LONG YACHT RACE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 84, 19 January 1938, Page 3

LONG YACHT RACE

AUCKLAND TO HOBART. TWO COMPETITORS SET OUT. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 18. With the Waterfront. Road and all vantage points lined with people, and to the accompaniment of a flotilla of sailing and power craft, the third contest for the trans-Tasman Cup presented by the Royal Akarana Yacht Club, from Auckland to Hobart, was commenced to-night.

There was a light breeze at starting time (7 o’clock), but the 36-foot cutter yacht Wayfarer’ with leader set, crossed the line at 7.4 o’clock. The other competitor, the 41-foot staysail schooner rigged Aurora Star, was just leaving her moorings inside the wall. Against the strong flood tide she experienced some difficulty in making the starting line, and with the breeze freshening from the south, Wayfarer, with her escort of other craft, was making good progress on the long trip to Hobart. Wayfarer rounded North Head at 7.45 o’clock and cased her sheet for the run out to Tiritiri and up the coast. Meanwhile the Aurora Star had made the starting line and crossed at 7hr 48min 15sec. Keeping to the Orakei shore, out of the tide, she made good progress down the harbour, also accompanied by many craft, and as she 7 rounded North Head in the gathering dusk Wayfarer could be distinguished off Rangitoto Beacon. The breeze, which was swinging about in the channel, was driving both boats at three knots an hour when they disappeared in the darkness. If the present conditions hold it will be a long journey for the boats before they round North C’ape..

The finishing line is at the entrance to Hobart on the Derwent River, a distance of 1530 miles, and with ordinary conditions prevailing in the Tasman Sea, the boats should make the passage in about 12 or 13 days. In addition to the trans-Tasman Cup, the Hobart Regatta Committee has given £SO in prize-money. A previous competitor in this event, J. W. W ray’s Ngatiki, was provisionally entered, but did not start. The starters and their handicaps were: Aurora Star scr, W'ayfarer 441ir 37min 3soe. The complement of the crews was as follows: Aurora Staiv-H. E. Terry, J. Terry, E, Hayes, J. W r . Kelly and J. O’Brien. Wayfarer—K. C. Reid, D. Reid, A. H. Milburnc and “S. Winterburne. .The boats have been given distinguishing letters, and as they have been requested to display them at all landfalls and when passing other ships, it is likely that their progress across the Tasman will lie known from time to time. The letters allocated are: Aurora Star (A), W T ayfarer (R).