Table Tennis

Victoria's team this year would seem to be unbeatable, at least in the men's department, and the only opposition is likely to come from Auckland in the form of T. Cockfield. Our team consists of:

Lim Kim Woon, the agile Colombo Plan student from Singapore, a newcomer to the Tournament side and to this University. He has been one of the most successful and consistent players in the A grade competition, and is probably the fastest player on his feet this University has ever seen.

Wim Verhoeven, a player recently returned after an absence of two seasons from this club. He thoroughly deserves his selection both on possibilities and on present form.

Jeff Thomas, a veteran tournament player who has shown his consistency and concentration in A reserve, and was runner-up in 1956 to Alan Robinson.

Bede Rundle is the team's second former finalist, and has developed a tricky game with his coagulated sponge bat.

The women's duo is not as strong as the male counterpart, but boasts a promising player in the person of the C grade captain Nevenka Hegedus. Her team-mate will be Sheila Hoey, who skippers the D grade side the girls will meet stiff opposition from Canterbury and from Auckland if last year's champion is available for Tournament. It is predicted that Victoria will take the men's singles and doubles, and possibly the mixed doubles title will return to Wellington.

Badminton

The team selected for Tournament is a great deal stronger than the one that competed at Auckland last year and should have a correspondingly larger share in the distribution of honours. The men's team is especially strong and should, if on form, win most of its matches. The women in the team are rather more of an unknown quantity. Their form on the day will probably be the vital factor in their performance.

Star player of the team is Lim Ah Shin, a Colombo Plan student who is No. 1 man in Wellington's representative team this season. Among the forefront of New Zealand players, he is ranked by many as the best doubles player in the country. He was a prominent member of the N.Z.U. team that played the Malayan students when they were here. In the recent Wisden Cup match against Auckland he was defeated by Robson in two matches, but not before demonstrating a potential that must make him a danger to any player in New Zealand.

Bruce Grover and Jack Frost are two very experienced players with a number of tournaments behind them. Bruce should have no trouble in securing a place in the N.Z.U. team. Dave Usher is less experienced than the others but played at the last Winter Tournament, and with some solid practice should improve considerably.

Of the women, Jenny Kent is the leading player, being ranked about fourth in Wellington. It is hoped that the les experienced members of the team are able to give her their fullest support. Ruth Garland is a relative newcomer but is already playing extremely well, considering the amount of match practice she has had. Janet Thompset played for Victoria at Auckland last year and benefited immensely from the concentrated practice there. It is hoped that we see a similar improvement this year.

As a whole the team is a strong one and should be hard to beat at Tournament.

Harriers

We of the fence-and-hilltop brigade have prospects as clear as Wellington's mud permits. The junior division, usually an attenuated section, is very strong this year. Noel Doherty, Roger Clarke and Jim Callahan are the mainstays and the main bracers. Peter Joyce, currently N.Z.U. 3-mile champion, dominates the senior field. Early in the season he won the veterans' race with ease and finished fifth out of a field of 170 in the annual Vosseler race. Vetean Clem Hawke is the most reliable of te other seniors, being usually our second man home in inter-club races. Other representatives are Peter Travers, Frank Walkey, Bob Creed and Bob Croaker. Of these runners Peter Joyce has the best chance of victory.