BIG, BRIGHT HOLIDAY PROGRAMME

Taupo Times, Volume 19, Issue 98, 17 December 1970, Page 7

BIG, BRIGHT HOLIDAY PROGRAMME

Taupo 's holiday programme, already the longest and most comprehensive in the country, will this year be even more varied and interesting with the addition of several new events. Two holiday populations visit Taupo during the Christmas-January period — those who are able to take their holidays at Christmas, and those who are unable to do so, but replace the first group during January when they return to work.

The following weekend caters for adherents of equesj trian sports, with a picnic race ! meeting on Saturday, January I 9, and the Rothman's Pro- | vincial Polo Championships on the Sunday. Horses again feature the following weekend with a grand pony club gymkhana, as well as the arrival \ from many parts of New Zealand of aircraft competing for the Rothman's Navigational Award. Saloon car racing on the Sunday should provide thrills on a tricky course, to complete another exciting weekend. An innovation this year will be a series of raft races — a direct result of the one highly successful raft race incorporated in last year's Centennial programme. Four races are scheduled for Saturday, January 23. One is exclusively for school or college boys, another for rafts crewed by girls or women, and a third race, for any craft propelled solely by paddling, and is open to all comers. The fourth race — the Raft Racing Championship of New Zealand — will be open to craft propelled by any means other than motors or sails, and will be run over a trian-

gular course. Inquiries from prospective entrants have been received from as far away as Whangarei, and it is expected that many entries from towns outside Taupo will be received. Copies of the rules may be obtained from the Taupo Information Centre. The following weekend sees an open-air exhibition, land yacht racing, the annual three and a half mile lake swim, and a skiathon. "The fact that the majority of holiday makers who come to Taupo are family groups, means that the entertainment provided for them must b6 of a nature to be enjoyed by families," said the Public Relations Officer, Len Bergman, in releasing the programme of events. "For this reason, many of the activities are sporting events, some of which are of a type never, or infrequently seen in the home towns from which our visitors come. Our huge weed-free lake, and the acquisition of Centennial Park — 157 acres of the former grassed aerodrome, with pumice soil which is virtually unaffected by rain — means that Taupo is able to offer facilities for possibly a wider range of sporting attractions than most resorts in the country," continued Mr Bergman.

Activities commence on Boxing Day with the first weigh-in the Leisure Time Fishing Contest, which continues daily until January 24, 1971. Prizes are offered for both the longest and heaviest fish caught and brought to the Information Centre each day, with extra prizes for the best of each class each week, and a grand prize for the longest and heaviest trout over the whole period. The same day sees the commencement of a two-day yacht regatta, which is followed as the public holidays and weekends continue by a 10-mile harrier race, open bowling tournaments, and the Rothman's Power Boat Race, which attracts in excess of 60 of the country's fastest power craft. A jet boat rally along the lake front, with a programme which includes slaloms, and other events revealing skill and no small amount of humour, completes an excellent aquatic weekend.

PROGRAMME December 20 (Sunday): 8.30 Carols by candlelight. December 26 (Saturday): 10.30 Leisure Time fishing contest starts at Information Centre and continues daily until January 24. December 26 (Saturday): 10.00 Yacht Club regatta. December 28 (Monday): Launch cruise on "Laloma" each day until Saturday, January 2. 9.45; 10.30; 11.15; 12.00 a.m. December 30 (Wednesday) : 8.00 Universal Show. December 31 (Thursday): 8.00 Jaycee New Year's dance, Memorial Hall. January 1 (Friday): 9.00 Open triples bowling tournament; 1.30, Motor cycle races, Centennial Park; 6.00, Twilight Ten (Harriers Race) — Domain. January 2 (Saturday): 1.15 Rothmans power boat race, lake front. January 3 (Sunday): 9.00 Jet boat rally, lake front. January 4 (Monday): 8.00 Shell Family Holiday Show. January 6 (Wednesday): 7.30 Open indoor bowls tournament, Memorial Hall. January 9 (Saturday): 1.00 Picnic races, Centennial Park — with equalisator. January 10 (Sunday): 1.00 Polo Provincial Championships, Centennial Park; 9.30, Mixed fours open bowling tournament. January 13 (Wednesday): 7.30 Housie, Memorial Hall. January 16 (Saturday): Air pageant, airport; arrival of planes for Rothman's Navigational Award; 10.00, Pony Club Gymkhana, Centennial Park. January 17 (Sunday): 11.00 Grass-track motor race meeting, Centennial Park. January 20 (Wednesday): 7.30 Housie, Memorial Hall. January 23 (Saturday): 10.00 Raft races, lake front, school boys only 11.00, women and girl crew only, 2.00, Open race — paddled by hand, 3.00, New Zealand raft race championships, open to all comers; All day open air arts exhibition in Suncourt. January 24 (Sunday): Land yacht races, Centennial Park. January 24 (Sunday): 10.00 Lake swim from Acacia Bay to 2 Mile Bay. January 25 (Monday) \ 10.00 Skiathon.