FINN CLASS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29367, 21 November 1960, Page 17

FINN CLASS

Title Retained By A. Ballintine

The Canterbury Olympic Finnclass champion. A. Ballintine, of Pleasant Point, had little difficulty in taking his class championship again at the Waimakariri river regatta yesterday. Ballintine’s onlv serious challenge from the Finn fleet of 10 came from a club-mate. D. Nixon, in Selena, who was placed second.

Ballintine was sailing Finrua. the yacht he built himself in 1956, and the second of its class in New Zealand.

Jockeying for position on the beat to the river mouth mark, for the first time, the Finns struck trouble as the incoming tidal rip pushed them down on to the buoy when they came about. Those who had not allowed sufficient leeway for the deceptive current were quickly in difficulties.

The red hull of Selena came round in front, followed by G. Hobson's Fintere and then Ballintine. C. Banks, in Finora. was the first victim of the rip and fouled the mark. He did not finish the race; at any rate, his lapse w’as automatic disqualification. A. Burgess, in Finito. had to take some fast avoiding action and wrench his craft inside the mark to miss crashing into Finora as it broadsided: and he lost a lot of ground by having to circle and come about a second time. As Finora turned back, it collided with C. Vincent’s Dorsal. The two masts met with a crack and rebounded dangerously, but remained intact. Dorsal’s boom dipped and the mainsheet fouled the buoy and dragged it about 20 yards before it broke free.

By this time. Ballintine was catching Nixon, and finally overtook him on the run. He worked hard for the rest of the race slowlv increasing the gap. until his lead was too much for Nixon.

These two were out in front of the rest of the fleet, which, on the day’s performance, looked the alsorans they were. The following were the final placmgs: Finrua (A. Ballintine) 1, Selena <D. Nixon) 2. Elfin (W. Beere) 3, Fintere (G. Hobson) 4. Finito (A. Burgess) 5, Hyphen (D. Borrell) 6.