Concrete, Wednesday, March 4, 1992
23
LEARNING TO SKI JOHN BARTON dons two horizontal planks and takes to the slopes for the first time... IT IS amazing how uncoordinated the human body can become when two horizontal five foot planks are attached to your feet. With the body suitably confused, the mind goes Into a spin at the prospect of using these ungainly objects to negotiate slippery slopes that always look streper when you're skiing down them. The dry ski slope of the Norfolk Ski Club at Whit lingham Lane, provided me with my first taste of the skiing experience. I was amongst a dozen who decided to take the plunge for the first time, as part of a session dedicated to recreational and competitive skiing organised by Simen Ashton, a member of UEA's Ski Club. Jenny Mayhew, a qualified ski Instructor, drew the short straw and was our tutor for the Sl'ssfon. Having donned the boots and selected the
RAVE ON Shaun Harley WHEN one of UEA' s football five-a-side squad approached the one-legged Irish bookie In the national championships at Aston University, he was greeted with the scornful reproach, "UF.AI Who are they? Are they In it? I'll give youS0-1." It seems a common feature that when representing UEA at sport, one's first task is to explain such beloved Initials, proceed to where it actually is and then what it Is doing In such a prestigious competition . So far as the annual national flve-a-sfde championships are concerned though. this may all have to change. Maybe the squad should have followed their lnRtlnctB and taken thO!Ie odds. Spurred on by playing their 'anthem' (the rave tune 'Come With Me' by Altern-8) at the br.glnnlng of every game, UEA's squad of Kerry Plummer, Paul Evans, CraigMllls, Justin Amos, Neale Fretwell, Arlld Fehn and Henrlk Steenberg, blasted all competition away. Inexplicably booed throughout their every game, UEA began disastrously, falling 2-
correct skis and poles, our group of aspiring Giardellis and Kronbergers were ready to take to the slopes. Initially, the most difficult part was getting used to the skis. To achieve this we paraded round in a circle and then practlced turning on the spot. Having dispersed with the basics, we made our way up the slope, and to my relief we only had to go a short way before turning to glide slowly back down. After a few attempts at this we were shown some exerclsestolmprovebalance. We started by crouching and standing on the way down and then progressed to lifting each ski alternately during descent. These exercises got progressively harder, and I thought the instructor would have us juggling chalnsaws before the day was out. Whilst watching our group,
Obehlnd In as many minutes to Birmingham University. The likes of Mills and Evans however, began to take hold of the game and they managed to just scrape through and snatch a 3-2 victory. From there the momentum began and was never made to stop. UEA breezed their way Into the semi-finals, along the way having to dispatch the home team. Aston. Inside an Intimidating and frenzied full stadium. In the semi-finals they met Nottingham University, whose larger body had disposed of UEA's 1st XI In the quarter-finalofthe UAUs. This time the result went the right way with UEA winning 3-1. In the final, the odds were stacked against UFA, though, due to the other finalist being Keele University. Keele had been just as devastalng In all their games, and were also very eager to Inform everybody that they possessed two players who were signed on with flrstdlvlslon club, Manche~tcrCity.
Only one team did the talkIng in the match though. Spearheaded by their two very small, yet very tricky players, Fchn and Stcenberg, UEA brushed the favourites aside with a 4-1 victory, to win one of the few of the university's sporting trophies of this year. UEA Is without doubt an Ignored underdog In every sport In which it participates. With a will to win though_ anything Is possible.
it was Interesting to note Indi-
vidual characteristics. One girl had already adopted the familiar downhill tuck; others were content to descend while wlndmilllng their ariT\9 and screaming. "Oh my God, Oh rnyGodl" As confidence Improved and we ascended higher up the slope, it occurred to me that we hadn' t actually been told how to carry out an emergencystop . My question was answered by a fellow learner who misjudged his speed and careered towards the awaiting crash barrier. However, more serious business was taking place on the advanced slope next to us, where the more practiced skiers were finish ing off the session by competing In a variety of events. Jonathan Boyd was the winner of both the men's racing and downhill events, with Klrsten Thorlsturp and Gra-
ham Brown obtaining first places In the recreational competition. Richard Poynter skied Into first place In the novire competition. with Fiona Smart finishing top In the women's race event. As a beginner it was good to
have something to aim at; looking across at these skiers gave me an Idea of the speed and resulting exhilaration that can be obtained from this sport. My group, tinged with tiredness, but still smiling, all commented on how rn.tch fun
they had had. In the end. skiing (and Indeed, sport In general) is all about enjoyment. and even at a falrly elementary level, I got huge satisfaction from it.
WOMEN 1RllJMm AT RUGBY UEA WOMEN'S RFC NORWICH LADIES 0
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CONTRARY to some people's
beliefs, UEA always looked like winning this keenly contested match held on February23. Encouraged by Coach Tom Balls' advice that as long as they kept the score close In the first half they would Hwalk it" In the second, UEA set about what was obviously going to be a defensive openIng half hour. And with great enthusiasm and some committed tackling by both fol'wards and backs, they managed to hold Norwich to a 00 score at half time. In the se<Dnd halfUFA treated their large band of supporters to a fine display of running rugby, and again both forwards and backs displayed fine handling skills and close support . This was UEA's best performance to date, and UEA should win their next game against their local rivals comfortably. Tom Balls
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