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Initials AK/V/WS/LW


SPORT: WINTER SPORTS

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: IN SPITE OF EUROPE SUFFERING FROM THE WORST WINTER OF THE CENTURY, WINTER SPORTS HAVE ENJOYED ONE OF THE BEST SEASONS FOR A LONG TIME.WHILE FARMERS AND MOTORISTS HAVE GROANED AT THE HEAVY SNOWFALLS, SKIERS AND TOBOGGAN EXPERTS HAVE WELCOMED THE DEEP, CRISP LAYER OF SNOW.WINTER SPORTS RESORTS IN THE ALPS ARE DOING GOOD BUSINESS, AND THE OLYMPIC TRIAL BEING HELD AT INNSBRUCK FOR THE AUSTRIAN TEAM HAS PRODUCED FIRST-CLASS RESULTS.

FOR THE FIRST TIME - IN 1964 - ICE-SHOOTING WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES.(ICE-SHOOTING IS WHAT THE SCOTS CALL CURLING) ENTHUSIASM, THEREFORE, HAS BEEN KEEN AMONG THE CONTENDERS FOR THE 13TH.EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS.THE ICE-SHOOTING TEAM TITLE WAS TAKEN ON SATURDAY BY AN AUSTRIAN TEAM FROM A SMALL VILLAGE, VOLKENDORF, IN CARINTHIA.THEY PUT UP A FIRST-CLASS PERFORMANCE IN THE NEWLY-BUILT SPEED-SKATING ARENA ATTACHED TO THE ICE ARENA.

THE COURSE FOR THE MEN'S PRE-OLYMPIC DOWNHILL RACE WAS WON ON SATURDAY BY JOOS MINSCH.A TOUGH SWISS SKIER, HE STORMED DOWN A LONG, STEEP AND DIFFICULT COURSE TO BEAT ALL THE FANCIED AUSTRIAN COMPETITORS.THE STARTING LINE OF THE 3,400 METRE COURSE WAS HIGH UP THE PATSCHERKOPFEL, ONE OF THE MOUNTAINS WHICH DOMINATE INNSBRUCK.ONLY THREE SECONDS SEPARATED THE FIRST NINE SKIERS, AND IT REQUIRED THE ELECTRONIC TIMING DEVICE USING HUNDREDTHS OF A SECOND TO ESTABLISH THE PLACINGS.THE TIME JOOS MINSCH TOOK WAS 2 MINS.23.10 SECS.HE WAS CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY GERHARD NENNING, AND KARL SCHRANZ, THE AUSTRIAN EXPERTS.

AN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION WAS ARRANGED IN GARMISH PARTENKIRCHEN, BAVARIA, BY THE AUTHORITIES FOR COMPETITORS WHO WERE UNABLE TO TAKE PART IN THE EUROPEAN SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS HELD IN BUDAPEST AT THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY.IN THE ICE-DANCING THE GERMAN PAIR GABRIELLA RAUCH AND RUDI MATYSEK WERE EASY WINNERS.TWO JAPANESE GIRLS WERE AHEAD OF THE FIELD IN THE WOMEN'S FIGURE SKATING EVENT.MIRA FUKUHARA WON CONVINCINGLY WITH A DELIGHTFUL PERFORMANCE...