Victory

From the reports which have in concerning the teams to sent Vic. at this year's Winter Tournament al Christchurch it appears that Vic. will fl prominently in the final Tournament Sheild points. This is not all gross optimism on the part of the clubs r the Sports Correspondent, as the records of many Vic. teams in al inter-club fixtures are certainly very impressive. The experience gained from the weekly competition should prove of great benefit to all teams at Tourney.

The records of the following suggest that they will be serious contenders their respective team's events at Tourney with individuals from these teams gaining honours in the selections of N.Z.U. Teams and the awarding of Blues: Men's Hockey; Golf: Swords; Soccer Men's Indoor Basketball; and Table Tennis others teams who should be in the placings in the final totals for their sports are: Harriers; Women's Hockey and Badminton. If these teams all play up to their pre-Tourney standards, then Vic. may find herself without the Wooden on for a change,

One tiling that is obvious from .ding through the lists of team members who are .representing VI Christchurch is the number of names who were also in the teams that represented Vic. at Easter Tournament at Auckland. This reflects the low number of active sportsmen and sportswomen at Vic. and also the versatility of it small minority of students who constitute Vic's, sports reps. It must be remembered that Vic. is to be hosts for next year's Easter Tournament and. even if it ms do anything about rep resenting Vic. at Christchurch, there must be many students who could represent Vic at next year's tournament if they were only prepared to do some training in the spare time which they will have at their disposal after Exams. Only in this way will Vic. be able to "sell" the Wooden Spoon and challenge the other major Varsities for the Tournament Shield.

Table Tennis

In line with the general trend, this is one of the strongest teams Vic. have been able to field in recent years. Garry Leech is an N.Z.U. rep. and Vic Stubbs is the Most improved I player in the Wellington "A" Grade competition. B. Prendergast and R. Armstrong are leading juniors. Patsy Collins a Wellington trialist, while Elizabeth Gordon, a new-comer to top-class table tennis, could cause some upsets

The teams reflect the general! Standard in the table tennis club this season, and both these teams are worth watching. I'm predicting that "hey will both prove to be match-winners and carry off their sport's shield.

The teams are: G. Leech, V. Stubbs, B. Prendergast, R. Armstrong, Misses Elizabeth Gordon and Patsy Collins.

Skiing

This year's Vie, Team, which will represent us at the N.Z.U. champs at Coronet Peak, does not look to be particularly strong, although Tom Huppert and Kirsty McCallum should both do well. Tom is N.Z.U. champion and a leading N.Z. skier and should be An obvious choice for the N.Z.U which will meet the touring Australian Universities team at the conclusion of the Tourney, Kirsty Is an ex-Otago rep. and she also should be a member of N.Z.U. team.

Unfortunately neither Vic, nor Auckland could manage to assemble a complete women's team so they have combined to form a North Island team. Kristy is the only Vic. member in this team.

The rest of the men's team is composed of skiers who have had a year or two of skiing but have not competed at a Tournament before. Their inexperience is likely to be too great a hurdle for them to overcome. Nevertheless we wish them all the best end hope that the experience they gain here may see Vic. to the fore again in the future.

The team is: T. Huppert (captain). R. McLeod, M. Zander, G. Barsted, and Kirsty McCallum.

Small Rifles

This year's team consists of one "A" grade shot and four first season or "D" grade shots. With Canterbury fielding their usual team of five Master grade shots. Vic's team will have to excel] themselves if they are to take a place. However this is a team which should able to build on this year's experience for next year's Tourney. John Knox is an old hand at Tournaments and has been a member of the N.Z.U. team. His experience should be of great benefit to the tram. Trevor Smith, a fresher, shoots well under pressure and should be an asset in the tough j going at Christchurch, Pete Dickenson has shown a distinct flair for the "dramatic" situation, but also scores well. Peter Whitmore the inevitable southpaw ach to the team.

Hockey

This team, which contains seven of the club's very successful senior team, looks to be a well balanced side and will be very hard to be in their championships at Tourney. Although three members of the right side attack were unable to compete, their replacements should prove capable of forming a new and efficient unit. This team recently played a near full strength Massey side and comfortably beat them, 9.0 and this augers well for the Tournament competition.

Among the more experienced members of the team are: Dennis Paget (captain), who is a Wellington Senior rep., C. Leddy, A. Botting—both members of the Wellington Senior rep. team, and C. Wallis, a member of the rep. squad.

The younger and more promising members of the team include: J. Spoonby, D. Knox, D. Meads, W. Williams and K. Purchase.

This appears to be the strongest Vic. team for some years. It has been promoted to senior status in the local competition and despite the handicap of having no "name" players in the team, and the enforced spell of team captain, nine LePage, the team has done quite well. The tougher competition it has had in these games should stand it in good stead for the Tournament games, and wit Miss LePage able to play once ire the team should do well.

Besides Miss LePage (who was a ember of the N.Z.U. team in Australia last year), the experience in the team is provided by Caroline White, "he most prolific goal-scorer in the team and a Wellington provincial rep. in the Reserve team. Pat McColl who has transferred to Varsity this season, is another Lower grade rep. and adds to the experience of the team.

Newcomers to the team include: Judy Hamilton (another recent transfer to Varsity), Gail Couper, Vera Marks, Imogen Willis, Katherine Brooker .and Lynne LePage. We wish the team well in its efforts and feel sure that this team will not come back with the wooden spoon.

The team is: Janine LePage (capt.) Rosemary Atkinson. Katherine Broker; Gail Couper; Donna Davidson, Margaret Hall, Judy Hamilton, Jacks Jackson, pat McColl. Vera Marks, Caroline White with Lynne LePage and Imogen Willis as reserves.

Basketball

The Vic. Men's basketball team has performed very well this season and is so far unbeaten in its competition. Only Ralf Salt from this team is unable to make the trip to Tourney, and, for this reason, the team should be another of the Vic. teams to win their championships. Joe Arden, who hails from Texas, has impressed the N.Z. basketballers with his tremendous ability at both lay ups and set shots, and is a match winning asset to the Vic. beam. He will be ably assisted by team captain and N.Z.U. Blue, Pete Betts, and "veteran" N.Z.U. rep, and Blue, Doug. Edwards.

Among the Freshers who have been showing considerable promise are: Peter Sewell, Roger Richardson, and Aubrey Ham. The latter two are members of the club's "B" team and should show the benefit of Tournament competition

The team is: P. Belts (capt.), J. Arden, D. Edwards, M. Clark, P. Sewell, R. Richardson and A. Ham.

It appears at this stage that Vic. will not be represented in the Women's Indoor Basketball champs at Christchurch despite their excellent record this season. One of the team members is one 'of the three Vic. girls In the N.Z.U. Outdoor Basketball team which will be in Australia at the time, and two other girls, Lillian Betts and Rosalie Ericson will be at Nelson in the Wellington "B" grade team for the National champs. Even without the unavailability of these key members the defection of other players, who were unable to get time off work, has weakened the numerical strength of the team so that now there are only four regular members who can make the trip.

It appears therefore, that even II Vic can get a team together it will not be anywhere near full strength and the expected win in this sport now appears unlikely. However, Auckland and Otago, who have lost pivot players, Allison Long and Robyn Quirk, respectively, (both in the N.Z.U. Outdoor Team), will also be below full strength so even now Vic's chances in this event shouldn't be underrated.

Judo

The Vic. Judo team is short of higher grades. However, with the quantity of fighting and Instruction from Japanese Black Belts they have had recently, the standard is rising rapidly. The hardness of the Vic. mat astounded even an 8th Dan (high black belts). Gordon Hewitt and Tony Fisher should make a good showing.

The teams, subject to fight-off, : Open: G. Hewitt, T. Fisher, L. Maloy, E. Whiteside, N. Jordan; Restricted: R. Smith, K. Couper, M. Mathewson, G. Ellis, R. Dench.

Soccer

Last year Vic. were placed second to the Otago team, but, with a particularly strong team, Vic. has hopes of annexing the title this year. Indeed this team looks to be of the strongest to represent Vic. in recent years.

The team captain, Rex Sharman and vice-captain, George Wall both N.Z. U. reps., and the goal keeper is former N.Z.U. player, Leslie Duckworth. The veteran player, Malcolm Stockwell has once again been selected and his experience should prove invaluable.

The team is: R. Sharman, G. Wall, J. Allison. E. Bisdee, R. Bould, J. Coster, L Duckworth, J. Ghent, W. Ghendall, G. Gower C. Ryan, G. Robertson, M. Stockwell, R. Wood

Salient Wishes them well and look for a win here to provide more points towards the Tourney Shield total.

Golf

The golf team will he keen to retain the teams championship which they won so convincingly at Palmerston last year. They will be without the services Stewart Crombie, who was the leading scorer over the medal rounds at Palmerston. But the team still look: quite a strong one capable of taking the learn title again but Otago led by C. Munro, will be a strong threat and Canterbury, who playing on their home courses, will also be stern challengers. Peter Rankin, who has been in fine form in recent weeks in inter-club matches, will be keen to retain the match-play championship which he won last year. His consistent play should also make him a favourite to head the field in the medal com petition. Tom Gault, who has represented Vic. and N.Z.U. for some time now, will provide solid support for Rankin, as will Ashley Petersen, who was also a member of last year's team. Newcomer to the Vic. team is Tony White, a second year student, who has proved to be a consistent performer in the Varsity club days held during the season.

We wish this team well in the Golf Tourney, and look forward to seeing the shield for golf supremacy return to Vic. for the third successive year.

Squash

Squash Rackets, a fast, exciting wall game related to South America's pelota, is virtually unknown in Wellington. Lack of playing facilities is the main reason. There is only one private club and three private courts in Wellington.

Consequently, Vic's Squash squad for Winter Tournament has had little for play and practice. Fortunately, the team will be led I Brian Christie, an experienced Universities' player. He played at No. 6 position in the New Zealand Universities' 12-man team that played a representative Palmerston North side at last year's Tournament.

Second man, Ian Grant, an experienced player, is playing his first Squash this season. The other team member, Lindsay McKay, is making a comeback after several seasons lay-off.

Vic's Squash team has little chance of winning at Christchurch. But the experience will be valuable and next year, when Squash will probably be a fully-fledged Tournament sport, Victoria should field a strong team

Harriers

The Harrier team will unfortunately weakened by the unavailability of several of the club's leading runners, Including Dave Beachamp, Jack Tregurtha, Tim Beaglehole, and Jim Callaghan. The experience of Mike Honeyfield, Noel Clarke and Roger Clark and the ability of newcomer Dave Eaddy should he a solid core I the team The club has proved its all round strength in Inter-club competition this season by finishing well In the over-all placings without having a runner in the first twenty runners. This solidity should make the Vic. team contenders for the team's title although the individual title is likely to be fought out between Auckland's Bob Hamilton, Dave Rae, and Massey's mark Harris. Canty (affected by defections) is an unknown force, but nevertheless not out of on, with the advantage of local knowledge.

This team could provide further points towards the Tourney Shield, but us much responsibility will rest with the other members of the team as with the core if Vic. is going to fill a place.

The team is : R Clark, N. Clarke, D, Eaddy, M. Honeyfield, J Meade, P. von, Lanthen, B. Wilson and M. Buchanan.

Badminton

The Badminton team for Tournament looks to be a very good one on the male side, but, because of defections of women club members, the women's team is not as strong as it could be. Safri Zaidell has been playing very well in local matches and his experience as an N.Z.U. rep. should make him a contender for the individual title.

The teams in general have a considerable amount of ability and enthusiasm and have hopes of occupying at least a minor position in the final placing. We wish them well and look forward to more points for the Tourney shield from this team.

The teams are: Jill Hargreaves, Marguerite Bennett, Dawn Teh, Eleanor Odlin, Safri Zaidell, Zul Hamid, Wan Shibli, Ignatius Vu, and John Rees.

Swords

With the prospects of a tour of Australia next year, based on the results of this year's Tourney; suits, competition in the fend champs, at Christchurch is going to be very keen indeed. This yea men's team looks to be stronger even than last year's team, which in winning all its events, contributed more than half the total points Vic. gained at Palmerston.

The team is composed of four N.Z.U. reps.: Richard Hall, Richard Peterson, Brian Pomeroy, and Malcolm Woods. They should retain the foils is title, hut will have strong opposition from Otago's P. McMechan and T. Leigh; Auckland's F. Batten and Canty's G. Low Epee and Sabre teams comprise three members. The Vic. epee team is R. Peterson (last year's champion), M. Woods and R. Hall. Peterson's chief opposition will come from Batten, but the high placings of all these three at the North Island champs augers well for the teams title. In the Sabre classic bout should be between Pomeroy and Low, who has the benefit of some intensive coaching with N.Z. rep., R. Binning.

The Women's team is without Gurda Buchler (a N.Z.U. rep.), but Lorna McKenzie and Sarah Tiddey—both N.Z.U. reps., together with Jeanette Beauchamp, of athletic fame, and Margaret Williamson, they .should acquit themselves very well. Their chief rivals will undoubtedly be Canterbury's Margaret Riddolls and Janet Grieve.

The Vic. team should do very well .and several Vic. representatives should be among the contenders for Blues and for positions in the teams to tour Australia next year.