ICE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Evening Star, Issue 23324, 21 July 1939, Page 10

ICE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS

FIGURE EVENTS TO BE HELD TO-MORROW TWO AND A-HALF INCHES ON MANORBURN DAM CURLING AT NASEBY NEXT WEEK Later than usual, the “ big freeze ” has made its appearance in Central Otago, and plans have been completed for the holding of the national ice skating championships at Alexandra tomorrow afternoon. At noon to-day 200 skaters were testing the two and; a half inches of ice on the Manorburn Dam, this year’s venue, and it is ex-t pected that the ice will strengthen for the New Zealand trials. Curling enthusiasts hope that the ice at Naseby will possess a sufficient depth to allow the “ roarin’ game ” to begin early next week. After inspecting the ice yesterday the Alexander Winter Sports Club held a special meeting in the evening, when it was decided to hold the championships to-morrow. It is intended to hold the figure skating championships only, as it is not thought that the ice is strong enough for the racing events.. Already there are a largo number of visitors at Alexandra, and a further influx is expected to-morrow. A party of Christchurch contestants is on its way, but it is not known if competitors from further north will arrive in time. While the ice at Naseby is improving, it is not expected that the four or five inches necessary for curling in that locality will have developed before Monday. Last week there was every prospect of the bonspiel being held, as scheduled, very soon after July 15, but reports from the district indicate that, though a game was played on the ice last Monday, there is not much prospect of sufficient ice forming on the bigger dam this week

to make it available for curling on a large scale. Dunedin curling enthusiasts are maintaining close touch with the club officials at Naseby, and if week-end reports continue to show improving conditions it is expected that the exodus will begin on Monday. The Lower Manorburn Dam is one of tho finest pieces of ice in the Dominion, and some brilliant skating should be witnessed an its mirror surface. It is only about six years ago that the dam was built for irrigation purposes, but during that brief period thousands of winter sports enthusiasts from Invercargill to Christchurch have visited the town each year, until today Alexandra is one of the leading ice skating centres in the Dominion. The local Winter Sports Club has had considerable improvements made and has. constructed a parking area for cars and improved the approaches.. It is receiving support from local business people in efforts to carry out further improvements. When the Lower Manorburn Dam was built Alexandra was provided with a skating rink that would accommodate thousands of people on the great area of ice. The dam is only three miles from the town, and a motor road goes right up to the ice, There are four huge basins of icc, giving a stretch of about two miles for skaters. The Manonbuni passes through a shady valley, and it is said that it is only the flow of the water that prevents the stream from freezing. Tests have been made of the water entering the dam, and it has been found to be around freezing point. It is little wonder, therefore, that the ice that forms on tho huge basins can hold several thousand people.