REGATTA DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 25, 29 January 1921, Page 5

REGATTA DAY.

SONS OF THE SEA. IN FRIENDLY RIVALRY. THE YACHTSMAN'S CARNIVAL. Another of our country's birthdays hag come along to add vet another "Big Day" to the cleau histories of happy struggles and keen rivalry on the beautiful W'aitemata. Eighty such days have clipped away since Colonel YVynyard and hi= officors arranged the first great carnival on the sparkling waters of the harbour to celebrate the tirst birthday of the infant colony, and this, the eighty-first Regatta, gives, to all eyes that care to see, a glorious picture of life and movement on the lovely harbour. Only yesterday it seems, bo pleasantly lias n year slipped away, Auckland's lost Anniversary Kegatta was held, and this day is in marked contrast to that. For then the weather, though glorious, with blazing sun. was not altogether a "yachtsman's carnival," for a light breeze played in catspaws, and the big yachts were long after their proper time In crossing the line. How different it is to-day, with a fair Bailing breeze holding steadily from the south-west, and the harbour covered for miles with many a lovely picture as the shapely yachts, Ike smaller pleasure craft, spread their white wings and break the startbig line all together, while the launches potter α-bout warming up their engines preparatory to starting in their own events

It would indeed be difficult to r».iJise fully liow tfreiit a hold maritime sports have tiikeii on the minds of Auckland's people, were it' not for this regatta, wliicli brings together the hundreds of pleasure craft of all kinds aJid sixes that throng Auckland waters. The oldtimers arc still on deck, though theiß numbers are steadily becoming fewer, aud the sight of the speedy, dean-lined yachts with their great spread of billowing canvas is Btirring up many a memory of days that are dead. These hardy old salts, with their faces lined by wind and water and weather, are telling great tales of "faroff half-forgotten things and battles long ago," and aa they hear the throb of the o.njruiv.s. crane their necks to ivatch the graceful hydroplanes buzzing overhead, or turn to nee the Sea Sled, credited with forty miles an auur, leave their beloved white wiritfs all standing, a certain sad contempt for "them launches" tinges all their regretful allusions to the paHt. And what a past it was, when brown-skinned warriors yelled their chants as the great war canoes slid through the water and the weather-beaten arms of sturdy marinere tensed at the ashen oar.

Yet with all this none can say that the AuckJanuers of to-day have lost their taste for the salt water and the bright pleasures they take as they sail on the sea. Bven when the eky was overcast/ with a light rain falling early this morning, scarcely one boat that could keep anoat was "idle. Even the schoolboys, every one who could scrape an old timber and Htick it up ill his dinghy, came out. with a rag of canvas to do honour to the occasion, and the big boats at the wharves were gay with streaming bunting. The headquarters of the regatta to-duy ig the Calliope Dock, where New Zealand's new flagship, 11.M.5. Chatham, is moored, with H.M. sloop Veronica, and the dock itseli is filled for the swim-* ming events that follow later on in ttie afternoon. The flagship for the day is the well-found trading boat Huia. FIUBT-CLARS YACHTS, exceeding 28ft 1.w.1. (handicap). prize, £25; second prize. £8 17/6: third prize, trophy. Abont 24 nautical milee. This was a pretty start, the order crossInß the line being Victory. Rawene, loranffi. .Xrethusa, Wuitattgl, Ilex. I<la, Moana, Krstless, and Thelma nearly two minutes lute, loransl took the lead soon after the Htart. with Victory next, and Waltansfi KoInE Into third place- The first mark was tilt" Bastion beacon, off Kohimarama. all the boats keeping well over to the southern shore to avoid the tide, except Arethusa. wlilcii kept to the northern shore. The order o? jjyblng round the Baatlon mark waa loranul. Arlki. Waitanpl. Ilex. Rawene, Victory, Moana, Thelma. Un the run to Itanfltoto reef mark Arlki assumed the lead, while Thelma went Into fourth place, Itawene fifth, and Moana next. Passing the flaswhlp on the Journey to the Chelsea mark the times were: Arlki llh 31s, lorangi Uh .'J.'iui JiJs, Waltanjrl llh 34m 3rts, Thelma 11h 38m 10a. Moana llh 40m 50s. Rawene Uh 12m jr. Ilex llh 42m 15s. Victory llh 40m, Ida llh 50m 40s, Restless llh r>6m, Arelhusa 12h 5m HOs. The same order was kept on the lead down the harbonr, Arlki increasing her lead from loranpi to 5Jm.

SHCOND-CLASS YACHTS (handicap), oireedLntr 2uft aud not exceeding 28ft 1.W.1. I'lrst prize, £18 10/; second prlzp, £6 8/; third yrlze, trophy. About li 4 nautical miles. Tho wind had freshened liy the time thla race ha<l started, and the order over the live wa« Little Jim. TSansatlra, Thistle, Ngafcau, Waione and Windwa-nJ. The fresh Ureeze Jnst listed Little Jim, Which nuiekly assumed the lead, with Woione Ktilns; Into second }'la<-e. The 'times of passlns -the fia.mhiii on the time up were:— JJtUe Jim 11.55.40. Watone 12.2.30. Wind\vard Y'.G.o. Tbtetle Nganau 12.fi.40. ltausfftlrii 12.7.20. THlun-CUVSS YACHTS (handicap*, not exceeding -sft 1.w.1. Mrst prize, ins 10.'; second prize, £t; 5/; third prize, trophy. About IS nautical miles. Tlile was another srvod frtart, all cl^it iKKUa setting away together except Perl. Queenle was flrnt away, followed fty ■SpeedweU, Wairiki. J frothy. Scout, ■Gloriana, EulaJlc. with Peri nearly live mlDßtes late. The wind, which wa-s lljrjit time this race n-as dispati-Jiefl. Qupenie asemned the lead;, .followed t>7 Speedwell. un<l this order was maintained o n the first roumi, YACHTS, ML'LLET BOAT TYPE (handicap) not exceeding 'JOft OTerall and under. First prize, £12 10/; second prize, £3; third prize, trophy. Abont 10 nautical miles.

This rm-B a splendid, start, oil seven Jmats getting away together. Waildri was first away, followed by Gloaming. Walnpu. 41Hes, Mgaro, Wayward. ;ind I»rnn last. Walklii, wliich took a reef in. soon dropped tiack, V.'akpn taking the lead, follo-nred by I.rU)a.m!n>; und Ng-aro. This order was maintained in the first round. YACHTS, XIULiI.KT BOAT TTrE (hanrtirap). over li2ft and not exceeding 26ft overall. Klrat prize. £1H 10/: second price, £8 5/ ; tMrd prize, troph}-. Abont IS nautical miles. Tills Viu.h another good start., eleren o:t the rnntestants getting away -n-ithln a minute of ziinflre. the oriier of (rosslnjj the llm> liolns: Waitere. Veirk-c, Glady, StarlltrJvt. imintere, SUrlocli, Awatere, THtlle. Ctldx. KoiiTu, Marere, with Spray ft\-c minutes late owing to her throat JialliaTd oarryius a\ray just before the start. Waitore quickly .went to the front, nnd the ord>r pusaln? Hie flagship for the liret time wuß Waitere, L'eiox. Sadie. Starloch, β-tar-lljdit. Oiiia-trre. Ulady, tind the rest some distance Ijehind. YACHTS. MUI-I.EJT BOAT TTPK (handicap), over 'M and not exceeding 22ft overall. First prize, £15 ; seeona imze i.'l 15/; tlilrd prize, trophy. About IS nautical miles. This was the beet start of the day. all flrteon boats iretLln.g away very soon after tfunnre. Valeria I>elng flrst away followed hy Lucille. Neilila. Marie, Xgarn 11.. Mnidla. Vtuiua and the others all hunched tog-ether. With the freshening breeze several boats had trouble with their lead!ne jM)H. The scratch boat. Marie, qnickly assumed Uie lead, followed by Valeria, Lucille, and Ngara. the latter feeling the benefit of her extra team, and coming n-p the harbour fax the iltst time was the Ifrtrnc tjottt

FOURTH-CLASS YACHTS, Keel (handicap), not exceeding 30ft overall, first prize, £15 ; second prize. £3 15/; third prize, trophy. About 10 nautical miles. This class tvjent over the line all together, Mutere ha-rlng a slight lead from Colonist, Naiad and ilayfoelle. The latter went into the lead before the nret OPEN OU HALF-DECK BOATS, 18ft and under (handicap). first prize, £12 10/; second prize, £3; third prize, trophy. There were no less than 20 entries in this class, IS facins the starter. Ventura was tirst away followed by Atangatai, Mpat-nt Ttnopai. "Gamiet. Jind the others all close together except Huia, -vhich had an accident. SAILING DINGHIES, square bilge, 14ft (handicap). First prize, GovernorGeneral Jellicoe's silver cap and £3 5/ cash; second prize, £3; third prize, trophy. There -were nine starters in this race. Sea-mew being tirst away, followed by Caprice, Continuance. Sea Nymph, and Sea Spook. ThUi latter -boat soon assumed the lend lil the iiaril breeze HAMILTON REGATTA. ROWING OX THE WAIKATO. (By Telesnrph. —Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. Splendid weather prevails for the Hamilton Regatta, and there is a large attendance of spectators. Keen interest is being taken. The results are: — Maiden Double Sc-ulls. one mite. — Hamilton 1. Wuiteniau -. Went End 'i- Won by two lengths. Maiden lours, lOst and under; one mile. - Arcunoho 1. fit. George 2, V.'est End ;'.. Won by two lengths.