Skier seeks speed

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 245, 8 June 1988, Page 5

Skier seeks speed

By

James

Graham

Hurtling down a ski slope at 130kph may sound scary to most, but not to Marie Lyn-ghaug-Seator of National Park. Since friends first urged the ski-shop manager to give speedskiing a go in 1986, her achievements in the

sport have been numerous. In her first year, at only her third attempt, she set a then New Zealand women's record of 131.62kph at Turoa. Spurred on by her success, Marie went to Europe to get experience. "I competed in events from the top of

Finland to the bottom of France," she said. Her highest placing there was a second in the Swedish Cup, Teaching a speed of 125kph. She said she had hoped to reach the 130kph mark while in Europe, but the weather made it difficult. "In Finland the tem-

peratures we competed in were around minus 20." Despite the cold, she was the only New Zealand woman to get a professional ski ranking in 1987. The points she earned placed her 18th. When the 1987 New Zealand speed ski championships were transferred from Turoa to The Remarkables, near Queenstown, Marie decided not to compete because of the marginal conditions on offer. It was a decision that saw her lose the speed record. Virginia Bush set a new New Zealand record of 135kph.