Boxing

The 1952 Tournament will see the introduction of the two new weight divisions, light welter and light-middle, accepted in 1951 by the N.Z.A.B.A. to lessen possible weight disparities in the old welter and middle-weight categories. Because of insufficient entries, bantam-weight was eliminated from Tournament by N.Z.U.S.A. last year, so we are left with but one extra division, giving a total of eight.

Last year, although unsuccessful ill wresting back the Shield, our team as a whole was the strongest at Auckland. All of our five reps reached the finals, and two titles were won. By comparison, A.U.C., the winners, were virtually carried by two men, who won three titles. The nucleus of our 1951 team will be available again this year.

Jim Donald, albeit reluctantly, will be our light-heavy, and if he can reproduce the form he showed in last year's final, should retain his title.

Bob Street, 1950-51 N.Z.U. champion, does not look like losing his monopoly of the middle weight title. A clever boxer, and a heavy puncher with both hands. Bob is ranked as one of the best amateur middle-weights in New Zealand.

Featherweight representative will be Tony Keesing, runner-up last year. Tony is fitter this time, and will be a strong contender.

Mick Davis, from Massey, will probably move up to light-welter. Although then virtually a novice, last year Mick fought a Homeric battle against F. Davis of A.U.C. in the light-weight final. He proved to be very fit and very strong, and should be the man to beat in the new division.

Brian Bull, 1950 light-weight, may once more be entering the lists. Extremely aggressive, and surprisingly strong, a lack of fitness has hampered Brian. That remedied, he would be a major contender for a title.

Promising newcomers are Jim Hutcheson, and Bruce Carran. Jim possesses an unusually long reach for his weight, and he hits hard and often. He is training hard, his boxing is rapidly improving, and he could well win the light middleweight title at his first Tournament.

Possible heavyweight rep. Bruce Carran has done little competitive boxing, but is learning fast. A naturally heavy puncher, he is improving his timing and defence. On last year's criterion, the heavyweight championship is not beyond him.

If all these man are fit and available, Vic. should regain that Shield.

—B.M.B.

Swimming

Once again Victoria offers the best breaststrokers for Tournament—but in general lacks any quality in other styles.

Des Dowse (present National 100yd Butterfly Champion) and Jil Murray (2nd in Women's National 100yds) are swimming well and should win their events. One newcomer to Tournament is Bill Ramson (present Wellington 100yds Backstroke Champion) who should by his past performances do well. Two freestyle sprinters who should get good placings are Mary Stent and Barry Hutchinson. Pip Piper is again diving and Dick Siddells is keeping well up to Dowse in the 220yds. The team is as follows:—

D. Dowse, L. B. Piper, B. Hutchinson, R. H. Siddels, B. White, J. Steiner, F. Eiser, C. W. Ramson, Mary Stent, [unclear: Ysabelor,] Jill Murray, Sue Cook, E. McWhannel (Massey).

Tennis

Men's Singles: D. L. Robinson, B. K. Reddy.

Ladies' Singles: Anne Walker, Judy O'Brien.

Men's Doubles: B. K. Reddy and J. Hutton (M.A.C.), W. Tothurst and T. Bacon.

Ladies' Doubles: Anne Walker and Lois Holland, Audrey Wellwood and Barbara Haldane.

Combined Doubles: D. L. Robinson and Judy O'Brien, J. Hutton and Lois Holand.

It appears that this year V.U.C. will field a team with strong chanees of winning the tennis cup.

In the women's team, Anne Walker and Judy O'Brien make a formidable; smiles entry. Anne won the N.Z U. title in 1950 and has played in Wellington's Nunneley Casket team for several years. Judy O'Brien is playing in her first University tournament and should give an excellent account of herself. She was New Zealand Junior Champion in 1951 and as well as being a good singles player is a very good mixed doubles player. She and Don Robinson will play together and will be a hard pair to beat. Anne Walker and Lois Holland have had two seasons together as a doubles combination. A win over Wellington's top Nunneley Casket pair in an interclub match this season, shows that they are capable of beating the best from other colleges. Audrey Wellwood and Barbara Haldane are new members of the team and are expected to uphold the other end of the doubles draw.

In the men's singles Don Robinson and Bal Reddy will be V.U.C.'s hopes. Don has been playing excellent tennis this season and is a great asset to the team. He is an experienced player although this is his first University Tournament. Bal Reddy and John Hutton should combine well as top men's doubles pair and wil1 be well supported by Bill Tolhurst and Trevor Bacon on the other side of the draw.

Shooting

On paper Victoria has the strongest team ever to attempt to capture the Haslam Shield, the standard of rifle shooting has improved to such a degree however, that it would be impossible to predict a victory.

Certain new rules are being used for the first time, notably that aperture sights may be used if the windguage is set at zero, and that each hit on the snap target counts 3 instead of live as previously. Victoria has nearly always had the edge on the field in snap shooting and this new rule will be to their disadvantage.

Certainties for the team: Jimmy Hogg who was the stiffest man on the range last year, since he earned a Blue but was not awarded one. We feel sure that he will be a morty this year. Apart from one magpie he has been shooting bulls for most of the season. John Fletcher who did very well last year is the stylist of the team. His weapon is in perfect order and the care which it receives is reflected in its high polish. He should be well up in the list. Athol Howarth is perhaps the greatest shooting prospect ever to come out of V.U.C.—he has four N.Z.U. Blues already and his tiger killer is in good form. Ian Henderson at least has a new rifle and this time he should be up with the leaders. Brian Perry, also with four N.Z.U. Blues, but mostly for miniature shooting, has pensioned off a No. 4 rifle which should have been scrapped years ago. With a good rifle he should be hard to beat.

The other two members of the team have not been selected at the time of going to [unclear: pie] but prospects are Ed. Williams, one of the Fulbrights, who has shot [unclear: tureys] in Arizona, Colin McNab who is rapidly improving and Denis Pinfold, who shot against us several years ago when he represented C.U.C.

The shooting team will not be lowering the colours without a struggle.

Women'S Basketball

This year's basketball team has been practising hard in an attempt to revive Vic's rather wilting laurels. Several of the players are new to Tournament but they make up in fitness and enthusiasm anything they may lack in experience, and we have great hopes of making a comeback towards the Basketball Shield.

We have been very lucky in acquiring a forward from A.U.C. this year, we are sorry for Auckland, but Lilian is a very welcome addition to our team.

The players are:—

Elaine Foote—who played for Vic. at Easter last year. Her height, and her method of using it, will be an advantage in dealing with the tall defence other colleges always seem to find. Elaine has done wonderful work in organising Vic. B into an opposition team for practices. Thanks Elaine.

Pat Wilson: A very reliable forward, she was reserve for the North Island team last Easter and should do well again this year.

Lilian Gracey—our acquisition from A.U.C. She is very quick, very accurate, and we should much prefer to have her for us than against us.

Ysabel Corkill—was also in last year's Tournament team, but her play has improved greatly since then. She is very quick, accurate in her movements, and makes up a very capable combination in the centre with

Esther Foster and Audrey Evans—new to tournament, but played in these positions last year and are sure to give a good account of themselves.

Anne Couling—was in last year's Tournament team. She is a very energetic defence and usually manages to be in the right place at the right time.

Judith Kilsby—uses her height and reach to the best advantage, and somehow manages to defend a large area of the court at one time.

Dawn Brooker—the third defence has improved out of sight since the beginning of last season. Her ball-handling is much more accurate and she completes a fairly strong defence section, in Tournament the defence third has to be strong.

The reserves: Louise Greig, Eileen Titterington and Jocelyn Goldfinch, are all willing and able to fill in if required; in the meantime they will be able to lead the applause as V.U.C. goes from victory to victory.

Rowing

Regular training is being carried on every morning at 6 a.m. at the Star Boating Club sheds under the watchful eye of coach, Stan Gillen. At present, no final selection of crews has yet been made but the following are all possibilities.

Owen Weenink from Aramoho. Owen. last season, was stroke of the V.U.C. "eight" and double sculls and was considered unfortunate in being passed over for his N.Z.U. Blue. This season he has gone on to new heights, as stroke of the Aramoho senior "eight," which twice defeated the N.Z. champions. West End.

Ross Anderson, a powerful acquisition from A.U.C.'s last season's winning "eight." Ross, who is an N.Z.U. Blue, can fit in anywhere in the boat.

John Pigou, V.U.C. emergency last season, has put in a full season with Star's successful maiden "four" and junior "eight." His improvement and development has been astonishing in the short time he has been rowing.

Rex White from Wellington Club, rowed in last year's V.U.C. "eight." is an experienced oar with plenty of power.

Paul Sadler has rowed in V.U.C. "eight" for last five years. Reliable and solid oar.

Dennis Pinfold making a welcome return to Varsity rowing after a year's absence. Spent several seasons rowing for both C.U.C. and V.U.C. and also Canterbury Rowing Club and Star Boating Club.

Les Smith has rowed for V.U.C. for several seasons in "eights," "fours" and "double sculls." Will probably partner Weenink in double sculls this year.

Dick Kirby—from Star's successful maiden crew. Training has been interrupted by Army service but is keen enough to make up for the lost time.

Dennis McLean—powerful and fit type, whose training has been interrupted by absence in country during rowing season. Is taking every opportunity to become an efficient oar in the minimum of time left before Tournament.

Bruce Mercer—has rowed during season for Star's lightweight crew. Is very keen but size may keep him out of the "eight."

Don Lowe—is a novice oar from the Wellington Club.

T. Tollemache—also a novice from Wellington Club.

Coxswain—no applicants as yet.

Prospects are that the "eight will be an improvement on last year's and may even surprise supporters. The "double sculls" has more than an even chance, while the four appears to be weaker than usual.

Cricket

V.U.C.'s prospects appear to be quite bright in this sport. Several senior players are included in the team which has quite a good allround strength. The most severe opposition is expected to come from Otago who have a strong side, including two Plunket Shield representatives.

The batting strength of the Vic team in particular gives cause for satisfaction with D. St. John [unclear: ex] Otago and South Island), P. M. McCaw (N.Z.U. 1949 and 1951 and 12th man for Wellington 1952), P. Nicholson (excellent performances in Senior cricket in Wellington and Auckland), R. G. O'Connor (N.Z.U. 1950 and 1951), and Torrens, Turner, Clayton and Johnson (M.A.C. to lend support. The brunt of the bowling will fall on the shoulders of all-rounder W. Smith (Wellington Brabin Shield and Colts 1951-52), W. Willis (ex Hawkes' Bay and consistent performances in Senior Cricket), K. Phillips (N.Z.U. ex Rangitikei), (1950 and 1951), G. Gibson (M.A.C.), M. Biss (M.A.C.), R. Torres (ex Rangitikei), M. McCaw and M Clayton, between them providing a considerable variety of attack. The first match v. Auckland will be played on the Wednesday and Thursday before Easter and we are looking forward to the Cricket Club providing a promising start for V.U.C. in the Tournament.