ALPINE SPORTS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11599, 27 August 1931, Page 6

ALPINE SPORTS

RUAPEHU SKIING CLUB’S TOURNAMENTS

(Press Association*

WELLINGTON, , August 26.

• The first events of the Ruapehu Skiing Club’s annual winter sports touinhinent were held at Tongarirp National Park to-day. There were excellent snow conations tor ijte langlauf racing, a fine day and a light westerly breeze. Two hundred an-1 fifty spectators were, present. Following are the results: —

' Men's Langlauf or Cross Country Race, about 7 miles.—Ruapehu Bki C.ub members. Rod Syme (Haw era) „1. It. C.Marie (Wellington) 2. R. Allen (New Plymouth), won the £5 yards. There were , ten ■.• starters. The N.Z. Amateur Langlauf chain, pionship race, an open run over a 'simi’ar course; —Rod Syme (Riinpe? liu Ski Club) I, U. C Marie ■(Rmtpebn §ki Club) 2, Rugby. Allan (Ruapehu Ski Club) , Won by five .seefinds. Also eOinpe.tcd in ’order ol finishing:; E. R. Merritt (Auckland ('university Field and Alpine Club). McCommish (Uiiupehu Ski Club), A. I). Priestly (Victoria University Tramping' Club), - T; R. Marks TRua pe.hu Ski Club) J. A. (Veils '(Tararua Tramping Cub), 11. E. W'luiw.el (Ruapehu. Ski Club)*. R. Hogg (Victoria University College Tramping Club), 'C. P. Taylor (Ruapehu Sin Club), J. W. Palmer (Ruapehu Ski Chib), R. Grant (Victoria University College Tramping Chib). W. Groombridge (Ruapehu Ski Club), R. L Powell (Ilutt Valley Tramping Club) Taylor set out at a fast pace a nr? easily led • the. field for Hie first‘up bill portion and round the flag lor tho long run down ’o Scoria Flat*, Svme followed, and the remaindci were wol] strung out, Syme overtook Taylor, and Murie passed both Taylor -md Syme, and was still in Hie leaf! at. the beginning of the last long uphill portion. Syme, climbing tt-cfT, passed Murie, on -the -Uphill section, and got to Hie top of the byst run-down about fifteen yards in the lead, with Allan some distance back, followe'd bv Merritt and Me* Oormish. Flighting |hard for first place, Syme won a very closely contested race by the narrow margin ot five seconds. with the third competitor ten seconds later.

Ladies’ Langlauf or Cross-Country Race, open, about two miles*. Ten competitors—Mrs. M. Knight (Ruapehu Ski Club) 1. Miss E. I). Lovegrove (Ruapehu Ski Club) 2, Miss M. McPherson (Tarnrua Tramping Club) 3. Won by four seconds, with the third competitor one second later. Also competed in the order of the finish: Misses Godfrey, P. f>. Hill, f. A. Sirrelly, J. Ferguson. M. Mitcalf, M. A.' Bond, E. S. ' Fletcher, all Ruapehu Ski Club. Miss Knight led for the first: portion with Miss McPherson lying a close second and Miss #third. - ;At the first* turn, Miss Bond lost her skiis -and Miss FarrelLy fell. The order at this stage was Misses Knight, McPherson and Love grove, the latter passing Miss McPherson shortly afterwards. At the top of the last hill portion, Miss McPherson fell, and. caused Miss Lovegrove to fall. The latter recovered, and finished a close second to Miss Knight, with Miss McPherson third.

Syme gained the title of N.Z. Amateur Langlauf champion. The position of the Ruapehu Ski Club championships after to-day’s event is as follows: Syme 4 points, Murie 2 points, Allan 1 point. Further results on Thursday and -Friday will decide both the New Zealand championship and the club championships.