YACHTING C. G. Banks Wins Regatta Trophy

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30106, 15 April 1963, Page 12

YACHTING C. G. Banks Wins Regatta Trophy

A record number of 59 boats, some from as far afield as Timaru and Nelson, competed in the Wainiakariri Sailing Club’s Easter regatta at Kairaki during the week-end. The main event, the Echo Trophy, was won by a skipper from the host club. C. G. Banks, at the helm of an Olympic Finn yacht. Banks, a veteran, was responsible Cor building many of the early wooden Finns in Canterbury several years ago. but in the last two seasons he has devoted much of his support to the international OK dinghy class, sometimes termed a “junior Finn." Yesterday morning, when the Echo Trophy was sailed, there were some of the oddest conditions seen in Canterbury sailing. The wind sighed in fits and starts from northeast, from south-west, and from north-west and also from south-east and sundry other pointe and, having died to leave the fleet becalmed for over an hour, gusted from the south-west suddenly, spreadeagling several craft and causing others to retire. The Mark Foy siart became, in such conditions, a fiasco. The early boats away would cross the line and many of them could hold so little of the air in their sails that their boats drifted backwards on the ebbing tide. As the minutes went by the faster boats became eligible for racing and most of the fleet was eventually piled up within 60 or 70 yards of each other. When the wind blew, handicaps counted for nothing and none of the slower boats had a chance of a placing. Banks used his knowledge of local conditions to advantage, and was applauded over the finish line. His time was more than four minutes better than that returned by P. G. Mander to a Banks-built boat; but the latter made no errors in the afternoon. Olympic Finns

In a race sailed by the Olympic Finn class to a cutting, dry breeze, which swept steadily over the grey river from the south, Mander made the fleet took like hacks, having gained more than a minute by the time the first of three rounds was completed and continuing racking up marginal length after length at a similar rate until the course was done. The six boats which were behind slid through the water beautifully, but skippers were more concerned about their chances in tight competition which held them- together at all times at no more than 40 seconds apart than for aesthetic considerations.

Mander gave the R class fleet a five minutes’ start and only three R’s managed to beat him home, even the winning craft —G. J. Cooke’s Fantastic, which won without trouble—having to concede nearly a minute to the Finn.

The Waimakariri’s best interclub fleet of P class boats for juniors—l 4 of them, was out during the week-end.

It was the first time three 14ft Javelins had been seen together in Canterbury. One of them came from Lyttelton and was sailed by C. J. Barter, who reintroduced the X class to Canterbury after a break of several years only a few months ago. One of the Javelins was sailed by W. Beere. a former Finn helmsman, who had in the water for the first time the forerunner of a com-mercially-built line of this ciass in Christchurch.

Results, showing handicaps and corrected finishing times.

Open Events Open Class. Zenith OK dinghy (D. Hobson, Christchurch). lOmin, 12:37.45, 1; Huntaway. Junior Cherub (I. Smith. Mount Pleasant), 4min. 12:38:2. 2; Piranha, Junior Cherub (C. Boulton, Mount Pleasant), 7min, 12:39:23, 3; Okarito, OK dinghy (C. Le Breton, Waimakariri), Bmln, 12:40:34, 4: Miss Okay, OK dinghy (T. Beere. Christchurch). 9min. 12:40:48. 5. Echo Trophy.—Ftoora, Finn (C. G. Banks, Waimakariri). scr. 12:13:18, 1: Elfin. Finn (D. Eastmond, Charteris Bay), scr. 12:14:12. 2; Finlandia, Finn (A. B. McKenzie. Waimakariri), 3 min, 12:17:2, 3; Fantastic, R. class (G. J. and C. J. Cooke. Waimakariri). scr. 12:17:9, 4; Fintahi. Finn (P. G. Mander. Christchurch), scr. 12:17:28, 5; Tempest, R class (G. Wilson and R J. Greenaway, Waimakariri). scr, 12:17:57, 6; Finance, Finn (G. D Hobson, Canterbury), scr. 12:18:10, 7; Huckleberry 11, Finn (N Ware. Charteris Bay), Imin. and Finessa Finn (M. E. Pope. Nelson), scr. 12:18:45 (equal) 9, Calypso, Javelin (S., Loader, Mount Pleasant). smin. 12:19:34, 10.

P Class.—First race: Conquest (M. Agnew. Mount Pleasant), scr. 1137:30. 1; Bubbles (B. Me. Ewan. Waimakariri), smto, 11:50:30. 2; Puck (B. Hanlon, Christchurch). 4mta, 12:0:16. 3. Second race: Chuckles (J. Masson. Christchurch). 4min. 3:11:43 1; Shrimp (M. Watkins. Mount Pleasant), aniin. 3:12:24. 2; Red Shadow (P. Baillie. Timaru), 2 mtn. 3:14:1. 3. Third race: Conquest. scr. 12:3:19. 1; Red Shadow, Imin, 12:30:27, 2.

Fourth race: Conquest, scr, 2:5<:8, 1; Tuna iG. Ltoo-n. .mount Pjeasuuit), 2nun, 2:57:5b. 2; educates. imui, sta>:so. 3. Olympic Finns.—First race: Hi Jinx (K. A. Barglove, WaunaKa.irn, Imin, 4:i:24>, 1; iiiwra (<.. G. Banas, Waimancaiiri). 1 nun, 4:2:31, 2; Finance (G. D. Honson, Caoterouiy i, iiiun, 4:3’.15, 3; Loalin’ 100 (F. r. Primiiiet.t, Charteris Bay), linin. 4:a:«U, 4; Cougiun <r. G. u. bimipson. Gnnsw-nureh), Imin 4:o:ou, a. Second rax: Huckleberry H (N. Ware, Charter!* Bay). 4inin, 3:46:10. 1; Fintaiu ,P. G. Mandur, Ciiiristoluio.li), scr, 3:46.56, 2; Coughin’, 3m4n. 3:47:4, 3; Finance, 2mm, 3:47:11. 4; Finora, 2min, 3:47:23. 5. K Class. —First race: Tempest (G. Wilson and R. J. Greenaway , W admakariri), 3tnin. 3:49:43. 1; Fantastic (G. J. and C. J. Cooke. Wamtakariri), scr, 3:50:38. 2; Beta (K. Toured and M. Sei wood. Waimatorm), 1 min. 3:52:6, 3; Retort iD. Harrison and J. B. Watson, Wannaaairiri). 2mm. 3:02:2u, 4; Ramrod IJ. B. Simpson and R. Davies. Christchurch). 4min, 3:53:31, 5. Second race: Fantastic, scr. 3:43:5, 1; Tempest. Imin. 3:43:43, 1; Retail II (J. Dickson and B. Waliaee, Umaru). 3iiun., 3:44:7, 3; Rondo (M. Robertson and P. Braithwaite. Mount Pleasant), sml n, 3:45:5, 4; Flirt (I. Donaldson and D. Hutton. Waiiimakar riri), 2mln, 3:45:47, 5.

OK Dinghies.—First race: Yak (L. S. Bamford, Christchurch), ser. 4:12:31. 1; Sitazam tJ. Reynolds. Pleasant Point), smm. 4:13:15. 2; Zenith (D. Hobson. Christchurch), linin, 4:14:50, 3; Orpheus (R. Brewer, Pleasant Point), 2min, 4:16:43, 4; Phantom (G. Oliver, Christchurch). Imin. 4:18:35, 5. Second race: Orpheus. smm, 3:54:10. 1: Spectre (J. Oliver. Christchurch), ser, 3:55:55, 2; Zenith, 2min, 3:56:18, 3: Orphan (C. Vincent. Waimakariri). scr. 3:66:411, 4; Pepe (R. Thorne, Mount Pleasant). 2min, 3:57:0, 5. Cherubs.—First race: Piranlia (C. Boulton. Mount Pleasant). Imin, 4:29:28, 1; Huntaway (I. Smith. Mount Pleasant), ser. 4:31:9. 2. Second race: Thyme (R. Mackay and B. Pickering, Christen utoh), 4:0:40, 1: Piranha (E, J. Hountree, Charteris Bay), scr, 4:6:56, 2; Huntaway, scr. 4:10:2. 3. The regatta will conclude today with championship events in all classes.