.Z. student skiers lower F.I.S. points

Press, 17 March 1987, Page 43

N.Z. student skiers lower F.I.S. points

News has belatedly filtered back to New Zealand of the fortunes of the New Zealand Universities ski team which contested the World Students Winter' Games in Czechoslovakia last month. The New Zealand team captain, William Rolleston, of Christchurch, unluckily sprained an ankle three days before the Games and was unable to take part. However, all six team members who raced — Alistair Scott (Auckland), Jeremy Guild, Mac Mouat, Rachel Scott, Amanda Vryenhoek (all Canterbury), and Fiona Boyer (Otago) — lowered their F.LS. (International Ski Federation) points considerably.

In a letter from Kitzbuehel, Austria, Rolleston reported that Guild almost made the qualifications for the New Zealand B team with 132 downhill points, in spite of being refused an F.LS. licence.

Roileston said that there was little snow and what did exist was hard and icy, but the races were well run. The Winter Games were contested by 1000 athletes from 35 countries, Czechoslovakia winning most of the medals because its national teams competed. According to Roileston. the New Zealand women’s ski-ing champion, Kate Rattray, of Canterbury, would probably have won a medal had she been able to compete. Her F.I.S. points for downhill were lower than any of those who raced. Rattray did not receive enough sponsorship to make the trip to Europe and is at present racing in North America in a late start to her northern season. A back injury precluded the appearance of another New Zealand A team member, Markus Hubrich, who would have been in the first seeding group for giant slalom. Roileston said that a successful aspect of the Games for the Kiwi contingent was the number of delegations who would like to train and

race F.LS. in New Zealand. “They were the Korean national team, who want a two-month training camp in New Zealand; the Swiss University team; the French University team; and members of the Austrian University and national team,” he said. Rolleston said that in spite of the distance of New Zealand from Europe, the "relatively low price of airfares, the weak New Zealand dollar and the hospitality of our people is making New Zealand increasingly competitive in the European tourist market.” Results of the alpine ski-ing events were:— Men’s giant slalom (80 starters).— Peter Jurko (Czechoslovakia) 1, Peter Popangelov (Bulgaria) 2, Terry Delliquadri (U.S.A.) 3, Jeremy Guild (N.Z.) 43, Mackenzie Mouat (N.Z.) 47. Men’s downhill (65 starters).— Jurko 1, Alberto Vencetti (Italy) 2, Guildo Purtschert (Switzerland) 3, Guild 39, Mouat 42, Alistair Snow (N.Z.) 45. Men’s combined slalom (63 starters). — Jurko 1, Juergen Grabber (Austria) 2, Masayuki Akiba (Japan) 3, Snow 19. Men’s Combined slalomdownhill (65 starters).— Jurko 1, Jeurgen Kriechbaum (Austria) 2, Ratislav Daniska (Czechoslovakia) 3, Snow 19. Men’s special slalom (80 starters).— Popangelov 1, Grabber 2, Grega Benedik (Yugoslavia) 3, Guild 25. Women’s giant slalom (60 starters). — Ludmila Milanova (Czechoslovakia) 1, Ivana Valesova (Czechoslovakia) 2, Andreja Leskovsek (Yugoslavia) 3, Rachel Scott (N.Z.) 45, Fiona Boyer (N.Z.) 47.

Women’s slalom (60 starters).— Valesova 1, Natassa Bokal (Yugoslavia) 2, Katja Lesjak (Yugoslavia) 3, Amanda Vryenhoek (N.Z.) 30.

The medal table was:— Gold Sil. Bronze C’slovakia 15 6 5 Russia 6 8 4 Austria 1 2 0 Bulgaria 1 1 0 U.S.A. 0 1 5