Champions Again

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31316, 11 March 1967, Page 15

Champions Again

(N.Z. Preu Association) WELLINGTON. The Canterbury yacht Unique, the defending champion, has provisionally won the national R Class yachting championship for the Leander Cup, although there is still one of the five races still to be sailed. Unique, sailed by the Cooke brothers, Gavin and Colin won both the races at Evans Bay yesterday, although the result of the afternoon race is still to be confirmed. Unique, in all, had three wins yesterday. The protest made by the Cooke brothers against Mislead (Northland) after Thursday afternoon’s race was upheld and Unique was made winner of the race. The Canterbury yacht has had three wins and a second placing in the four

races to date, and has an unbeatable points lead. The unluckiest yacht in yesterday afternoon’s race was Repeat (D. Davies and R. Walker of Wellington).

Repeat was leading by about one minute on the first triangle when it lost Its spinnaker. It dropped back to finish eighth.

The race was the closest of the series. There was only a minute between Unique and the second yacht, Radiant (A. Shields and B. Taylor, Canterbury), and the next four finished within 35sec of each other.

Radiant also finished second to Unique in the morning, although capsizing on the final spinnaker run when victory appeared almost certain. Unique was most fortunate — it capsized in a gust just after crossing the line. Third Race.—Unique 1, Radiant 2. Altezza <T. Brandon and R. Berry, Wellington) 3. Repeat 4. Fourth Race.—Unique 1, Radiant 2, Cosmos <E. Dodds and w. Louden, Wellington) 3, Reprimand <W. Hayman and D. Smith, Wellington) 4. Unofficial over-ail points: Unique 380, Radiant 286, Cosmos 219.999, Reprimand 208.728.