Castanet Handicap Winner

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31580, 18 January 1968, Page 11

Castanet Handicap Winner

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND. The 30ft sloop Castanet (L. Carmichael), has been declared the provisional over-all winner of the 1517mile Hobart-Auckland yacht race. Castanet finished the race just after 7.30 a.m. yesterday to beat the Sydney-Hobart handicap winner, Rainbow II (C. Bouzaid) by 27min 13sec on handicap. Rainbow II arrived home to a tremendous welcome at 9

p.m. yesterday. The nine-boat fleet is now back in Auckland after one of the longest ocean races in the world. Line honours in the race went to J. Davern’s Fidelis. Rainbow 11, the first overseas boat to win the SydneyHobart ocean classic, is now. like Fidelis, for sale. “I am in no hurry to quit Rainbow, but she’s up for sale if anybody wants her,” Bouzaid said yesterday. “I never keep boats for long and Rainbow II has accomplished what I had her built for—the Sydney to Hobart race.” The 26-year-old Carmichael

knew he had to finish soon after 8 a.m. yesterday to beat Rainbow. He and his crew bad been working hard to stay within striking distance of Bouzaid all the way down the New Zealand coast. “Then we hit this flat spot off Rodney and sat there helpless for nearly an hour,” said Carmichael. “This was the worst part of the whole trip, waiting for the wind to pick up again. “Fortunately It did, and we made it to the finish with half an hour to spare.” Castanet was launched only days before the trial series for the Southern Cross Cup late last year and completely fitted out inside hours before the trip across the Tasman for the cup series and the SydneyHobart race.

The welcome for Rainbow II rocked yachtsmen on their heels. Thousands lined the waterfront and Orakei Wharf to cheer home the first New Zealand boat to win the Sydney-Hobart classic. A fleet of keelers and runabouts went out to escort Rainbow in and played lights on her sails as sirens, rockets, a brass band, and the cheering crowd added to the occasion. Provisional results:— Castanet (L. Carmichael). 7 days, 21 hours 6min and 47sec, 1; Rainbow II <C. Bouzaid). 7:21:34:00. 2: Satanita <J. Smith). 8:8:20:36, 3: Carold Anne (P. Battersby), 8:14:43:01, 4; Myth of Arran <Di Reid), 8:17:30:39. 5; Sea Witch (C. Forbes). 8:19:43:38. 6; Kahurangi (W. Wilson). 9:1:46:10, 7: Fidelis (J. Davern). 9:3:1:48. 8; Southern Star (S. Harold), 9:06:30:13. 9.