AQUATICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 53, 3 March 1900, Page 4 (Supplement)

AQUATICS.

The Xgaruawahia Annual Regatta takes x^lace in a, fortnight from today, and judging- from the published programme the public may expect a splendid day's aquatic sport. There are seventeen events on the programme, and of these nine are Maori canoe races, and live gig races. All the Auckland rowing- clubs are sending up crews to contest the gig events, and the races should prove very interesting affairs.. The gxea,t attraction, as hitherto, will naturally be the large canoe races, which are expected to be most .exciting" events. The two big canoe races, especially, each for a £35 first prize, will without doubt be beautiful contests,' and the I canoe hurdle races will prove amusing as of yoi-e. In all the JNgaruawahia Regatta Committee are offering- prizemoney totalling £IGS. With fine weather the railway excursion to the pretty township at the junction of the Waikato and Waipa on St. Patrick's Day should be exceedingly well patronised. The yacht. Rainbow arrived back i here from Sydney by the s.s. Waillora this week, covered with honours, and no doubt she will be seen under sail in the harbour again very- soon.. The following with reference to the AuCkland-built yacht Bona's latest race in Port Jackson is taken from the Sydney " Referee " of Wednesday, February 21 :—>• " The general handicap of the Prince Alfred Yacht Club last Saturday, held in lieu of the 5-rating and under race set down on. the programme, was almost entirely spoilt by the flukiness of the wind which prevailed, calms and light breezes alternating throughout the afternoon. As a consequence the adjustment of the handicapper was rendered completely inoperative, 'as it was more a question of luck than aught else who got the Wind first. Under the circumstances perhaps, it is somewhat difficult to criticise the handicapping, but I must confess that I fail to see the reason tor giving a fast boat like White Wings a start of seven minutes from Bona, especially after taking- into consideration the fact that on Anniversary Day White Wings finished over 4min. ahead of Bona after starting level with her.' I did hear that the handicapper of the Prince Alfreds based his argument for giving White Wings such a long start in Saturday's r'aee on her recent performances with Rainbow, evidently assuming that Bona was as fast as the Kew Zealand visitor in light winds, Inst at the same time not taking info consideration White Wings' capabilites in a Strong breeze. Therefore, Bona nvas clearly handicapped for light weather last Saturday, and the Prince Alfreds have in their handicapper a weather prophet. ■ ''As" for the race itself. Well, it was a tiismni failure, Isea and Botia picking all the slants of wiud, while the

'others were badly served, the majorityj i ■oi them dropping- out long before the J ": : iinish. •'Despite the fickle nature of. the' wind and her attendant luck on Satr'/ ' urday, Mr Marks' isea made a very. ; ; ; ! creditable showing. In fact, I have " ! never seen the 10-rater sail,better than did in Saturday's race. With,her 4 big jack-yarder doing yeoman ser-', : vice, she ran out a long lead, and it , ! was very soon apparent that, what- - 1 ever Bona's merits might be in a light " i wind, she was quite unequal to con- v'~ i ceding Isea her start of 13min. The 'latter overhauled the, long-start boats- :• iin rapid succession, and as her big' : topsail caught most of the puffs that were going it was early seen that the,', j others had no chance. At the Manly 'buoy she led HerreshofE by Smin,. and Bona by 9min. 35sec. On the reach to Shark Island she opened out a lead of 14min. from Bona, Herreshoff having in the meantime retired, and finlished a winner lOmin. 50sec. ahead of :; Bona." "Starting from scratch, and after -; allowing the big 30-ton Defender 11 : jmin, Bona's performance was not with- • ' jout.a certain amount of merit, bnt at '■: ithe same time Mr Chinnery's boat got j several very lucky slants of wind. For ~ instance, through keeping well out in : - I the. channel after opening up Braa---'-_• ' ley's Head, she picked tip a fine lead- , ing draught of wind, whilst White i f Wings was lying hopelessly becalmed ; under the headland, and was, moreover, in a. position generally ascribed • to the cow's tail when she retired. .... from the race. Mr Garriek's Defender jj was the third boat to finish. She made V a hard fight for the position, the light - - breeze enabling her to carry* her jib ' topsail throughout the entire race. She'finished 13min 45sec behind Bona,'and ■ • was whipped in by the 30-footer Aoma, the only other boat to finish out of a ■ fleet of ten yachts." - '£