Lotte Rayner, of Alexandra, skates on the frozen Manorburn
dam yesterday afternoon. Photo by Lynda van Kempen.
A week of hard frosts in Central Otago has prompted
skaters to make the most of the natural ice on Manorburn dam
and curlers to dream about the possibility of a bonspiel.
"Until the ice goes away, we never give up hope," Manorburn
ice master John Campbell, of Alexandra, said yesterday.
Ice on the dam, near Alexandra, was about 5cm thick but would
need to be 10cm before a bonspiel was contemplated.
"There's been a handful of skaters out there most days and it
can cope with a handful, but it's not thick enough yet to
cope with too many. It's not good and solid enough for
curling yet." The ice was measured by the curling ice masters
every few days.
"We like to keep an eye on it."
If the frosts continued, there was the possibility of staging
a curling tournament or a club match on Manorburn next week.
Lotte (9) and Otis (11) Rayner and their mother Mary Tritt,
of Alexandra, enjoyed having a wide expanse to skate on at
the dam yesterday.
"It's cool to be able to skate where no-one has been before,"
Otis said.
Lotte, who was practising her routine for the Otago-Southland
ice-skating championships in Gore today, said it was great to
have the dam to themselves.
New Zealand Curling Association ice master, Stewart McKnight,
of Ranfurly, said the Idaburn dam at Oturehua had nowhere
near the depth of ice needed for a bonspiel.
"There would have to be a lot more, and harder, frosts before
there's any chance of one here," he said.
"There's a bit of rough stuff [weather] expected this weekend
though, and that's not good for the ice, either."
A national bonspiel was held on the Idaburn last July; the
first in three years. More than 270 curlers from 33 clubs
throughout the country took part.
lynda.van.kempen@odt.co.nz
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.