Southern circuit mooted

Press, 31 August 1989, Page 33

Southern circuit mooted

VIEWS FROM THE TOP

by ‘

Tim Dunbar

A Ski World Cup circuit for the Southern Hemisphere starting in Argentina, moving to New Zealand and ending in Australia is not too fanciful a notion — even as soon as the 1991 winter.

That idea has the backing of the most important man in world ski-ing, the 70-year-old Berne lawyer, Marc Hodler, President of the Federation Internationale de Ski (F. 1.5. for close to 40 years. Mr Hodler’s potted biography makes fascinating reading, not the least his being born in Berlin on October 26, 1918, a matter of a fortnight before the Armistice. He has Swiss nationality, speaks French, English, German and Italian, has been president of the F.I.S. since 1951 and a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1963. For all that his knowledge of New Zealand ski-fields could be improved, but his sentiments could not be faulted. Mr Hodler was in the Snowy Mountain resort of Thredbo earlier this month

for the first World Cup ski events in Australia. He told reporters that the best chance that country had of seeing the world’s best skiers regularly was to join forces with New Zealand and Argentina for a southern circuit.

The F.I.S. president was quoted in the Melbourne “Age” as saying it would be May next year before the federation decided whether Australia would be on the 1990-91 World Cup circuit; the Thredbo races were the first round of the 1989-90 Cup. “I have heard a number of coaches express a criticism that having a World Cup in the (northern) summer, it is not possible to build up the team satisfactorily.”

“Perhaps next year may be a little early. We are looking at two years' time.”

Mr Hodler said the federation would like a tour taking in the three big Southern Hemisphere ski nations with races over three week-ends. But a stumbling block at the moment was New Zealand’s supposed lack of facilities. “New Zealand would be good for the downhill events, but it lacks facilities and access roads. Thredbo is obviously perfect for the technical events,” he said.

Also at Thredbo was the New Zealand ski official, Neil Harrison, chairman of the organising committee for

numerous F.I.S. series at Mount Hutt. He said the gist of Mr Hodler's remarks at Thredbo was that it made sense that teams should minimise their investment. “The tone of the talk through the village through those three days was that it was silly to take in (only) one set of two races,” Mr Harrison said.

By having three lots of races it would seem a trip south would be much more worth-while for the Europeans and North Americans.

Mr Harrison said he did not take it as being too important that the F.I.S. president saw access roads as a negative point. And he was not quite sure what Mr Hodler meant about a lack of facilities. He said it seemed “the ball is really in the Southern Hemisphere nations’ court to promote the World Cup in the Southern Hemisphere — if they want.”

The New Zealand Ski Association has already taken the initiative by trying to get the parties together for a meeting. For the World Cup, Coup du Monde, Weltcup or Coppa del Mondo, as it is variously known, to come to New Zealand big sponsorships will be required. Mr Harrison said that sponsorship would have

to be tied up for either of the only possible New Zealand venues, Mount Hutt and Turoa, to be interested.

Holding the first round of the Caffe Lavazza World Cup in Australia cost about SA4 million, incidentally with $1.2 million sponsorship from Australian companies. The media numbered 132, including 10 overseas journalists, with a huge crew from Channel Nine making up the bulk of the figure. The Mount Hutt company was prepared to be involved in a World Cup, according to its executive director, Jim Collins, on the urging of Karl Frehsner, the head Swiss coach, and Heinz Mohr, the West German coach. Mr Collins said these two coaches had sat down with him both while in Thredbo for the World Cup and at Mount Hutt for the F.I.S. series. He has also had discussions with the French head coach, Silvain DeoLena. “They all want to be training using Mount Hutt and New Zealand and if they can take in a World Cup race in New Zealand so much the better.”

He said that the teams were all booked in for training at Mount Hutt again next year. The snow-grooming capabilities on the field were apparently a big plus. According to Mr Collins, it would be a logical move for the F.I.S. to allocate World Cup events to both Australia and New Zealand, especially as a back up if there were any snow problems on the other side of the Tasman.

A World Cup round here by 1991? “I don’t think next year’s out of the question,” Mr Collins said. He is keen to spread the word about New Zealand ski-ing. I