The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 24, 1993 - Page C1 _ Valentines results, SPORTS NEWS TERRACE STANDARD MALCOLM BAXTER 638- 7283 Page C3 Skeena Angier Boy, nothing gets some readers of this paper more worked up than a column on the subject of forestry! To some Terracites criticizing the lumber industry is akin to bad mouthing the Holy Ghost. They reason that since the forest industry is the cornerstone of the. provincial economy, anyone who criticizes it is.an ingrate and guilty of blasphemy. — When I questioned the proposal to locate an experimental pulp mill in in an ecologically sensitive area already groaning under the weight of air bome contaminants, some the local growth- is-goodniks became apoplectic, When I suggested that, in the past, the Annual Allowable Cut seemed to have been set for economic and political rather than ecological reasons, and we are not generating enough jobs for the amount of wood cut, some of our local towns folk were ready to boil me in bile. One reader scrawled a shrill note ta let me know I filled her with disgust, and that my facts were all wrong. Hmmm...] thought. The editors of National Geographic ‘and Equinox (where I lifted the supportive data for he, column in question) would be interested in hearing the statistics they published were bogus, and might want fo relay that -to the provincial and ‘federal ministries from which they had. gathered those facts. Now something I've said has prompted a local mill worker to put down the saw he was filing and sharpen his pencil so that might scribble a letter to. set me straight. | "I've lived in Terrace for 40 years," begins George Chinn, then he proceeds Jo set down.a short curriculum vitae . ‘emriphasizing | the time lie'sS spent in the | woods: ‘industry. * “Apparently this is ‘iiriportant, giving great weight to the points fie is about to make. Frankly, I'm: not convinced time spent in Terrace or logging qualifies anyone as 4 expert on forestry any more than working at a health spa or bowling a perfect game , but Mr. Chinn seems to think this bio is vital information. - And ‘so, after a life time knocking around the woods and straining his ’ brain to make sense of it all, Mr, Chinn comes up with this insight: "Forests are like vegetables in a garden or fruit (sic) on a tree," ” “Brilfiant! And there is more. - "When (the forests) are ready for harvest, they must be used. Old growih does not stand forever.” . Now, this is heady stuff. In Mr. Chinn's cosmology, there is little difference between an ancient spruce and a mitabaga. * T-wasn't aware that the remaining stands of ancient forest were tectering on the verge of collapse -- but then I don't work in a sawmill, so what would I know. ‘Here I was labouring under the gross misapprehension that old growth forests were involved in a process of constant growth death and renewal, like all other living things; for a long - time Iwas thinking that the boreal rain forest had been doing quite well Without the intervention of man, . - [-was sure we had to save some old growth forests not only because, they were unique, irreplaceable and | beautiful, but also because we owed it to the myriad creatures who demand old growth habitats for their survival 1 always thought we had no right fo call the liquidation of old growth forests ““harvest’® because harvest implies planting, and we didn't plant them. Some pretty clear thinkers, Aldo “Leopold among them, have pointed out that old growth forests are naturally sustainable and better than anything man ever made. They are the blueprint for a sustainable forest... These learned men pointed out that nobody has yet created a sustainable forest, so if we are ever going to be able to do so, we'd better not destroy the blueprints, Silly me, I believed them. These seemed sound reasons why we shouldn’t liquidate all our dld growth. ; ‘But no, according to Mr. Chinn all. we have to do is make like Voltaire and maintain our gardens: knock down, replant, fertilize, bays he, and all will be well. fertilizer.: oe Nes sir, *, Mr. ‘Chinn sure knows ts 7 Buck named zone’s best Greg Buck came home from the wres- Wing zones in Kitwanga with more than just a gold medal. His mat performances in the 65kg class also carned him the Outstanding Wrest- Icr trophy, the first time coach Joe Mur- phy can recall a Terrace entry picking up the award. It’s a wophy with a prestigious history, Murphy added, noting previous winners had eventually gone on to take provincial and national titles. However, despite the zone victory, Buck won’t be heading { for the provin- cials this year. Nor will Terrace’s other qualifiers, Frank Carpino who took the gold in the 74kg division and Shane. Wilson who added silver at 51kg. Explaining the decision to pass up the trip south, Murphy said wrestlers fight based on their weight, not age. , Going this year would have pitted Ter- race’s entries against older and more ex- perienced opponents. Grade 10s at the moment, ‘these guys have two more years in which they can compete in the provincials,”’ he pointed cut, The high cost of travelling to the tournament had been another factor. It had therefore been decided il was probably -best. to hold off for now and target grade 11 as their debut year at that compelition, That was in line with the club’s lang range goal of producing a provincial champion by 1995. In the meantime, ‘we felt the Summer Games was the more appropriate level of competition at this stage,’ he added. The Kitwanga tournament also pro- duced another first and personal best for John Veilleux, one of the club’ S up ard coming wrestlers. WAITING TO POUNCE. Ready to cash in on any mistake by the goalie, local Peewee Eichorst was quick to move to the front of the unguarded net as a -. teammate ‘let loose a blast from the point. The rebound didn’t come, however, as Prince Rupert Wamplers held out against relentless attacks by and House tea Bradford & Sons. Having built a seemingly untouch- able 6-2 lead by midway in the third, Bradford let the game slip away, giving up three goals in the fast three minutes to settle for a 6-6 tie. With both Rep m tourneys going on, there was no shortage of action at the arena over the weekend. Veilleux grabbed the bronze in the 60kg class, the first medal he has won and on his first zone competition, Mur- phy noted, Biggest disappointment of the weckend was suffered by Parminder Atwal. A gold medal winner al the Smithers [n- vilational carlicr in the month, he. was favoured to take 57kg gold. However, he came up against an un- beatable opponent before: the Kitwanga meet even started -- influenza. Atwal will get his chance to. win a medal when he competes at the Summer Games, Murphy said. Season is all theirs With 10 days still to go in the scason, Alt Seasons have wrapped up top spot in the men’s recreational hockey division. Coming out of January with a comfort- able lead atop the standings, All Scasous salted it away with a three game tear dur- ing which they outscored their opponents by acrushing 27-4 margin, That onslaught coupled with a faltering stretch run by Skeena Hotel allowed All Seasons to build an insurmountable nine point lead. With the title taken, Skeena are now Ieft trying to hang on to second in the face of a determined late run by Back Eddy Pub. , Back Eddy have picked seven points in their last five games, beating Skeena twice in the process. That brought them to within three points of the Hoteliers with two games in hand going into last night’s action, Back Eddy was to take on near cellar dweller Precision Builders last night while an {dle Skeena anxiously waited to see if their edge would shrink still ‘fur- ther. In the battle of the basement, Coast Inn of the West is on the rampage -having won its last three straight including vic- tories over both Back Eddy and Skeena. Phat: added. to. back-to-back losses by Precision Builders, has brought the Inn to within:a point of escaping the bottom of the heap. However, they have a tougher schedule than Precision having to face champion All Seasons once arid Back Eddy twice before the season wraps up Saturday, March 6. , Murphy lays down It was almost a perfect weekend for Liam Murphy, 8, when the Ter- race Bluebacks’ younger swimmers took to the pool at Smithers Feb, 13, Murphy came away with four wins, his only miss being a second in the 50m backstroke. “That was easily enough to give _ year-olds. » Close behind in the same category : thirds and three seconds earned him third overall. os -The 10-year-old girls at the meet, hosted by the Bulkley Valley Otters, him top spot overall among eight-. “was” Keagan Soutar whose two found Randee Armstrong too much to handle. Armstrong strung together three wins, a second and a third to take first place in her division, beating off challenges from Camille Dyer of Prince Rupert and Kitimat's K. Boudreault. Rounding out Terrace's trio of overall winners was Stacey Pritchard, 11, who also finished with three wins, 2 second and a third. Blucbacks dominated among the Il-yenr-olds, Stacey Parr’s two wins and three thirds earning her third overall while. Marcie Pritchard took fourth with a record of two seconds, a third and two fourths. . Strong performances were also turned in by Maria Farrell, third overall among 7-year-old girls, and Mikrel Jensen with the same plac- ing in the 9-year-old boys class. Steven Parr, Desiree Peters, Jen Kester, and Bridget DeJong rounded out the. Bluebacks squad who, having spent Saturday in the pool, ended thelr weekend by spend- ing Sunday on the slopes of the Hud- son Bay Mountain ski hill. Shames ready for Games racers Shames Mountain will be playing host the downhill skiers and lugers from all over the province as the B.C, Winter Games gets underway Friday, Mountain manager Scott Siemens said there’s still lots of snow on the hill so competitors: can expect excellent. condi- lions, “He also emphasized the presence of the Games on the hill won’t affect people wanting to’ go out and enjoy a day’ 5 recreational skiing. Only the Southpaw, Kermode Kut and Panhandler. runs will be closed to the public for the Friday and. Saturday events. Thete is no racing on Sunday. He said Games officials will be on hand to let spectators know where events are being min and ensure other skiers _ don’t stray into the competition areas. Encouraging everyone to come out and watch the: racing, Siemens joked, “You'll get the best view from the lift.”’ The downhill aad disabled skicrs make ‘their first run down the mountain 10 a.m, Friday, the second going at 12:30 p.m. Placings will-be decided on combined . time for the two runs and the medal cereniony will take place at 3:30 p.ni, “Tt will be exactly the same se ~ Saturday as. well. As: for. the e gers, theyll begi . spection of the partially: green ‘Onion a = ': take place 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Friday and t-up on La : ; ara Saturday: with. medal presentations ate 5 pmb | X-country fingers crossed day Friday with a three-hour training run session before getting down to serious sledding at 11 a.m. The races should be completed by 3 p.m. with the medal presentations taking place a half hour later, Saturday’s training runs get underway at 9 am. with doubles racing scheduled from 11. am. to.2 pm..The medal ceremony is set for 2:30 p.m. Compelitors and spectators alike will have an opportunity to make use of the latest addition to the. mountain's facilities, the picnic patio and chalet. It’s located in front of the. daylodge. The chalet is equipped: with. counters, benches, storage space and plenty of windows offering a panoramic view of the valley below. And. if. the weather's right, the- patio ' plenic tables are bound to be even more. popular. 7 tee ae: ok: . Cross country. races will go ahead at. the Games, organizers decided last week, That announcement came after an in-- Lake trails Wednesday. ie Kitimat. cross country ski. club rest appearing snow was particularly severe at what would have been the starl-finish area, However, there was still cnough snow onsome 4-Skms of the trails to allow the | event. to go ahead with some adjust- ments, Beck said the start will be relocated to a point approximately 1.5km closer to Terrace where there is “ample snow” Although that snow is hard packed at the moment, he said the grooming equip- ment the club has will be able to ‘‘chew ., jtup and make it like new snow.’’ Without the cquipment, he added, it would not have been possible to stage the racés it Onion Lake. And while a dump of new snow could _allow the organizers io return to the full course, Beck pointed out it would take a fall of 2-3ft 10 make thal possible. “That doesn’t look likely,” he added. He: also -hoped .a. sudden swing to warm, wet weather was just, as unlikely because that could farce abandonment of the events. - -Tf the weather does hold up, racing will: ~ (Youth Swimming) will be the _.eoaches ‘in attendance’ while. Monica. Peacock: Is chaperone fs for the. ‘Youth - Below, the list of Terrace athletes taking part in the '93 B.C. Wutler Games: Badminton - Michelle Audeite, Linnae Bee, Caroline Brown, Allison Chase and Mathew Clark. Figure Skating - Jessica Lambright. Gymnastics - Leah Graham and Trina Matcus. Karate - Paul Fleming and Rosy Sanghera. Luge '- Sam MacKenzie, Ryan Prinz, Angela Rioux, Gyll Robertson, Roy Shelford and Yolande Zimmer. Skiing - Kristen Dediluke and Scott - Gingles. Swimming - John Dando, Marian Duffus and Joc. Mandur (Masters); Cory Holland, Tori . MacKenzie, Almee Peacock, and Joelle Walker (Youth)... ; Wheelchair basketball - Joc Sip- a bo Terrace will also be providing offi- clals ‘for three sports:. - David Akutagawa (Karate), Lorrain Jordan _ (Gymnastics) and Monica Lessard (Figure Skating). . Ed Hess (Luge): and, Mike Carlyle . swimmers.” Ce