GIRL HURT BY SKI

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 286, 29 August 1931, Page 9

GIRL HURT BY SKI

Accident at The Chateau UNLUCKY COMPETITOR Events Put Off Until To-day Dominion Special Service. The Chateau, August 28. Hopes that the Ruapehu Ski Club's winter sports tournament would be concluded to-day were dashed early this afternoon, when a girl competitor met with an accident and two of the leading members'of the club who were participating in the ski championship were obliged to assist her from the ski ground to the Chateau. As they were thus debarred from remaining, the events were postponed until to-morrow. The victim of the accident, Miss Clare Corlett, of Taumarunui, was taking part in the ladies’ slalom race, which requires its competitors to zigzag by a series of turns through pairs of flags set at right angles to the course. A keen southerly wind had frozen hard the surface of the snow, making a successful turn more than usually difficult Miss Corlett was making faster time than the other competitors, and had negotiated all the turns when she fell as she was rounding the last flag. The ferrule on one of her ski sticks penetrated the skin close to her right eye, and it was feared at first that her eye had been injured, but subsequent examination showed that it was untouched. ' ■ Mr. R. Syme, of Hawera, who was leading in the championship with the most number of points, and Mr. C. E. A. Ferrier, of Christchurch, carried the girl to the Salt Memorial Hut, and from there assisted her to walk the two miles to “The Chateau,” as she pluckily refused to be carried further. Doctor Welby Fisher, of Taumarunui, was called in. and pronounced the girl’s eye to be out of danger. The absence of Messrs. Syme and Ferrier. led the committee to declare the remainder of the events off. Provided the weather holds fine the abandoned programme will be resumed to-morrow. Fifteen members of the Tararua Tramping Club elimbpd Ruapehu to-day under difficult conditions. The weather was perfect, but the cold wind had hardened the surface 'of the Whakanapa Glacier, and it was necessary to stamp hard on the ski to make an impression. The party—both men’s and girls’—reached the Crater Lake, but owing to the bitterly cold wind which swept across the summit they paused only long enough to admire th© view. The descent was unusually slow owing to the care that had to be taken to avoid an unexpected glassade. ■ '> # SECOND DAY’S . EVENTS By Telegraph—Press Association "The Chateau,” Tongariro, August 28. The second day’s events in the winter •ports tournament resulted ns follow:— ’ Downhill race for inter-club teams: Ruapehu Ski Club (Murie, Syme. Ferrier. Palmer), 1; Tararua Tramping Club (MacPherson, Wills. Miss Macpherson, Griley), and Taranaki Alpine Club (Allen. Groombridge, Whitwell, • Griffiths), dead heat, 2; Victoria University College (Thompson, Grant, Priestly, Hogg), 4. . Ladies’ slalom race, for members of Ruapehu Ski Club: Miss Knight, Waltara,. 1; Miss E. D. Lovegrove, Wanganui. 2; Miss G. Ferguson, Christchurch, 3. . • ■ ' Ladies’ slalom race (open): Miss Knight, 1; Miss Lovegrove, 2; Miss Ferguson.' 3. Time, 52sec. The tournament will be concluded tomorrow. ■