CENTENNIAL AIR RACE

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27626, 5 April 1955, Page 6

CENTENNIAL AIR RACE

SOUTHLAND AERO CLUB’S PLAN (New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, April 4. An air race from Wellington or Blenheim to Invercargill to commemorate the Southland centennial will be held next January by the Southland Aero Club. It will be the longest internal air race organised in New Zealand. Prize-money for the race has not yet been decided, but substantial prizes will be offered. The race will be a handicap event for light aircraft privately owned or owned by aero clubs. It is likely that the Royal New Zealand Aero Club’s national air pageant will be allocated to Southland next year. If so, the race will be run the day before the pageant. If the national air pageant is not allocated to Southland the race will still be held, and will be followed by a Southland centennial air pageant Competing aircraft will 'be handicapped on speed and payload. Control points will be established on the route, and all precautions will be taken for the safety of the aircraft. Two main prizes will be offered, for the first aircraft to complete the course and the first Tiger Moth aircraft to finish. The route will be from Wellington or Blenheim to Lake Grassmere. Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, and Invercargill. Check points will be established at Lake Grassmere, Christchurch, Timaru, and Taieri. A condition of the race will be that aircraft must land at either Christchurch or Taieri.