Big Day For Skating At Garvins Road

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31001, 5 March 1966, Page 11

Big Day For Skating At Garvins Road

npHE British Cups Trophy ■ Day', which is virtually the New Zealand roller skating championships, will be held in canjunction with today’s opening of the new Garvins road link. The cups Cooper for dancing, Jackson for free skating, Eason for men’s speed skating, and Kelly for ladies’ speed skating—were left in New Zealand by five British champions after a tour here in 1960. They gave their names to the cups. The trophy day will have special significance for some of the skaters. After the last New Zealand championships, a group of skaters was named as an overseas training squad and this will

be the final day of stern competition for the squad. The likely winners of the Cooper Cup for dancing are O. Wedenbohn and Miss S. Litchwark, and Miss C. Rumsey (Palmerston North) is favoured to win the free skating title. She was the national intermediate ladies’ champion in 1964 and 1965, and also winning the Jackson Cup in 1964. However, Miss A. Gillette (Hastings), the runner-up in last year’s intermediate title, is now competing and will provide stern opposition. In fact, in nearly all events most of last year’s place-getters are taking part and, accordingly the results should be truly representa-

tive of New Zealand’s best. The men’s speed skating is fairly open and there appears to be at least four contenders: T. and P. Ramsay (Hastings), G. Brader (Mastertan) and the local skater, G .Glover. Misses M. McDonald (Masterton) and H. Martin (Palmerston North) are the likeliest contenders for the ladies’ speed skating cup with Miss R. Alexander having a chance of success. Today’s programme will start at 2 p.m. with the opening of the rink and a series of exhibitions, and at 8 p.m. the finals of the British Cups will start. Tomorrow, New Zealand will play the Rest at roller hockey, also at 2 p.m.