Two Entries At Naples

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31988, 15 May 1969, Page 15

Two Entries At Naples

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND. New Zealand will have two yachts, instead of the usual one, competing in the world Flying Dutchman yachting championships on Naples Bay in July.

R. A. Watson and J. Scholes, who won the interDominion contest on the Waitemata Harbour at Easter, qualified to represent New Zealand in the world event.

The runners--.?, R. Thompson and C. Linton, also qualified for the contest, t)ut, as in the past, they were expected to compete in the subsidiary Flying Dutchman week, open to the No. 2 yachts of all countries.

However, a new ruling by the International Flying Dutchman Organisation entitles any country with 25 or more registered F.D. yachts to have two yachts in the world event. This means that both Watson and Thompson will sail in the main contest. The four New Zealanders will have two big contests in preparation for the world event. They will collect their yachts, which have been shipped ahead, at London and go from there to the British open championship at Poole. Then they will go to Germany for the Kiel week contests from June 22 to 29—at which the New Zealand One Ton Cup entry, Rainbow 11, will also be sailing, but on less sheltered waters.

The New Zealand squad will then have a week to prepare for the world contest at Naples. Thompson said today that the toughest competition in the world event should come from the Englishman, R. Patterson, winner of the Olympic gold medal in Superdocious, and the German yachts. Thompson said that the world championship fleet would number about 40, “but a fleet of that size should not make the racing difficult.” Both New_Zealand yachts

will take their usual heavy weather gear and newer, lighter equipment, so that they will be prepared for either condition.