Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 15, No. 4. March 27, 1952
Standards For...Varsity Blues
Standards For...Varsity Blues
How good a performer should a student be to win a New Zealand University Blue? Until recently there was no prescribed standard, anyone who won an inter-university contest or played for the New Zealand University against a province or an overseas team was awarded a blue, whether or not his performance merited it.
Three years ago a semi-permanent Panel of five ex-students was created to award Blues in all 19 of the sports in which there is inter-university competition. The selectors for the various sports now nominate outstanding performers to the Panel who make the final decision, and the Panel aim to keep the standard even from sport to sport and from year to year.
The members of the Panel have been R. M. Daniel of Masterton, A. D. MacKenzie of Christchurch, R. G. Pilling of Dunedin, D. K. Neal of Auckland, and C. V. Walter of Christchurch. Mr Neal recently resigned in accordance with the constitution, and a new member will be appointed at Easter.
The initial nominations in all sports are made by a selector or selection committee in each sport. All Colleges have the right to suggest who shall be the selectors in the various sports, but very few colleges have in the past exercised their right to send in names to the host college.
There is also a right of appeal against the non award of a Blue and this right is more widely known. A number of appeals are made each year, and a certain number have been successful; usually in cases where a club has been able to give the Panel more information, that should have been available at Tournament.
Many College Clubs neglect to send the Panel, before Tournament, details of how their outstanding members have performed during the season.
After a considerable amount of research into performances in University, Provincial, National, and Olympic times the Panel have drawn up a list of standards in athletics and swimming. Anyone who reaches the standard will normally receive a Blue, and of course border line cases and weather conditions, etc., will also be taken into account.
The standards are approximately those of a good provincial representative team, and are set out below.
Times shown are for men, women's times in parentheses.
- 75 yards: (8.8sec).
- 100 yards: 10.1sec (11.6sec).
- 220 yards: 22.6sec (26.2SEC).
- 440 yards: 50.2sec.
- 880 yards: 1min 57sec.
- Mile: 4min 25sec.
- 3 mile: 14min 55sec.
- 80 metres hurdles: (12.3sec).
- 120 yards hurdles: 15.4sec.
- 220 yards hurdles: 25.8sec.
- 440 yards hurdles: 56.2sec.
- Mile walk: 6min 50sec.
- High jump; 6ft (4ft 11in).
- Broad jump: 22ft 3in (17ft 6in).
- Hop, step and jump: 46ft.
- Pole vault: 11ft 6in.
- Shot Put: 42ft.
- Hammer throw: 136ft.
- Javelin: 173ft (110ft).
- Discus: 130ft (105ft).
- 50 yards freestyle:, (30.5sec).
- 100 yards freestyle: 57.2sec (68.4 sec).
- 220 yards freestyle: 2min 28sec.
- 440 yards freestyle: 5min 25sec.
- 100 yards backstroke: 1min 9sec (79sec).
- 100 yards butterfly: 1min 10sec.
- 100 yards breastroke: 1min 15sec (88sec).
- 220 yards breastroke: 3min 5sec.
- 100 yards medley: 1min 10sec (83sec).