CLOSE CONTEST FOR N.Z. CAT TITLE

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30947, 31 December 1965, Page 15

CLOSE CONTEST FOR N.Z. CAT TITLE

Honours were evenly shared after two races for the New Zealand Open catamaran championship for the Kay Daniels Trophy at the Canterbury Yacht Club, Lyttelton, yesterday.

In an eventful day of racing, the Shearwater catamaran Scorpion sailed by R. Frost and N. Vincent, of the Pleasant Point club, led Scat, an A class catamaran, sailed monotype by G. Stanton of Charteris Bay, by only 6.6 points.

This was a day of contrasts with flat water and only a five to six-mile-an-hour breeze for the morning race. This was dominated by the single handed A class craft. Although at times the better two-man boats held their own it was not surprising that the monotypes took the first four places. But the margin of Scat was stunning to some. A surprise performance in this race was given by D. Turner, who sailed the 18-foot Bikini, Elusive, single handed to a well-merited second place.

After nominating a choice of two crew members it is doubtful whether he could legally sail his craft single-handed in the morning race. Also, during the race he committed a breach of the port-starboard rule with Kittyhawk. In the afternoon race, with P. Mayne as crew member, he sailed well to finish third on time, but was disqualified for being over the line at the start and not responding to the official recall. AFTERNOON

The afternoon race, sailed in a hard 25-knot north-easter with a sea running, was dominated by Scorpion. Apart from the first short beat and part of the top lead Frost and Vincent were clear and deserving winners by a large margin.

They gave a scintilating and impeccable performance. Haumoana, the new Shearwater of P. Priest and S. Henderson, of the Canterbury club, also had a good day and sailed impressively. Kittyhawk, the Yachting World class borrowed by the 1964 open champion, F. G. B. Simpson, and Crew, P. J Lawrence, of the Christchurch club, sailed very well considering it was their first outing of the season.

Although the single-handed A class dominated the morning race, the predictions that they could not last in a breeze and a sea proved correct. Not one finished in the afternoon race.

The best performer was again G. Stanton, who started three minutes late, but had worked his way up to sixth place when just north-east of the Canterbury club about four feet of his starboard hull sheared off. Five yachts which completed the race, but did not sign their declaration forms as instructed by the sailing committee, relegated. They will receive the same points as those which did not finish.

The final race in the open series will be sailed at 10 a.m. this morning. Championship points after two races:—

Scorpion, 115.6 points, 1; Scat

109, 2; Haumoana, 86.66, 3; Kittyhawk, 83.33, 4. Handicap points after two races: Scorpion, 115.6 points, 1; Leo, 109, 2; Kittyhawk, 90, 3; Haumoana, 88.88, 4. Results were: N.Z. Open Catamaran Championship (Kay Daniel trophy—lB started). —Scat, A class (G. Stanton, Charteris Bay), 11:45:26, 1; Elusive, Bikini (D. Turner, Mt. Pleasant), 11:49:38, 2; Safari, A class (I. Mclntyre, Mt. Pleasant), 11:50:10, 3; Hi Fi, A class (R. B. Scott, Pleasant Point), 11:50:49, 4; Kittyhawk, Yachting World (F. G. B. Simpson and P. J. Lawrence, Christchurch), 11:51:50, 5; Leo, Yachting World (R. Skelton and E. Patterson, Greymouth), 11:52:02, 6.

Handicap Trophy.—Leo 1, Elusive 2, Kittyhawk 3. Third Championship Race (17 started). —Scorpion, Shearwater (R. Frost and N. Vincent, Pleasant Point). 3:07:28, 1: Haumoana, Shearwater (P. Priest and S. Henderson, Canterbury), 3:11:20, 2; Kittyhawk, Yachting World (F. C. B. Simpson and P. J. Lawrence, Christchurch), 3:15:16, 3; Thor, Shearwater (P. Berry and R. Manning, Evans Bay), 3:15:58, 4: Mr Lucky, Shearwater (R. Barter and K. Rountree, Evans Bay). 3:25:50, 5. Handicap Section. —Scorpion 1, Haumoana 2, Thor 3.