SANDERS CUP.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18926, 15 February 1927, Page 10

SANDERS CUP.

AVALON WINS SECOND RACE. EXCITING FINISH. THE LUCK OF THE WIND.

In one of the most exciting finishes ever witnessed, the Hawke's Bay boat just beat Betty in the second race for the Sanders Cup yesterday afternoon. Avnlon fought the Canterbury boat doggedly all the way, and thoroughly deserved her win. The fact that Betty has been beaten has caused renewed interest in the contest, which, was waning somewhat owing to the seeming probability of Betty outclassing the other contestants and winning the first three races straight off. Bona, which had raced well in the earlier part of the race, finished fourth, Peggy leading her by 34sec. Peggy had sailed a good race, and at times was in striking distance. The course was a triangular one, starting from the Pile Light, thence down to a buoy at Battery Point, thence round a buoy off Purau Bay, thence back to the starting line, twice round. All the boats carried three-man crews except Peggy, which carried a fourth man.

The Weather. The wind had been light nor'-west all the morning, and early in the afternoon there was almost a dead calm. Just as the boats moved out the clouds were banking up in the south, and in a few minutes the wind came away strong from the south-west. The first round was a run, a beat, and a lead, but in the second round the wind had backed to the south-east, making it a lead, a beat, and a lead; The Start. There was an excellent flying start Betty was across just ahead of Winifred, with Avalon and Murihiku close on her. Peggy set her spinnaker as she came up to the line, and came up with a burst of speed, followed by Bona. All set spinnakers quickly. Betty, a few lengths in the lead, was quickly. challenged by Murihiku, which moved up fast. A third of the distance to Battery Point Murihiku and Betty were running level. Bona was closo at hand; At Battery Point the order of turning was. Betty, Bona, Murihiku, Winifred, Peggy. A beat for Purau followed. A third of the way across Avalon displaced Murihiku for second place. The Southland boat, dropping back fast, was passed by the remainder of the field'. Bona drew up to Betty and looked to pass her, but Betty caught a squall and came away in a' fine .burst. All had all the wind they wanted approaching Purau. Peggy's four-man crew were standing her in good stead. Betty, Peggy, and Avalon stood well up to buoy.. Betty rounded and wont away at a tremendous pace in the lead. Sho fairly flew along tho top of tho water. Peggy rounded three minutes later with Avalon on her stern. They could not carry her jib, and Murihiku.was a bad last in rounding. She tried the jib again after a time. Bona and Winifred rounded together, Bona to windward'. Avalon tried to set her leading jib as a spinnaker, but ran away to leeward and gave up the attempt. For a few minutes some magnificent sailing was witnessed. Avalon.tried her.small spinnaker again, .with more success. She was running second, but wiib to leeward of Peggy. Bona and Winifred were well behind. Bona set a small' spinnaker, and a squall caught her and she came away fast, leaving Winifred behind.- Betty jibbed for tho pile Light and. made it. At the light Avalon jibbed instead of-staying, and lost a few valuable seconds. The timos at the end of the first round were:—

8etty—3.7.40 p.m. *. Ava10n—3.9.25 p.m. ' * Peggy—3.lo.so p.m. ' Bona—-3.11.40 pan. Winifred—3.l4.o p.m. Murihiku—3.l7.o p.m. The wind had gone round to the south-east and there wbb a lead instead oft a run for Battery Point. There was a light spatter of rain. Avalon. moved up on Betty, and was sailing a fine race. The wind was coming away; in squalls. Half-way to Battery Point Betty" and Avalon were still holding their relative positions. Tho remainder of the field were Btrung out. in tho following order, Peggy, Bona, Winifred, Murihiku. Bona lost the wind for a few minutes, and then a squall came, down and moved her up. At the Battery Point buoy Avalon was«only one minute ten seconds behind Betty, .having caught up a little. A stiff bent for Purau followed. Betty Was sailing faultlessly and Avalon was straining every point to catch her. Murihiku was coining up and was overhauling Winifred. Betty was making short boards for the buoy. Bona and Winifred were away across the harbour trying to get into position for a long leg for Purau buoy. The times at Purau buoy were:— 8etty—3.45.30 p.m. Avalon—3.4B.o p.m. Peggy—3.49.35 p.m. 80na—3.53.30 p.m. Murihiku—3.ss.3o p.m. Winifred—s.sß.o pjn. Betty set her leading jib as a spinnaker, but shortly after lowered it. She came up into wind while the "leading jib was set. Avalon'r only chance seemed to be to.set his big spinnaker, and take the chance" of being capsizd, but Gillies di£ not do so. The wind was dropping and a light, warm rain was still falling. There was hardly enough wind to finish. Betty flew her spinnaker. Betty was becalmed, and the others, further out from shore, were moving up. Avalon had her spinnaker up and | was carrying the wind. Nearing the finish she came up near Betty and the race became most exciting. Betty and Avalon were working spinnakers. Avalon was further out to leeward, but was carying slightly more wind. At times both lost the wind and spinnakers dragged in the water, although the boats continued to move up. Then Avalon's spinnaker filled, and she came abreast of Bettv. Betty closed over towards the Hawke's Bay boat, in an effort to piek up more wind, but failed. Twenty yards from the finish Avalon moved into the lead. Excitement ran high. Andrews did not give it up, but tried till the last. His spinnaker was giving trouble: he could Hot get it to draw and pulled it in. Avalon was moving fast for the line, which she crossed just eight seconds ahead of the holder of the Cup Bona was one seconds behind the winner. The finishing times were: Avalon—4.lo.lo p.m. Bet ty—4.lo.lß p.m. ' Peggy—4.ll.3o p.m. Bona-4.12.4 p.m. Murihiku—4.l4.4o p.m. Winifred—4.l6.3o p.m. The actuai sailing times were: Avalon, 1 hour 50min lOsec; Betty, 1 hour .89 min Msec; Peggy, 1 hour filmut

i3osec; Bona, 1 hour, 52min 4sec; Murihiku, 1 hour 54min 50sec; "Winifred, 1 hour 56min 30sec. The Dominion Conference will meet nt nine o'clock this morning to decide whether a race will be/ held at ten o'clock or not. The afternoon race will start at 2.15 p.m. |

Visitors Entertained. The visiting yachtsmen and friends were entertained at a smoke concert at Lyttelton last evening, by the Canterbury Yacht and Motor-Boat Club. There was an attendance of .250. Mr W. T. Lester, commodore of the Club, presided and welcomed the visitors. The following toasts were honoured: Visiting Yachtsmen and Delegates, proposed by the chairman, who also referred to the presence with them of Mr W. Sanders, brother of the Late Lieut.-Cbmmander Sanders, V.C. The toast was respondto by Messrs O. Moller (Auckland), P. Cloke (Napier); J. Moffat (Wellington), J. Paul (Otago), A. B. Moffett (Southland), and A. T. Bound (Christchurch). Other, toasts were: The Lyttelton Harbour Board, sproposed by the Bev. A. J. Petrie, and responded to.by Mr M. J. Miller; Cornwell Xtop Contestants and TaKapuna Boating Club, proposed by Mr J. H. Collins and responded to by Mr O. Moller; Kindred Clnbs and Societies, proposed by Mr W. Toy, and responded to by Mr E. Green (Lyttelton Club), H.r Byder (Bowing Club), and W. Whitford (Gun Club). An especially attractive musical programme bad been arranged. Selections were played by Sutherland's JaispJand. Dominion ExecutiYe Meets.' A meeting of the Sanders Cup Dominion Executive was held last evening. The chairman, Mr J. B. Johnston, resigned the chairmanship, as he was returning last evening to Auckland. A motion of thanks to,Mr Johnston for his active interest in the work of the Executive was carried. Mr W. T. Lester was elected chairman. The meeting adjourned until this morning when the question of-whether a race will be sailed this morning, will be decided. CORNWELL CUP. SECOND RACE RESAILED. WIN FOB AUCKLAND. The second race, for the Cornwell Cup contest was sailed yesterday morning in nor'-west weather, and very little wind. At times the boats were, and the cpnditions were very fluky. An exciting finish saw Christchurch (Treleavan and Allen), in Winsome, just win "by an inch or two from three of the others in; a bunchi, As the time limit had been exceeded by.one and a half minutes, the race was declared no raee. It was arranged to. re-sail' the race in the afternoon, with the same boats, but the course had to be altered to prevent any interference, with the Banders Cup race.

Win for Auckland. The second race was re-sailed at Lyttelton in the'aftornoon over. a windward and'leeward course. The race started at 2.30 p.m. Wellington, in Comet, was first away, followed by Auckland in Gad Fly, Hawke's Bay in Sea Pearl, Lytteltori in Kai Iwi, Stewart Island in Wet U, Ota«o in Wee May, and Christchurch in Winsome. When Otago was running for the lino the Christchurch boat fouled her, otherwise Otago would easily have been across the line first. The wind was fresh and steady from tho south-west, and the boats made fast time. Tho first mark was turned at the following times:—Lyttelton j 2hrs 54min 15sec; Auckland, 2hrs 54miu 30sec; Wellington, 2hrs 65min 20sec} Hawko's Bay, 2hrs 55min 22sec: Otago, 2hrs 55min 35soc; Christchurch, 2hrs 56min; Southland, 2hrs 56min 30scc. On the run before the wind Gad Fly tookiho lead, the other boats running well together in a hunch,.and making a very fine spectacle. The top mark was rounded in the following order:— Auckland. Lyttelton, Southland, Christchurch, Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Otago. On the run back the wind was fluky, and tho leading boats slightly increased their lead until reaching the mark, when the wind fell to a dead calm. Auckland rounded firßt and Lyttelton'second; the latter boat did not have sufficient wind to fill her sails. . By ; this time the other boats had come together, and sailed back to.the finishing, line at a fast rate, reducing the distances between them and the two leaders, Auckland and Lyttelton. On the" whole it was. smart sailing on the part of the boys, and they deserved credit for the manner in which they handled their boats in the erratic puffs of wind. Spinnakers in consequence had to be discarded. There was an exciting finish between Auckland and Lyttelton. .Auckland,, in the fast boat Gad Fly, rounded the final mark a few seconds in the lead,. Lyttelton striving hard to make up the-* short distance between them. On the short lead to the finishing line Auckland'heW he r advantage, beating the local boat by twenty seconds. The official mailing times are as follows:—Auckland, lhr 40min 35sec; Lyttelton, lhr 40min 55sec; Christchurch, lhr 49min 20sec; Southland, lhr 49min 25sec; Wellington, lhr 50min 15sec; Hawke's Bay, lhr 50min 45sec; Otago, lhr 52min. When running before the wind these small boats sailed practically as fast as the Sanders Cup contestants, and the seamanship of the boys was superb. The third race will be sailed this morning, and .the fourth race in the afternoon.' The draw for the third race is as follows Southland (Comet), Christchurch (Kai Iwi), Hawke's Bay (Winsome), Auckland (Sea Pearl), Otago (Wet XI); Wellington (Gad Fly), Lyttelton (Wee May).. • '