YACHTING

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21648, 5 December 1935, Page 6

YACHTING

SYSTEM FOR DECIDING CHAMPIONSHIPS PROPOSALS BY WELLINGTON ASSOCIATION The Wellington Provincial Yachting and Motor-Boat Association has adopted a points system for deciding its X class championship, and it is proposing that this system should be considered for deciding the Sanders Cup contest. It has sent details of the system to the various provincial controlling bodies, and it is possible that a full discussion of it will take place at the conference of yachting bodies to be held in conjunction with the Sanders Cup contest in Auckland. The system limits the number of races in the contest to six, which, it is suggested, could be sailed in three days. The first provision is that all boats entered must start in the first race, since the number o£ starters in this race fixes the basic number of points to be allotted in every race of the series, irrespective of the number of starters in the subsequent races. The points are fixed as follows: First, points equal to the number of boats in the first race; second, one point less; third, two points less: fourth, three points less; fifth four points less, and so on. If after five races a certain boat has gained the highest number of points without winning a race, that boat is ranked equal with the boat next in the list of point-winners, and these two boats sail off to decide the winner of the contest. Any boat which lias beaten any other boat three times by crossing the finishing line ahead of it is ranked equal with that boat in points, and is eligible for the final race to decide the winner, provided that the boat which is beaten is itself eligible for the final race. In the sixth race basic points are allotted to the first boat only. Where two other boats are equal, their finishing places in the sixth race fix their order in the contest.. Ail objection to the system raised by members of the association when they were discussing it was that no one watching the races as an ordinary spectator would be able to tell which boat was actually holding an advantage. If it were applied to the Sanders Cup contest, general interest would therefore lapse. The system would probably be all right for club events. The association eventually decided to send details of the system to the various clubs so that they could tell the delegates to the Auckland conference what their opinions were. SANDERS CUP CONTEST FIVE BOATS TO COMPETE A challenge from Wellington for the Sanders Cup has now been received by the Canterbury Sailing and Power Boat Association. This means that five boats will take part in the next contest to be held at Auckland. They will be: Canterbury (defender), Auckland, Wellington, Otago, and Southland. The challenges of Auckland, Wellington. Southland, and Otago, were accepted by the association at its meeting last evening. CORNWELL CUP ENTRIES FOR NEXT CONTEST Twelve challenges have been received by the Takapuna Boating Club for the next Cornwell Cup contest, according to advice received from the club by the Canterbury Sailing and Power Boat Association last evening. The club told the association it was possible one or two more entries would be received. The contest is to be sailed on the Waitemata Harbour and will begin on Tuesday. January 21.