Roberts Has Narrow Lead In Finn Trials

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30481, 1 July 1964, Page 17

Roberts Has Narrow Lead In Finn Trials

"The Press" • Jpedal Service

NAPIER, June 30. The physical strength of the man, plus a successful gamble on a wind shift in the final minutes of the afternoon race, allowed the burly Aucklander, R. H. Roberts, to maintain his ead on points in the New Zealand Olympic Finn yachting trials today.

The line honours, however, went to Canterbury skippers, B. E. Treleaven winning in the morning and B. de Thier, the 18-year-old, romping away in the • afternoon. Progress points, with three races to be sailed and worst performances dropped, are: R. H. Roberts (Auckland), 2529, 1; B. E. Treleaven (Christchurch), 2279, 2; P. G. Mander (Christchurch), 2103, 3; B. de Thier (Mount Pleasant), 1763, 4; T. J. Speed (Auckland), 1386, 5; N. R. Everett (Auckland), 1082, 6: F, G. B. Simpson (Christchurch), 538, 7. Today’s results were: — Third Race.—Treleaven, 1:22:9, 1; Roberts, 1:24:31, 2; de Thier, 1:26:8, 3: Mander, 1:26:43, 4: Speed, 1:28:5,’ 5: Sjmpson, 1:28; 59, 6. Everett did not finish. Fourth Race.—de Thier,

1:34:3, 1; Treleaven. 1:34:39. J; Roberts, 1:36:13, 3; Mander, 1:36:15, 4; Speed, 1:36:35, 5; Everett, 1:36:41, 6: Simpson, 1:36:50, 7. .

The morning race was held in a 10-knot breeze and fairly large sea; and the afternoon trial in a variable breeze which reached 10 knots at its maximum but several times, dropped to almost nothing. It is hoped, over the. next three days before Olympic nominations close, that all seven race’s in the series ca.i be held. If not, five will suffice, according to a decision of the sailing committee. Mander 4th Twice

P. G. Mander, was fourth in both races today—in the morning because he was recalled at the start, and in the afternoon when Roberts laid the finishing line with an unexpectedly long tack to beat him by two seconds. Roberts, because of his strength which should last to the end, as it did in the 1960 trials at Auckland, may now have the measure of the fleet. But he is only a few points ahead of Treleaven (who had a first and a second today); de Thier’s run of bad luck seems to have ended; and Mander has drawn good

boats for the remaining races. This afternoon’s race was a tdpsy-turvey affair, three badly-placed skippers making gambles and failing. Fortunes See-Sawed De Thier and Mander Seemed out of the picture early on but as the wind swung were first and second to the first mark. Treleaven was last at the beginning of the second beat but suddenly was in second place.. Roberts was last with nearly half a mile to go when he picked up a northerly wind shift and sailed past four opponents. Imin 7&ec Lead

De Thier put time on the fleet on each of the first four legs to gain a maximum lead of Imin 7sec, and when Treleaven began to peg this back de Thier had him well covered.

Treleaven in the morning completed the course in lhr 22min, the fastest time in the 10 races sailed at Napier so far. De Thier was the leader at the first and second marks but Treleaven passed him off the wind, and gained a comfortable lead. Roberts also passed de Thier on the second beat.