£50 FIRST PRIZE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 219, 16 September 1938, Page 17

£50 FIRST PRIZE.

SYDNEY 18-FOOTERS. COMING IN FEBRUARY. Keen interest ie assured for the New ZealanJ 18ft championship races to be sailed next February, when four of Sydney's crack 18-footere will compete on the Waitemata with Auckland's best, and possibly an 18-footer from Lyttelton. Tlie cash prize for the best of tliree rat-w will l>e £50 and a valuable trophy. Arrangements for the visit and the entertainment of the visiting crews were made at a large and representative meeting held this week, at which eleven of the principal clubs sent delegates. This is the outcome of the visit to Sydney last January of the four Auckland 18-footers, Jrena, Riptide, Manene and Vaalele. The proposal to visit Auckland was talked of at the time, and has since been definitely agreed to, largely through the efforts of Mr. Geo. Dennes and the Point Chevalier Sailing Club, while the Royal Akarana and Tamaki Yacht Clulw also wrote to Sydney inviting the crews to vkit Auckland.

Th» first intention wae for the Sydney boats to compete at the Auckland Anniversary Regatta on January 30 next. As tile Sydney and Australian championships will be competed for on January 22, 26, 29 and 30 the boats chosen to come to Auckland will leave Sydney about February 7, arriving in Auckland by t'h« Awatea on Friday, February 10. The first of three races for the championship will be eailed on Saturday, February 11, the second on Wednesday, February 15,' and the final on Saturday, February 18. Prizes ■will be paid to the winners oif the heate, but euch arrangements will be made later, depending on the support received from the clubs, which is assured, and from the public, which is also highly probable if arrauKemente can be made to hold the races vnefe a small charge will be made. On Sunday. February 12. the boats will race by invitation of the Point Chevalier Club, off its clubhouse, and on Sunday, February 19. the Tamaki Yacht Club will hold races for the visitors off the clubhouse at Bastion Point. This will conclude the racing, after which a visit to Rotorua and Tauranga may be arranged for the crews, depending on the length of their stay. In all of the fire races the visiting boats will compete with a number of Auckland boats of the M and V classes. The best will be selected by the committee and nominated by the clubs interested. For these races the sail restrictions will be waived, bringing them into line with the Sydney rules as to crews, etc. To make the contest more representative of New Zealand invitations will be sent by the local racing committee to Wellington. Lyttelton. Sunnier and Dunedin clubs. At Lyttelton there are several good 18-footers. In 1938 the Auckland M class boat Manu competed at Lyttelton, and was beaten by the local 18-footers in two races by a very small margin. The meeting set up a committee of 25 to carry out all arrangements. Mr. Geo. Dennee was elected chairman. Mr. Geo. MeKeown vice*hairman, Mr. T. MeKnight honorary secretary, and Mr. J. Douglas honorary treasurer. Messrs. G. Dennes and T. C. Webster will visit Sydney next month to finalise arrangements. In a letter to Mr. Dennee, Sir F.rneet Davis, who was unable to be present, said the proposal to bring the Sydney 'boats and crews to Auckland next season had his hearty support. He would entertain the crews on a cruise in the Morewa. and would arranee for a public reception to be accorded them. ANNUAL MEETINGS. September 20—Richmond Crelsln? Club : Royal Akarana Yacht Club; Panmure Boating Club. September 30—Royal Kew Zealand Taeht Squadron.