Tournament Prospects

This year Otago is to be the host university at Dunedin for Winter Tournament.

The return of Winter Tournament to Otago after it was last held there in 1967 is to coincide with the centenary of Otago University.

Arts Festival will also be held in conjunction with Tournament which is unlike past years, to be held in the second week of the August vacation, from August 16-21.

Some 160 Victoria representatives in various sport teams will travel down South.

While undoubtedly the Victoria contingent will compete with its customary distinction on the social scene (vide Drinking Horn etc.), the only sports teams that can be expected to have a reasonable chance of doing well are the fencing, squash and smallbore shooting teams.

Basketball

This is the second year that Basketball has been held so there are no long term trends to bar a forecast how Vic will fare.

Vic performed reasonably well in 1968, and the fact that the team has achieved considerable success in its grade in the local competition this year, being one of the top three teams, makes a major placing possible.

Experienced players in the team such as Rae Barclay, Margo Creevy, Jocelyn Robson, Liz Simmons should be of inestimable value in seeing this happen.

Victoria's team is: L. Banks, R. Barclay, M, Creevy, C. Daves, P. Fowler, L. Moke, J. Robson, M. Rogers, E. Simmons, and B. Yates.

Smallbore

Victoria's team is: G. Adlam, A. Bland, A. Fair, P. Hosking, E. Voyce.

On paper the team looks considerably weaker than the 1968 representatives

One member who will undoubtedly be missed is Sue Lothian who shot for Vic for several tournaments and who was also a NZU representative.

But the Smallbore Rifle team has performed well on the local scene and from this one can, as a supreme optimist, hope for good results.

In addition, the presence of Gavin Adlam, a shooter of no mean repute, who has represented Vic at a number of tournaments and is also an ex NZU rep should provide a solid core of strength.

Cross-country

High standards and intense competition promise to prevail.

The primary reason for this is that some six harriers will be selected for a New Zealand Universities team to tour Australia for 10 days.

The line-up of prospective members of this learn is extremely impressive.

Otago has: Keith Darling, the NZU 3.000 metre steeplechase champion; Bruce Beath, the NZU 6-mile titleholder, and Alistair Hassell who was second to John Le Grice (Auckland) in both the 3 miles and I mile at Easter Tournament.

Massey has Evan Robertson, who has won the NZU Championship for the past two years and is also a N.Z. cross-country representative, finishing 13th in the world championship in March of this year.

Also running for Massey is Steve Kent who was in the NZU team last year and who has represented Wellington at the national cross-country championships.

Auckland has John Le Grice, the national 3-mile champion who also finished 5th in the Skellerup Steeples recently, and 1968 NZU team.

Canterbury is largely an unknown force, but the chances of any of its members and Victoria's making the NZU team can be considered fairly remote.

While the Vic team has no outstanding individuals this season in the club like George Seconi, it has more depth in its runners than in previous tournaments and should perform well in the teams races.

Chances of retaining the Shackleford Cup for the top North Island university, which Vic wrested from Massey last year, should be fairly good.

The Vic team, with the exception of Ian Stockwell who has competed at the three previous tournaments, is a completely new team.

Eric Cairns and Peter Simpson are two members who have performed well at the provincial level, finishing 4th and 7th respectively in the Wellington Centre champs, and who were also included in the Wellington junior team for the national cross country champs on August 9.

Victoria's team is: Tony Burge, Eric Cairns, Martin Fisher, John Horsley, Ian Hunt, Peter Simpson, Ian Stockwell, Peter Williams.

Hockey

Women

Victoria's team is: Alison Bent, Peta Campbell, Raewyn Empson, Sue Gardiner, Sue Lavin, Valerie Miles, Ann Mortimer, Prue Oxley, Ann Rich, Lorraine Spence, Alice Taylor, Maureen Wenan.

The VUW Women's team has become an "open" team this year in that it has welcomed non-University players. This has resulted in a stronger team which while not being at the top of the local competition, has played better than in the 1968 season.

It is unfortunate that some of the most prominent members—Robin Turkington, Tania Cumberland, an ex-NZU rep.. Jill Broad and Marion Norton are not eligible for Tournament.

The loss will also be felt of Sandra McColl who will be away in Australia with the NZU women's hockey learn.

Otago will suffer most from the loss of players to the NZU team, but it should still have enough depth left to win again.

Auckland can be expected to present a strong challenge, while Victoria will have to play well to avoid the 'wooden spoon' which Massey will be keen to bestow on some other university.

Men

The Victoria men's hockey learn combines both youth and experience.

From a seasoned veteran campaigner such as Dave Knox, now in his ninth season to several younger members now in their first season, this is a team capable of surprising all but the more astute critics.

Most other teams such as Canterbury in particular, will have suffered more heavily the depredation of the NZU learn touring Australia.

Victoria has two representatives in this side. Paul Denlice and John Scott.

Which university will win is anybody's guess but in view of Canterbury's great strength and depth in players it should retain its title.

Peter Morgan (Capt.), Geoff Kirkham, Dave Russell, Willi Gulbransen, Paddy Marra, Dave Knox, Craig Rickit, Dave Thynne, Bruce Pointon, R. Boyd, D. Hill and G. Jackson.

Indoor basketball

Women

Freshers again dominate herein the composition of [he team with the only previous indoor basketball rep, being the captain,. Jan Chew.

A reasonably successful season has been had on the local scene with the team finishing in the top half of their grade.

The annual match with Massey saw Victoria avenge its last year's defeat by a convincing margin.

Most past tournaments have seen Vic and Massey fighting it out at the bottom of the compeition from that symbol of sporting inadequacy, the "wooden spoon".

It is to be hoped that with the large infusion of new blood in the team this year. Victoria will be in the major place-getters.

Victoria's team is: Yvonne Bent, Jan Chew, Wynne Ellingham, Sue Gibbons, Lynne Howden, Mary Lavin, Sandra Mustchin, Carol Smith and Angela Barwick.

Men

The learn has been considerably weakened by the withdrawal of a number of its tall players.

The opposition university teams are very strong again this year and Victoria will have a tough task beating them.

Canterbury, which won last year are fielding virtually the same team as in 1968.

Otago was narrowly defeated by Canterbury in the final last year and again lost narrowly at the beginning of this season.

The Auckland team has improved immensely and will challenge both Canterbury and Otago strongly.

These three must be the favourites. Victoria has beaten Massey once this year and should win again, but against the other teams Victoria will start off as the underdogs.

Victoria's team is captained by Dick Agnew, a former New Zealand rep. in Australia. He is also a Hutt Valley rep. and plays in midcourt position and with long accurate shooting has been a prolific points scorer in almost every game.

Another key member is Dugald Scott, a Wellington rep. who plays either forward or centre. He is a strong rebounder and is very useful around the basket.

Then there is Andy Marshall, a Wellington B grade representative, a strong rebounder and also a valuable points scorer close to the basket.

These three will form the nucleus of the learn, and will be backed up strongly by the remaining members: Derek McLeod — forward, Jamie Somai—forward and midcourt. Ken Shirley — centre, Ross Colello—midcourt.

Golf

The Golf team is again led by Rodney Barltrop, present Wellington Freyberg and NZU representative.

He will be ably supported by two new members—Graham Drury and Rick Grayson, both golfers of sound form who can be expected to perform well on the long Balmainen course.

The fourth member is John Billington who gained NZU representation at Dunedin in 1967.

The team is not so strong as last year's winning side and its chances of repeating its success well depend not so much on the low scores that Barltrop can be counted on to produce, but upon the ability of the other team members to produce consistent play when required.

This is especially important when it is realised that both Canterbury and the host team Otago will be represented by good consistent golfers, including past and current Freyberg Rosebowl reps.

But the Victoria team should finish among the major place-getters.

Table tennis

Victoria's table tennis representatives are rather an unknown quantity this year with only one player, L. Loo in the women's team, having previously represented Vic at a Winter Tournament.

She also made the 1968 NZU team.

But in the local competition the men's No. 1 team is second in the "A" Reserve competition and the No. 2 team lies in seventh place.

A fresher, Robert Nossiter, is in the Wellington "A" Reserve Representative squad.

Competition from other universities is expected to be strong with Canterbury and Otago providing the main opposition.

Victoria's team is: Men: Robert Nossiter, Bob Page, A. Chan, F. Lim. Women: Laura Auld, Vicki Hayward, Marion Jelley and L. Loo.

Badminton

Victoria's badminton reps this tournament hope to win back the Badminton Crown they gained in 1967.

The team is extremely strong: Prian Quirke-NZU team 1967, VUW Blues for 1967. 1968. Brian also this year beat in a competition game Mike Stossel, emergency for the NZ Whyte Trophy team. He is also a member of Wellington Division I team.

Then there is Kevin Atkinson, a newcomer to the team and a Division H player for Hawke's Bay.

The captain, Terry Heaps, made the NZU team in 1968 and also gained a VUW blue that year. Besides being a member of Wellington Division H learn, he had a win over Graham Jefferson a 1967 N.Z. representative.

Pat Tan is an ex member of the victorious Otago University team, and has played for Vic in previous years.

The fifth member is Brian Heneld who represented Vic at 1967 and 1968 Winter tournaments.

Vic's women representatives also present a picture of considerable experience and strength.

Leading the team is Janet Miles, a NZU rep in 1967 and 1968, a VUW blue for the same years and a member of the Wellington Division H team. Janet was the lop NZU player in 1968.

Sandra Musker is another NZU representative (1968) and VUW blue and an A grade player this year.

Christine Cole, Pat Dallas Julie Midgely are newcomers to the learn and have played B grade for Victoria in Wellington interclub competition.

Karate

This is the first year that Karate has been included in a Winter Tournament so which university will dominate is anybody's guess.

Victoria's team is: Greg Arnold, Gill Jansen, Mery Judge, Warren Sharrock and C. O'Daley.

In light of the good performances of Greg Arnold and Warren Sharrock at the Wellington karate championships last May, the Vic representatives have good prospects of being one of the top teams competing.

Judo

Very little is known about Victoria's representatives.

But however. Vic usually performs well so it can be optimistically hoped that there is a continuation of good past performances.

The only one in the team of any great experience is Ian MacMillian who is representing Victoria at his third successive tournament. Ian, made the NZU team at Dunedin in 1967 and again in Wellington in 1968.

With his good example to follow Victoria could do well.

Victoria's team is: P. Cleghorn, R. Coad, D. Howden, I. MacMillian, J. Mortality, G. Thompson.