THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SPORT
TWO CHAMPIONS IN NEW YORK
Of all the thousands of performers, human and canine, at Madison Square Garden last week, none looked less alike than beefy, bowlegged Champion Kippax Fearnought, an English bulldog, and Miler Wes Santee. Fearnought, a great eater, snuffler and sleeper, would do well to run three laps around a telephone pole, and Santee, with the best will in the world, could not win a biting contest from a Pekingese. For all that they had a great deal in common; few living organisms on earth run so true to type. Fearnought was judged best in show (over 2,537 other blue-ribbon dogs) at the Westminster Kennel Club's annual bench competition, mostly because he exemplified, so dramatically, the essential qualities of all the bulldogs in the world. For years, after one look at Santee's lean body and machinelike gait, track coaches have said: "There's a miler." And at last week's AAU meet in the Garden, Santee also demonstrated a true bulldog tenacity: having been twice beaten in two weeks by the stretch drives of Gunnar Nielsen and Freddie Dwyer, he tabled his hopes of a world record, hung far back during the early stages of the race and then proved to doubters that he could sprint to the tape himself by beating them both in the last exciting 80 yards with a fine closing kick.
TWO CHAMPS AT VIENNA
During the World Figure Skating championships in Vienna last week, Tenley Albright, who had lost her world title in 1954 (SI, Feb. 7) with an inexplicable pratfall, skated out before an expectant crowd of 6,500, tripped, and again found herself sprawled on the ice (left). But this time Tenley, a pretty blonde from Newton, Mass., could afford to laugh, for the spill came after one of the most brilliant and intricate performances ever seen in the World championships. Reported Coach Maribel Vinson: "Tenley wove her sensational delayed Axel, double loop, double flip, double Salchow, mazurka, a blurred cross foot and a flip camel along classic lines, and brought gasps from the audience as she elevated higher than any girl ever has."
In the men's division, Hayes Alan Jenkins of Colorado Springs, Colo., showed absolute mastery of his art in winning the men's world title for the third consecutive year. And with Americans taking both runner-up spots as well as a third in the men's division, U.S. skaters made a virtual sweep of the championships.
But while American figure skaters were putting on their strongest show ever in Vienna, American speed skaters in Moscow took a lesson from foreign rivals. Of the three U.S. entries, not one reached the finals. The winner: Sigge Ericsson of Sweden, and right after him in one-two-three order, came Oleg Goncharenko, Boris Shilkov and Dimitri Sakuekno—all Russians.
Tenley Albright traces school figure on the ice. She had little trouble in winning her second world title.
Tenley Tumbles accidentally in her excitement at hearing she has won the women's championship. Recovering quickly with a broad victory smile, she skated out to take her place on top of the winner's pedestal.
Hayes Alan Jenkins executes required figure, loop change loop, before watchful judges. Though he lost this figure, Jenkins went on to third straight championship.
Absorbed judges drop to the ice for close-up view of Champion Jenkins' skate marks, checking on how well he retraced his original line in executing compulsory figure.
Winner Albright poses with Carol Heiss, New York, and Austrian Hanna Eigel, while Champion Jenkins shakes hands with brother Dave and Ronnie Robertson (left).
Best U.S. pair, Carol Ann Ormaca and Bob Griener, finished fourth in snow.
PHOTO
DEEP CHESTED, BAGGY-JOWLED AND ALMOST SMUG, CH. KIPPAX FEARNOUGHT POSES WITH JUDGE, HANDLER AND WESTMINSTER SHOW OFFICIAL
PHOTO
WES SANTEE DEFEATS OLD RIVALS NIELSEN (LEFT) AND DWYER
SEVEN PHOTOS
PIERRE BOULAT