SANDERS CUP.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18635, 9 March 1926, Page 11

SANDERS CUP.

THE WINNING CREW. ENTERTAINED BY YACHTSMEN. The Redcliffa crew which won the Sanders Cup Contest at Dunedin— Messrs G. G. Andrews (captain), RHampton. G. I. Treleaven, G. Douglas, and A. T. Round—were entertained in the Navy League Hall last night by Canterbury yachtsmen, Lieut.-Colonei H. S. S. Hobday, president of the Christchurch Sailing and Power-Boat Club, presiding over a large attendance. "During the last war," said the chairman, ''our club's yachtsmen did valuable service with the Navy, and our club has a record of service done which is not the least of its treasures. "Mr George Andrews served its a lieutenant in the R.X.V. Reserve, having part command of a motor-launch, and later as examining officer at one ot the East Coast ports. "The victory of the Betty in this contest for the Sanders Cup is unique' in several respects. First of all, of the waters in New Zealand where boat sailing is pursued, the Estuary may be said to be the least inviting. With tortuous channels, shoals, mud flats, and tidal conditions to combat, there is the dangerous Sumner bar —soon, I hope, to receive public attention. "In the magnificent harbours at Auckland, Wellington; Akaroa, Dunedin, and Lyttelton, boat sailing can be indulged in without any of these risks. On the Estuary every type of boat has in turn been experimented with to overcome the local risks and difficulties, and the 14ft boat of the Betty type is not peculiar to our waters. "To build such a type of boat so perfectly as to outclass other models, and to sail such a boat in unfamiliar waters and win a well-fought race on merit is no mean achievement. Seldom has any contest stirred Canterbury as this has done. The victory is just such as we have some right to expect for our club. "In a bad water-way, without any means, by that simple method of help ing each other, our club has won every small need for its members by its own labours, and the mutual assistance of its own members." A Popular Win. Captain It. Ilatcliwell, Commodore of the Canterbury Yacht and Motor Boat Club, said/ that although Canterbury had competed for the Cup on previous occasions, the present was the ! first occasion on which it had achieved i success. He hoped that the Cup would be retained for some years. The win waß an extremely popular one in Dunedin, and he had pleasure in congratulating Mr Andrews and his crew on their great achievement. It was pleasing to be able to record the fact that the Cornwall Cup had also found a resting j place, for 1926 at least, in Canterbury. He regarded yqchting as one of the finest sports a young man could take . up, and it was a fact that many who j had successful careers on the sea, had received their earliest training as yachtsmen. Captain A. W. Owles, president of the New Brighton Power Boat Club, trusted that the Sanders Cup victory would once more stir up enthusiasm for yachting in thd Estuary and Lyttelton. He was sure, that if a good channel were made in the Estuary, water would flow over the mud tints there and provide such a fine sheet of water that before long yachtsmen would be tumbling over themselves to take up sailing as it deserved to be taken up. Mr J. H. Wood, Commodoro of the Pleasant Point Yacht and Boat Club, said that he.was sure that Mr Andrews's win would be the means of stimulating a great deal of interest in yachting in the Estuary. The wins of the" Redcliffs and Lytjeltoii crews had rightly been acclaimed by the whole of the Province. The Next Baces. Mr F. E. Sutton, Mayor of Lyttelton, said that for Mr Andrews to build the Betty, and pilot her to victory, was a great achievement. As was wellknown, the next Sanders Cup contest was to be held in Lyttelton, and he hoped that a strong committee would be formed in the near future to carry out the necessary arrangements in connexion with the event. Mr W. W. Walton added his congratulations to the winners, on behaif of the Canterbury Branch of the Navy League. Yachting was, he said, a sport which all men should be pleased to ie associated with, and the League wo/j»cl always give it its support in the belief that a knowledge of yachting was conducive to the better defenco of the Dominion. Mr H. T. Armstrong, M.P., said thai, in winning the Sanders Cup contest, Mr Andrews had brought great h6nour to the Province Yachting was a great sport, and to his mind the Empire little knew how much it owed to its seamen. With regard to the improvements in the Estuary, asked for by the Club, he would tell those present that ho had always supported those proposals, and always would. Nature had supplied the Estuary, .and the City had filled it up, and he believed that the mess should be cleared away. Mr G. Whitford, a member of the Canterbury Yachting Association, and Mr C. J. Treleaven, representing the Christchurch Sailing and Power Boat Ci'ib, also spoke. On rising to respond, Mr Andrews was greeted with the singing of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." He thanked all present for the wonderful reception given to his erew and himself. ! In honour of their victory, the chairman then presented each member of the crew with a miniature cup from the subscribers to the fund for sending them to Dunedin to compete in tiie contest. The members of the erew briefly responded. Selections were rendered during the evening by Mr Leams's orchestra, and a song was' sung by Mr Fleming.