SKI CLUB

Southland Times, Issue 22075, 24 July 1933, Page 8

SKI CLUB

OFFICIAL OPENING HAPPY DAY IN THE SNOW EXHILARATING SPORT More than forty members of the re-cently-formed Southland Ski Club set their alarm clocks on Saturday night, tumbled out of bed at 5.30 a.m. on Sunday, had a hasty breakfast and boarded a char-a-banc at six o’clock to travel to the ski-ing grounds above Garston. When dawn broke the happy voyagers were near Dipton ana rain on the wind shield did not give promise of the sunny day that was hoped for. Further on flakes of snow were encountered but before the Garston Hotel was reached . the weather began to improve and glimpses of the sun were obtained. At the foot of the Nevis range on the Garston—Bannockburn road the char-a-banc halted and its expectant passengers garbed themselves for the occasion, strapped their packs on their backs, slung skis over their shoulders and began the ascent of what then seemed a gentle slope. Mountaineering ? Had the skiers chosen an earlier or a later week-end for their official opening they would probably have found the snow lying well down the western slopes of the range. Yesterday, however, fate decreed that they should have to climb to the summit to find the essential element of ski-ing snow. A few favoured ones climbed luxuriously in a private car but the vast majority had to clamber over tussocky ridges searching for the snowfields on which to test their skill. After half-an-hour’s walk a halt was made, the billy was boiled and a picnic lunch was devoured with _ avidity. Though a few pleaded for a siesta the officials were inexorable and up the steep faces clambered the skiers. “I reckon this should qualify me for membership with the New Zealand Alpine Club,” said a weary man as he strode heroically up a precipitous slope. “But where, oh where, is that snow?” Upward, ever upward, toiled the travellers, pausing at times to be reinvigorated by the glorious panorama stretched below them. Occasionally a bank of fog would drift across and obscure the view. Then the fertile valleys and placid river would re-appear, with a snow-clad range forming a picturesque background. “I feel like stout Cortes who with eagle eyes stared at the Pacific,” said an erudite climber as he reached the top of a ridge and looked beyond. _ “I’d rather be staring at a bar with eyes glassy with stout,” said a less romantic skier whose physical fitness was being sorely tested by the gradient. “I know what I’ll head my story in the paper,” said the Press man. “I’ll say ‘A Frost.’” “Make the second line ‘ ’Sno Good,’ ” added a humorist. But all bad things—no less than all good things—have an end and at last the snowfield on the summit of the range was reached. The Fun Begins. Superfluous garments were discarded and the would-be skiers stood forth in all their multi-coloured glory. It was certainly a memorable array but the aesthetic sense was of secondary consideration. Men and women, girls and boys (the sexes were of equal strength) were on the snowfield not as competitors in a beauty contest but to try their luck on skis. While a few experts glided gloriously down steep slopes the unitiated tried hard to stand upright on a scarcely preceptible grade. That skiing was more difficult than it looked was soon realized. In all sorts of attitudes the tyros went hurtling into the snow which welcomed thsCi" in its soft embrace. Some soon- jfiamt the art of leaning forward to race the skis and not to let them rSce their human freight. Others—not excluding journalists—were prone to lean on the past instead of the future, to come the inevitable crash.

But the exhilaration of the sport was felt by all and the minutes sped by all too quickly. Those who were on the skies not only thrilled themselves but provided plenty of entertainment for onlookers.

In the afternoon some very proficient members of the Gore Club arrived on the scene and performed most successfully. There was also an interested gathering of local residents, including the chairman of the Southland County Council, Mr George Wraytt. At a suitable time the field captain (Mr L. V. Bryant) explained to members the elementary movements and terms of the sport, illustrating his remarks with practical demonstrations. So keen were members to take full advantage of the day’s outing that it was dusk when the char-a-banc was reached and the return journey commenced.

The outing was in every way a pronounced success and augurs well for a prosperous and profitable season for the club.