FLYING DUTCHMAN TRIALS Smale Now Certain Of Olympic Place

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31659, 20 April 1968, Page 15

FLYING DUTCHMAN TRIALS Smale Now Certain Of Olympic Place

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. G. A. Smale (Auckland) won the fifth Flying Dutchman trial off Pakatoa Island yesterday. Unless he and his crew, R. H. Roberts, strike disaster in the two races planned for today, they will win the series, and nomination for the New Zealand yachting team for the Olympic Games.

Smale led from the first mark to the last and only on the first spinnaker leg, when R. A. Watson (Auckland) closed the gap to a few yards, was he seriously challenged. This was his fourth win in five races.

Watson, winner of the fourth trial on Thursday, had bad luck when he could not set his genoa on the last slog and had to withdraw in third place. J. V. Bilger (Auckland) was a comfortable second, H. O. L. Pedersen (Auckland), the reigning Olympic champion, equalled his best placing of the trial, with third, and G. S. Mander (Christchurch) was fourth. Smale’s points lead is now

substantial, if not unbeatable. He has 5.7, Mander 25, Bilger 33.7, Pedersen 42.4, Watson 50.7 (after incurring a 25-point penalty for withdrawing), and R. Thompson 59.1. With their worst performances deducted the leaders are: Smale 0, Mander 17, Bilger 22, Watson 25.7, Pedersen 29.4, J. Mackay (Auckland) 44.7, Thompson 46.1, L. Anderson (Auckland) 55.7, D. Eastmond (Christchurch) 61. The casualties —no fewer than five yachts withdrew—began even before the race started. A sudden, fierce gale on Thursday night tossed the yachts around like confetti, and it was astonishing that the only serious casualty was a broken mast on D. Cox’s yacht. He did not start yesterday. The race began in a light i breeze and warm sunshine, but before long the bad conditions that have dogged the contest reappeared. It became a battle against rising seas and a small gale. H. D. Poole, of Wellington, came to grief, while J. Workman (Napier) had already headed for home. If the conditions bothered Smale, they did not slow him down, and he was,sosec clear of Watson at the top mark, 90sec ahead of Bilger and 2min 20sec away from Pedersen, while Thompson and Mander battled away at the tail of the leading bunch. : Watson seemed to cut down; Smale’s lead early on the last! spinnaker lead, but Smale regained the lost ground. He did not make a mistake on! the last slog and came home well clear of Bilger, while Mander moved up to fourth ahead of Thompson.