SKI-ING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23592, 31 August 1938, Page 15

SKI-ING CHAMPIONSHIPS

MOUNT COOK MEETING SLALOM EVENTS HELD iPeb United Phess Association) THE HERMITAGE, Aug. 30. The New Zealand ski championships meeting was continued to-day at Mount Cook with the Men's and Women's Slalom Championships. The course was set on a steep snow face on the southern slopes of the Ball Ridge overlooking the Tasman Glacier. Starting at the top of the ridge, 400 feet above the finishing post, the course dropped into a steep gully with a long traverse to the left and finished through three more controls. There was a strong north-west wind blowing, with driving snow, which affected the visibility, and the wet snow conditions made turning difficult for most of the competitors. H. Wigley was undoubtedly the outstanding runner, and gave a magnificent exhibition on the difficult snow. He showed he had profited by his contact with the American ski-iers and his participation in the interdominion contests in Australia. R. Wigley, who is still at school, shows promise of developing into a first-class skier. Although young, he showed a good knowledge of ski-ing, and his steady running was a lesson to some of the older competitors. Schwieters is the unlucky man at this meeting. After a good first run, he broke his ski early in the second run, but continued with a good performance to be beaten out of second place by one-fifth of a second. The next four platings in the men's event were of a fairly even standard. In the Women's Slalom Miss J. Beale showed a return to her 1935 form to win the New Zealand Slalom title again. She also is showing considerable improvement since her trip to Australia last year as a member of the New Zealand team. Mrs Ely, whose style of stemming through the controls was notable, was assured of a place on account of her steady running. Miss Wigley, who skis with much more dash than the other competitors, was unfortunate to lose a ski in the first run. but her running was a little' erratic. The following werp the results:— NEW ZEALAND MEN'S SLALOM CHAMPIONSHIP H. Wigley (Tasman Ski Club), Imin 7 2-ssec, Imin 6 l-ssec, total 2min 13 3-ssec 1 R. Wigley (Aorangi Ski Club). Imin 35 3-ssec, Imin 35?ec. total 3min 13 3-ssec 2 P. Schwieters (Stratford Mountain Club), Imin 29sec, Imin 44 4-ssec. total 3min 14 4-ssec 3 The other competitors finished in the following order:—R. D. Role, C. L. Mahan, J. Swan, G. W. Day R. McKenzie. D. McKenzie. C. Straubel, H. Carter. NEW ZEALAND WOMEN'S SLALOM CHAMPIONSHIP Miss J. Beale (Stratford Mountain Club), Imin 48sec, Imin ' 38 4-ssec. total 3min 26 4-ssec 1 Mrs H. Ely (Sydney), Imin 44 2-ssec, 2min C 4-ssec. total 3min 45 l-ssec .. 2 Miss P. Wigley (Tasman Ski Club), 2min 20 3-ssec, Imin 59 l-ssec, total 4min 19 4-ssec .. .. 3 THE CHATEAU SPORTS SYDNEY CLUB RACES (Peb United Press Association) THE CHATEAU, Aug. 30. In the Sydney Ski Club Downhill Race, credit for the fastest time is due to Mr Hatchman, of the Alpine Club, his time being Imin 59sec. The race was run under the auspices of the Sydney Ski Club, and Mr Purcell (Sydney Ski Club) was the first Australian in the race, his time being 2min 35Jsec. Michaelis (2min 40sec) v. as second, and Sheldon (3min 24secj third. In the Slalom Race oi the Sydney Ski Club; Mr Hatchman's time was again the best, being 37sec. The first Australian was Michaelis (48isec), with Mr Purcell (Imin s*sec) second and Sheldon (lrriin 7sec) third. ' :,;' Th£ conditions were by no means good—windy and poor visibility. Nevertheless, the crowd of enthusiastic sportsmen was well maintained. The humid atmosphere of the early morning changed to colder conditions, and by mid-day snow began to fall on the mountain.