Bobsledders make quick progress

Press, 16 December 1987, Page 52

Bobsledders make quick progress

Bobsledding, a sport more commonly associated with the alpine nations of Europe, might be seen in New Zealand before too long. The New Zealand Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association, which has its headquarters in Calgary, Canada, is keen to open a training centre in New Zealand.

According to the association’s president, Jamie Gilkison, formerly of Dunedin, the main focus of the centre would be a short training track using a bobsled on wheels.

Mr Gilkison said that having such a track would allow New Zealand bobsledders to train all year round. It would be especially useful for practising starts.

At present the fledgling bobsled association has a squad of 12 athletes, all based in Calgary, and is hoping to be represented at the Winter Olympics there in February. Having a training centre in New Zealand would do a lot to promote the sport here as a followon from exposure at the Winter Games.

“It would really help us with recruitment here in New Zealand and attract a lot of attention,” Mr Gilkison said in Christchurch. Should the New Zealanders win Olympic selection they will have a certain advantage over other nations as the refrigerated course at Canada Olympic Park (15min from down- " Cal, ) hr br

The novelty of ; Kiwi bobsledders training in Calgary has been well and truly taken up by the

Canadian media. “We’ve had more publicity than the Canadian team,” Mr Gilkison said.

That, of course, will start to change as the Olympics (scheduled from February 13 to 28) get closer and there is more concentration on how the Canadians will perform in the nine sports.

Meanwhile the New Zealand bobsledders have asked the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association selectors to approve two four-man bobs and two two-man bobs for Calgary.

In both the four-man and two-man combinations the drivers are the experienced Lex Peterson (formerly of Christchurch) and Owen Pinnell, of Thames. ' Recently another New Zealander, Murray Cumberpatch, a former national hurdles champion, has developed driving skills. Cumberpatch successfully did an international (bobsled) driver’s course, finishing third in Igls, Austria, two places ahead of Prince Albert of Monaco.