NOUMEA MOVE FOR EARLY YACHT RACE

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31584, 23 January 1968, Page 13

NOUMEA MOVE FOR EARLY YACHT RACE

(New Zealand Press Association) WHANGAREI. Pen Duick 111, the French schooner which was first home in the recent Sydney to Hobart yacht race, will compete in the next Whangarei to Noumea race.

The race had been scheduled for 1971, but the French Government, the Noumea City Corporation, and the Noumea Yacht Club have asked that the race be advanced a year. The request to advance the race was brought to the Onerahi Yacht Club by the president of the Noumea club (Mr H. Berton), who was in Whangarei at the week-end. He said the owner of Pen Duick HI (E. Taberley)

planned to sail in the next race, whether it was held in 1970 or 1971. Yesterday the commodore of the Onerahi Yacht Club (Mr C. R. Southey), said his club could run the race a year earlier, but planning could not start until Operahi and the Royal Akarana Yacht Clubs had conferred. At present there is an agreement between the two clubs to hold an ocean race ’ out of New Zealand every two years. Akarana will hold the Auckland to Suva race next year. Mr Berton told Mr Southey and his host, Mr D. C. Waterhouse (who was commodore during last year’s Whangarei to Noumea race) that New Caledonia was keen to have

the race more frequently than at four-yearly intervals. The possibility of the 1970 date being acceptable is complicated by a single-handed race from New Plymouth to Brisbane, and by a suggestion that there could be a race from Tauranga to Tonga that year. No decision will be made for some time. Mr Berton also said that a group of Noumea businessmen would build or charter a yacht for the next race.