SKI CONTEST

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 56, 3 September 1936, Page 6

SKI CONTEST

10-MILE RACE

N.Z. TEAM WINS

GELLING'S FAST TIME

(From "The Post's" Special Reporter.) i; THE CHATEAU, This Day. ,-In> one of the closest and most exciting langlauf or long-distance ski races ever held in this country, New Zealand defeated Australia at the National Park yesterday, over a ten-mile course, and won the second round of the inter-dominion ski contest, being beaten in the first round, the slalom race. The total time of the New Zealand team, B. McMillan and B. Murphy, over the difficult course was only five minutes less than that of the Australian representatives, R. Gelling and W. Annabel. Gelling ran magnificently to secure the fastest time over the whole course, but his team mate, Annabel, was well behind. THE COURSE. The bad weather on the higher slopes of Mount Ruapehu forced the race committee to make use of the snowfields surrounding the Chateau, and a course probably more satisfactory even than that on which the New Zealand championship 'was run was worked out. Particularly was it advantageous from a spectator's point of view, as most of the race could be followed from the upper windows of the Chateau and more than half of it from the lounge itself. This ski race is probably the only one of its kind anywhere in the world that has required the double circuit of a golf course. The race involved traversing twice a length of the Taranaki Falls Road, and also the Scoria Flat road up to the first mile peg. This course resembled closely both the Scandinavian origin of the langlauf and the conditions to which the Australians were accustomed. The snow was in perfect condition. The four representatives started off at minute intervals, in the order Annabel, Murphy, Gelling, and McMillan. Murphy passed Annabel just before the fourth hole, and at,the end of the first'round of the. golf. course. Murphy and Gelling were fighting for the lead, with McMillan third and Annabel fourth. Gelling led the short traverse across snow-covered tussock and gradually increased his lead. At the end of the Taranaki Falls road he w» 200 yards ahead of Murphy, with McMillan a further 200 yards behind and with Annabel well to the rear. At the end of the Scoria Flat run, McMillan had passed Murphy and Gelling had still .further increased his lead. SPECTACULAR FINISH. At* the end of the first round of five miles the competitors gulped down cups of hot tea and forced on the pace again. Gelling was showing surprising fitness at this stage, his height, exceeding six feet, giving him great length of stride. He ran with a very fine rhythm and excellent poling action. Murphy was also going well and surprised competitors by passing his team mate on the Taranaki Palls Road. Showing amazing fitness at the end, Gelling finished with a. magnificent dash, and with a lead of six minutes. Murphy;kept his lead over McMillan, and both the New Zcalanders ran with great dash and perseverance, finishing with a spectacular burst of speed after a very gruelling race. Annabel was several minutes behind. All of the competitors were cheered strongly by the onlookers, a large number of whom had left the comforts of their grandstand in the ' Chateau and braved the falling snow to be at the finish. ■ - . The detailed results areas follows:-— , New Zealand: B. McMillan, 102min 6sec; B. Murphy, 103min 47sec; total, 100 points. Australia: R. Gelling, 95min 36sec; W. Annabel, 114min 39sec; total, 95.25 points. Because of the lead obtained in the slalom race, Australia is at present leading in points'on'tlie whole contest.