YACHT BACK AT WELLINGTON

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 23, 28 January 1895, Page 2

YACHT BACK AT WELLINGTON

(BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

Wellington, this day. Great interesb was taken in the sealed^ - yachb race on Saturday, owing to the facb that bbc competitors included tbe Waitangi (from Auckland), Mascobte and Pastime (from Lyttelton) and all the principal local yachts. The course was once round the . champion course of Tuesday, about 16 miles. - A heavy northerly breeze was blowing at' tHe^start, but moderated as the day wore on. Waitangi (scratch) soon took " the lead, and' maintained it to thel'"'^*'? finish. The race was robbed of a ! good deal of interesb owing to one of the Maecotte's crew (N. Haydon) falling overboard, and Bhe lost so much time in at . tempting to rescue -liim bhab she losb any chance of'winning, and gave up. She had • a handicap of six minutes from Waitangi, - and when bhe accidenb occurred waß several hundred yards behind her. The Paßtime, which was overhauling the Mascotte, stopped to assist Haydon, otherwise she would have won the first prize on her time allowance of 15 minutes. As it was, aha takes third prize, being less than one second behind Waitangi. The fireb prize ' was won by leca (17 minutes), who finished • 15 minutes behind Waitangi. If the Lyttelton boats can remain, bhe race will be '■'■•■■■ re-Bailed next Saturday. Judge Oliver, of - Sydney, was umpire. Haydon waa rescued , by the yacht club's steamer in an exhausted condition.

With regard to the finish of the secondclass championship yacht race ab Wellington Anniversary Regabba lasb Tuesday, which . was. won by bhe Auckland-built yachb > Rona, tbe Wellington "Post" of the24th inst. says:—"The Abalanta, which wss * capitally handled, was tbe first to pass the , flagship, being a minute before the Rona, bubassbewas carrying a larger mainßail - bhan she had been rated for her owner (Mr . Canning, of Napier) cannob claim the prize. When bhe entry was made Mr Canning = agreed to race wibh small canvas, bub later op he applied to be allowed to use his racing mainsail. . The Committee, while desirous of allowing tho greatest latitude to a stranger, decided thab it could nob grant the requesb. Mr Canning, however, • adhered to his deberminabion to u.e bhe * big 'clouts,' and the Commibtee will therefore have no option bub bo disqualify him. The yachb sailed very well, but , there can be no doubt thab if|ghe had been under smaller sail she would have been ' behind, and nob in front of the Rona. The labter boat, capitally handled by Mr A.' H. , Turnbull (her owner), will take the first prize, provided a protest by the Mapu is F disallowed, and the second will go to the leca, which did very well considering thab; she was under lower canvas. The Mapu's protest is that none of the boats except tbe Waiwetu and herself went round the proper course. Owing bo bhe change in the wind during the rice a complication has ocr- / tainly arisen, and it will be for the com- . mittee to consider whether the Rona and the lßca are entitled to the prizes The finishing times were as follows: — Abalanba, 4hr smin ; Rona, 4br 6min ; Isca, ' _hr 18min ; Waiwebu, 4hr 32min ; Mahina, 4hr 29min 12sec ; Mapu, 4hr 40min. i