YACHTING Offshore Practice For Olympic Finn Trials

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30367, 17 February 1964, Page 6

YACHTING Offshore Practice For Olympic Finn Trials

The Canterbury Finn title-holder, B. de Thier, faced stiff competition in four races sailed in Sumner Bay at the week-end as a practice for skippers intending to participate in the New Zealand Olympic trials at Napier in June. He returned fastest time in the right-boat Finn fleet in two heats, but was disqualified from one race after having reported himself at fault in collision with another boat.

De Thier finished the first heat on Saturday Id oold southerly wind and lumpy water a minute and a half clear of the fleet However, the second boat—with J. Wearn at the helm—was given the race after de Thier had informed officials of his contact with Wearn earlier in the day. It was. the best finish in the Olympic Finn class this season, five boats crossmg the line in five seconds. Seconds Apart Wearn beat the former Canterbury champion in the class, A. J.. F. Ballintine, by two seconds; and they were followed in by the 1960 Olympic trialist, D. Bryson, G. D. Hobson, and A. F. Raper, file young Mount Pleasant boy who has just left the Junior Cherub class—each a second apart. Ballintine did not sail in the second race on Saturday; and after winning the third heat yesterday, he decided not to race in the fourth heat

The skipper who could have provided the toughest competition for the yachtsmen, P. G. Miander, was in a patrol boat helping to conduct file series. Long Sail to Start A newcomer joined the fleet for the second heat on Saturday. He was P. F. Pritchett, who had sailed round to Sumner from Charteris Bay in his Finn. To get him to the start on time F. G. B. Simpson gave him a tow over the final stages with a motorboat ‘ The wind backed after the

start of the second race and after consultation Mender and Simpson, deciding that the series was for practice bather than for kudos and placings, shifted marks. The effect of this was to provide windward beats rather than leading legs. Beata Withdraw Some yachts had already started on one stretch when fiie mark ahead was moved and one or two crews, in confusion or annoyance or a combination of both, pulled out. The main interest yesterday was in two R Class ■dinghies and a. 14-footer, the latter a Javelin skippered by W. Beere. Although pressed in the early stages of each heat by the Snelgrove brothers, of Sumner, the Cooke brothers, of the Waimakariri, were first home in the dinghy sections; but once the Cookes were beaten by Beere and a scratch crew. Leader Loses Places In the third heat, sailed yesterday, the Snelgroves led a fleet of 16 boats to the top mark ..by a couple of lengths from the Cookes, with Beere about 50 yards back. Towards the end of the next dead run before the easterly the Snelgroves lost their spinnaker pole overboard and lost two places pausing to recover it N. Hey and J. Cullens, in a Javelin, capsized; and B. E. Treleaven and J. B, Simpson, in an R Class dinghy, withdrew after breaking a main boom. Once more the Finns had an excellent fight, with Bal-

lintine showing a three-second edge over de Thier with Bryson—who has demonstrated a pleasing return to form on the last two months—in third position five seconds back. It was late in the afternoon and the wind was dropping when J. Wearn—no doubt spurred on by the thought of having to pack and fly to Australia at tea time—led the Finns towards the finish. The urge to. maintain prestige was obviously a more powerful stimulant, for de Thier overtook him and was given the gun. Results were:— • . Olympic. Finns.—First Heat (eight started): Jolifin (J. s. wearn) 3:16.30, 1; Finrua (A J. F. Ballintine) 3:16.32, 2; Pandora (D. Bryson) 3:16.33, 3; Finance (G. D. Hobson) 8:16.34, 4; Rangi-Marie (A. F. Raper) 3 . :1 ®i 35 . 5 . Second heat (eight started): Finn Sarby (B. de Thier) 4:47.50, 1: Finance, 4:49.28, 2; Jolifin 4:49.38, 3. Third heel (seven started): Finrua. 3:19.13, 1; Finn Sarby, 3:19.16, 2; Pandora. 3:19.23, 3. Fourth heat (six started): Finn Sarby, 4:13.2- 1: Jolifin, 4:13.45, 2; Solo (J. F. C. Morgans). 4:13.53, 3.