YACHTING Aucklanders Lead In Finn Contest

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30055, 13 February 1963, Page 18

YACHTING Aucklanders Lead In Finn Contest

(From Out Own Reporter)

NELSON, February 12. Quality helmsmanship in both light and fresh conditions put Aucklanders at the head of the New Zealand Olympic Finn yachting championship today. H. O. L. Pedersen, of the Otahuhu Sailing Club, is leading the field of 35 skippers by a narrow points margin from T. J. Speed, of Takapuna. The inter - Dominion champion, R. J. Watson, •f the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, is lying third, ahead of the nations] title-holder, R. H. Roberts, of Auckland.

Two boys are performing exceptionally well. One is J. G. Farmer, a fifth form pupil at Rotorua Boys’ High School, who two weeks ago won the national Zephyr class title. He is in fifth position on the points table. B. de 'Duer, of Mount Pleasant, in sixth place, is the top Canterbury skipper. Aged 17, he is a year younger than Farmer. Farmer took the lead from Roberts on the wind this morning In light conditions after the first lap. R. Green, another Aucklander, wea-

thered Roberts on the final beat to come home second, but later withdrew, after having declared he had failed to give way to a boat during the race. Five boats were across the finish line in 33 seconds in this event, and the whole fleet completed the course within nine minutes of each other, which emphasises the closeness of the competition. Fanner’s win was all the more creditable in the light air for he was sailing the heaviest boat in the fleet. D. J. Newell, a 15-stone Aucklander, and P. G. Mander, of Christchurch, led this afternoon through a whitecapped sea whipped up in a 20-knot easterly. Speed outsailed everyone on the wind and took charge. Mander and Newell came together at a weather mark, and when the former cut through on the inside to gybe his boom whacked Newell's back. Mander crossed fourth but later withdrew. Roberts rounded fourth, and headed directly for the bottom mark, 35 seconds behind Speed, who tacked away. The rest of the fleet followed Speed like a flock of sheep. Roberts rounded 12 seconds in front, and came home an easy winner. Two exceptionally good performanaces were those of de Thier, who sailed his best strong-weather race, and Pedersen, whose fifth place astern of de Thier was better than he might have expected. Pedersen unaccountably was wen down in the morning, but made amends in the afternoon to top the points table. top skippers were;—

’£■>. R - «• Roberts ?• Watson !£?■ J? Mender S L W , Beere < c P - Letcher (A.). jrjSl 9 ’ . T: D - Nixon (C.). <?’ T ’ Speed (A.), 12.17.13 10: H. O. L. Pedersen (A.), 13:17:15. 11; J. F. C. Morgans (C.). 12:17:19. 12. j 3 4 :38:! kd 3 eJ? 3 » fS' 3 : 40 : 46 7*'n r’ V .* rett <A >’ vSvS’ . B - Treleaven (C.). *■_ BaHlntine (C.). 3:41:11 0: C. A. Roberts (A.).' 3:41:13 wi-S. r>r ™ r 3:41:13, 12 vi i c points are pro* ™hj s Fit to decide a "ncidMts^nP^f® 1 ? arisln e fn>m moments in today’s racing. W,