TASMAN YACHT RACE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25081, 13 January 1947, Page 9

TASMAN YACHT RACE

ONE STARTER LEAVES AUCKLAND (P.A.) AUCKLAND, January 12. Though the 31-foot cutter Drifter crossed the starting line at noon today for the 1947 trans-Tasman ocean race to Hobart, her skipper, K. Pragnell, will not know whether the race is being officially held until he is nearing North Cape about Monday afternoon. This vague position occurs through the non-arrival of the second contestant, the Te Rapunga. She was expected from Napier via Gisborne some time to-day. but she had not been sighted when the Drifter crossed the line. If the Te Rapunga, which is believed to have left Gisborne on Tuesday, arrives at Auckland, is examined, certificated seaworthy, and provisioned within 48 hours of the start to-day—-that is, noon on Monday—the race will be held and the Te Rapunga will be recorded as a late starter. If she is not ready by then the race will be abandoned and the Drifter will continue to Hobart alone, where she will take part in a regatta on February 4. The Drifter carries a radio and will be informed of the position on Monday. The Drifter’s crew is K. Pragnell (owner and skipper), A. Bunting (navigator), A. Barrier (radio-oper-ator), and R. Wright.