SANDERS CUP.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 39, 16 February 1928, Page 9

SANDERS CUP.

CONTESTS BEGTO TO-MORROW BOATS AT STEWART ISLAND. WEATHER IDEAL TO-DAY. (By Telegraph—Special to "Star.") HALF-MOON BAY, this day. The weather is beautifully fine for the Sanders Cup races, which commence to-morrow. On Wednesday .night an official wel'come was given tho yachtsmen by the residents of Stewart Island. A meeting of the Dominion Council was held this afternoon, when details concerning the contest will be decided. At a preliminary meeting last night Messrs. Moffat (Wellington) and Kent (Otago) were appointed official sail measurers and they did their work this morning while the crews were putting tho finishing touches on their boats for to-morrow's racing. Everything points to the contests being very succcssful, and a large number of spectators have already arrived. It is expected that the races will be held early in the afternoon on cach day. Tho annual contest for the Sanders Cup, sailed between 14ft boats representing five provinces of the Dominion, commences at Stewart Island to-mor-row and will continue daily until one boat has won three races. The competing l>oats are Avalon, representing Auckland; Welleslcy 11., of Wellington; Betty, from Christcliurch; Eileen, Dunedin's new boat; and Murihiku 11., of Southland.

Tho contest this year will be the eighth annual race for the trophy, which was presented by Messrs. Walker and Hall in memory of the brave Auckland sailor, Lieut.-Commander Sanders, V.C., D.5.0., R.N.R. The trophy is a perpetual one, but a gold miniature is presented to tho winner each year, also gold medals for tho crew. There is no money prize, but the winners have the honour of being the champion 14-footer crew of tho Dominion, which is equivalent to the blue riband of yachting in this part of the world.

The record of previous contests is as follows: — Year. Winner. Where sailed. W2l Heather (O) Auckland 1922 Desert Gold (A) Dunedin 1023 Rona <A) Auckland 1024 Rona (A) Wellington 102T> lona (O) Auckland 102*5 Betty (C) Drtnedin 1027 Betty (C) Lyttelton Notes on the Boats. Avalon was railed to Stewart Island last Wednesday week. The crew, consisting of Messrs. Joe Patrick (skipper), F. Cloke (mainsail man), H. Brown (for'ard hand) and E. Matthews (heavyweight crew) left on Sunday and arrived at Stewart Island yesterday morning. They are very confident of their cliancc of success and carry the best wishes of all Auckland yachtsmen. Avalon is made of polished kauri.

Wellington's boat, Wellesley II„ is a new one, built to order of the Wellesley Club by Mr. J, B. Jukes, of Baleuas Bay. She is painted white and will be sailed by Mr. B. White, who handled her throughout her trials. Betty, the present holder of the Cup, has twice won the trophy for Canterbury. She is painted Duco enamel of a deep blue colour and was built by Mr. G. S. Andrews, who sailed her to victory in the last two contests. So confident are the Christchurch folks of her again winning the cup that it has already been suggested to offer the contest to Hawke's Bay next year. Avalon and Rona were only beaten by seconds by Betty in some of the races at Lyttelton, and Avalon is an improved boat this year, added to which she will be sailed by her original skipper and crew. Eileen, the Dunedin yachtsmen's hope, is also a new boat, built for this contest by Mr. E. Leach, an amateur, assisted by several enthusiasts, and she will be sailed by George Kellott and his crew, who have taken part in each of the previous contests. Eileen is painted dark blue.

Murihiku 11. represented Southland last year, haviVig been built just prior to the 1927 contest by C. Bailey, jun., for Mr. Arthur Moffett, commodore of the Stewart Island Yacht Club. She will be sailed by Carol Hansen, who has sailed in all previous contests in the original Murihiku. The course used for the contest is usually nine miles, to-morrow's race being over a windward and leeward course, followed on Saturday by a triangular one. The time limit for each race is 3 hours. The officers and other details will be decided at the Dominion Conference of delegates, which meets this evening.