CANTERBURY WINS SANDERS CUP

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21087, 12 February 1934, Page 13

CANTERBURY WINS SANDERS CUP

GOOD SEAMANSHIP SHOWN ALL FOUR BOATS LEAD AT DIFFERENT STAGES The sixth, and ,s it proved, the final race in the 1934 contest for the Sanders Memorial Cup was sailed at Lyttelton on Saturday morning, and resulted in a well-deserved win for the Canterbury defender, Irene. From the point of view of seamanship, smart handling of sails, and of tactics the race was undoubtedly the most interesting of the series. All four boats held the lead at different stages. Val established a good lead in the first round, sailing faultlessly. Then Lavina look a turn fn front, and Eileen also had a brief spell in the lead. In the final round, Irene, by superior work on the wind, outsailed the others, and led to the finishing line, winning by a nice margin. Tne race was held over a triangular* course. The sky was overcast, with occasional'showers, and there was a lisht south-westerly breeze and an aimost smooth sea. The start was oil the wind. All carried three-men crews and leading jibs. The start was at 10 48 Lavina and Val had the best of the start, Irene and Eileen being next. Kunning free for the Battery Point buoy, Val, always a fast boat olt a light wind, took the lead. She rounded the buoy Usee ahead of Eileen, with Lavina another 15sec away, and Irene 16sec behind the Wellington boat. All went on a long board for Diamond Harbour bay. Val was improving her lead. In short boards off the bay the relative positions remained the same. Coining on a long board out of the bay, Lavina moved up into second place and was challenging the Southland boat. First Round Times At the quarry buoy Val had a lead of 33sec on Lavina, with Eileen and Irene close up in that order. All used spinnakers forward on the board lead for the pier buoy. Lavina closed in on Val. The first round was completed as follows: — h. m. s. Val .. ..11 20 27 Lavina .. •■ 11 20 33 Eileen .. .. 11 21 20 Irene .. .. 11 21 52

Soon after rounding Lavina moved up on Val and it was a good tussle between the two. Eileen and Irene, carrying more wind, also moved up. Off Ofhccrs' Point Val drew clear of Lavina again. Val was only 7sec ahead of Lavina when the Battery Point buoy was turned for the second | time. Eileen and Irene were about a minute away, with a few seconds between them. Moving well on the beat up, Lavina caught up on Val again. Off Diamond Harbour bay Val just held the weather position from Lavina. Eileen and Irene were a long way back. In the bay Irene weathered Eileen. Hansen, the Southland skipper, was taking no chances, and was making board for board with Lavina. Val rounded the quarry buoy for the second time with a losec lead on Lavina. Irene was another minute and Usee away, and Eileen another half-minute behind. On rounding the mark Lavina almost caught Val, but the latter broke her .spinnaker first and went away again. Lavina was slow with her spinnaker and dropped back. On setting the .sail, Lavina made a fast lead for the pier and succeeded in overhauling ] Val. The second round was com- j plelcd at the following times:— h. m. s. Lavina .. . . 11 5G 15. Val .. .. 11 56 n Irene . . .. 11 57 2 Eileen . . 11 5U 12 Canterbury Doing Better The Canterbury boat was now making much better running. Approaching the lee mark Lavina was a few lengths ahead, with Val and Irene almost level. Eileen was well out of it at this stage. Irene overhauled Val and was in second place at the turn, a few seconds only separating Lavina, Irene, and Val. On the final beat the three leaders worked the usual inshore course. Eileen tried a cast up the middle of the harbour, a good attempt from an otherwise losing position. Oft Diamond Harbour point Val left the other two and worked more out into the harbour. Splitting tacks out in the harbour, Eileen weathered Val and it now became plain that the Otago skipper had almost succeeded in his move. Ncaring the quarry buoy Irene only just weathered Eileen and the two went about together. Eileen had to stay before rounding and Irene increased her lead. She rounded 47sec in front of the Otago boat. Val was another minute and 3sec away, with Lavinu more than two minutes behind Val. Irene travelled fast on the lead and drew out from Eileen. Turning the last mark, with only about 250 yards to go, it was seen that Irene's win was assured. She was loudly cheered as she crossed the line. The finishing limes were:— h. m. sIrene < Canterbury > J 2 .'Hi 43 Eileen (Otago) .. V?- 37 30 Val (Southland) 12 38 1.3 Lavina (Wellington) 12 39 7 THE WINNING BOAT The winner of the contest, Irene, is owned by her skipper, Mr Elliot Sinclair, and was built by Mr Fred Dobby a few years ago. Although he has built several others since, including Avenger, the winner of the last two contests, Mr Dobby has always had great faith in Irene, and that faith has at last been justified. Irene was splendidly handled in the first two races, and in the last. Lavina, the Wellington boat, ot which much was expected by Lytteltoti followers of the sport, gave a rather disappointing display. She I won one race, and in other races

showed occasional bursts of brilliance, which she failed to maintain. Otago's representative, Eileen, proved to be Canterbury's most dangerous opponent. Splendidly handled, she won two races, and came very near to winning the cup for the second time in her history. The skipper, Ivan McGrath, showed great judgment, and that he had the capacity of handling the boat well even under severe conditions. Little was known of the Southland boat. Val, when she arrived at Lyttelton. Unfortunately, the crew lacked team practice—three members, including the skipper, H. Hansen, had never been in the boat be- : fore until they arrived at Lyttelton. The boat is undoubtedly in the first rank, being specially good in light weather, and the crew improved in (he work as the contest proceeded. Although she did not win a race, Val was always to be reckoned with' and was on several occasions in the lead. ' The Southland boat will have to be seriously considered if the contest is held in her own waters •at Stewart Island next year.

LAVINA'S MISHAP LOCAL YACHTSMEN LEND GEAR The Wellington crew and their supporters were particularly gratified at the assistance given them by local yachtsmen following the damage, through capsizing, to the Lavina on Friday morning. No less than four masts were offered the Wellington crew, and that of Avenger was accepted. Gear was also lent, but Lavina used her own spare mainsail. Mr Fred Dobby, the builder of Irene, Colleen, Avenger and other "crack" 14-footers, worked until late at night making and fitting a new bowspit for Lavina, so that she would be in shipshape order for Saturday's race.

TROPHY PRESENTED CONGRATULATION OF CREWS The Harbour Light Theatre was crowded early on Saturday evening, when the Sanders Cup was presented to the winning skipper, Mr Elliot Sinclair, by the Mayor of Lyttelton (Mr W. T. Lester). The chairman of the Sanders Cup conference, Mr G. R. Curtis, who presided, said the contest had been one of the most interesting ever held, and had been conducted in a thoroughly sporting spirit. Some crews had more than their share of bad luck, but came up smiling. Members of the New Zealand Yachting Council were pleased that this, the first contest held under the jurisdiction of the council, had been such a success. Several telegrams congratulating Canterbury on retaining the cup had been received. One, which was very pleasing came from Auckland, and read as follows:—"Hearty congratulations winning crew from Aucklanders still interested in cup. Wilkinson, Auckland." (Applause.) In presenting the cup and miniature to Mr Sinclah - , the Mayor congratulated the crew on their splendid effort. Special praise was due to the spinnaker-hand, F. Forman. Forman had now been spinnaker-hand in the Canterbury boat for several contests, and it almost seemed that a Canterbury crew could not be complete without him (applause). It was pleasing to know that the business of the conference, and of the New Zealand Yachting Council had been conducted amicably. j Boats and Men Mr Sinclair thanked the Mayor for his remarks, and thanked also the people of Lyttelton and Christchurch for the manner in which they had supported the crew. Mr Forman also returned thanks. Mr H. W. Harris, president of the Canterbury Sailing and Power Boat Association, said that the contest had proved that it was not merely the boats which counted, but the men who sailed in them. He thought that the crews in the contest were four of the finest crews that had ever sailed for the cup. On behalf of the Wellington crew, Captain W. J. Keane, president of the Wellington Yachting Association, thanked the Lyttelton people for their hospitality. "We came down here with a good boat," said Captain Keane, 'and the best crew that we could select, but we have been beaten at our own game." It was satisfactory, however, that the contest had not been one-sided. He congratulated the Canterbury skipper on the splendid condition in which he had produced his boat for the contest. Mr N. Blair, the skipper of the Wellington boat, said the best crew had won the contest. He thanked the Lyttelton yachtsmen who had so generously come to their assistance, after Lavina's mishap, with offers of masts and gear, and even another boat. Mr T. Anderson, the Otago deleate, said that Lyttelton crews were to be congratulated on having won the double, the Z class championship and the X clasp. Messrs I. McGralh, Otago skipper, and H. Hansen, Southland skipper, also returned thanks. Winners of the Contest Canterbury has now won the Sanders Memorial Cup on six occasions, Auckland being next with four wins, Otago with three, and Wellington with one. Winners of the contest are as follows: 1921—Otago, Heather, at Auckland. 1022—Auckland, Desert Gold, Dunedin. 1023—Auckland, Rona, Auckland. 3924—Auckland, Rona, Wellington. ; 925—Otago, lona, Auckland. 102(1—Canterbury, Betty, Dunedin. 1927—Canterbury, Betty, Lyttelton. 1928—Canterbury, Betty, Stewart Is. 1929—Auckland, Avalon, Akaroa. 19,'JO—Otago, Eileen, Auckland. 1931—Wellington, Betty, Dunedin. 1932—Canterbury, Avenger, Wellington. 1933—Canterbury, Avenger, Lyttelton. 11/34—Canterbury, Irene, Lyttelton. Tlie Wellington crew left for home by the Rangatira on Saturday night, shipping their boat by the same vessel. The Dunedin and Southland crews left for the south by the express last night.

CHRISTCHURCH CLUB Once again the Christchurch Sailing and Fower-Boat Club was dogged by iU fortune when the A and B class races on Saturday afternoon had to be declared oft owing to the becalming of the boats, which were unable to complete the course within the time limit of two hours. Unfavourable weathe ■ conditions have caused the postponement of previous races, and on another occasion the weather was so boisterous that it was made extremely difficult to handle the boats.