De Thier takes first two races in Finn contest

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32498, 7 January 1971, Page 18

De Thier takes first two races in Finn contest

(By our yachting reporter)

The Canterbury champion, B. G. .de Thier, attained a particularly high standard of yachtsmanship in winning the first two races of the 1971 New Zealand Finn class championship at Charteris Bay yesterday.

De Thier was strongly challenged in each of the heats but he responded magnificently to beat the title-holder, B. Watson (Auckland), by Bsec in the morning race, and J. G. Farmer (Rotorua) by an equally narrow margin later in the day.

Although de Thier’s double success has given him an impressive start in his quest for a third national championship title in this class, the outcome of the series is far from determined. Farmer, C. A. Roberts (Auckland), the Watson brothers, B. E. Treleaven (Canterbury), N. Everett (Auckland), B. Winters (Canterbury), R. Cooney (Auck-

land), and the Olympic Games silver medallist, H. Raudaschl (Austria), all displayed sufficient skill in at least one of the races to suggest that they were capable of slackening de Thier’s hold on the series should the leader relax during the tight schedule of seven races over four days.

BUSY AT FINISH In the opening heat, the first 10 boats had crossed the finishing line within 3min of de Thier receiving the victor’s gun; officials were given an even busier assignment in the afternoon when the time lapse between first and twenty-fifth was only 4min. Two more exciting finishes could hardly be imagined. De Thier trailed B. Watson for most of the course in the morning before managing to slip past his Auckland rival soon after they had begun the final slog into the wind. A tense tactical duel then developed, Watson going about regularly, trying desperately to wrest back the initiative. But every move that he made was covered expertly by the determined de Thier and Watson had to be content with second place. SECOND CLASH The tussle for supremacy between de Thier and Farmer in the afternoon was even more absorbing. There had been no more than lOsec between them throughout the triangle section of the course, and it was only when de Thiei opened up a 30sec gap on the windward leg mat either was able to gain the upper hand. This ascendancy was to be short-lived, however, as Fanner came within a few boat-lengths of de Thier before the leeward mark was reached. Then once again the battle for the major placing ensued, with Fanner the antagonist and de Thier assuming his earlier role of defender.

Farmer tacked at least a dozen, possibly 20, times on

the arduous beat into the fresh easterly. De Thier once more had all the answers, holding Farmer at bay by 7sec. MANY UPS AND DOWNS The quality of the fleet ensured intense competition and this, combined with the change from light to moderate conditions during the day, resulted in many skippers returning dissimilar placings in the two races. Roberts was the most notable example. His third placing in the afternoon had been preceded by a disappointing twenty-third.

But this was the general trend: B. Watson dropped to tenth in the second heat, Treleaven had a third and, partly because of a capsize, a fourteenth; Cooney was fourth and then twelfth; R. Wills (Canterbury) slipped from sixth to twenty-fifth; A. Ballintine (Wellington) recorded a twenty-first and an eighth, and Winters shrugged off the frustration of a twenty-second to have a most creditable fourth a few hours later.

SECOND PLACE SHARED After discarding their least impressive performance. Fanner and B. Watson share second position with three points conceded under the Olympic low-scoring system. De Thier, of course, retains a perfect score. Equal fourth are Treleaven and Roberts, losing 5.7 points for their thirds while Winters and Cooney have yielded eight points apiece. Everett (10) is next, ahead of Wills and R. Watson (11.7). The series will continue with two more races today, a similar programme tomorrow and the final heat on Saturday.

Yesterday’s results:

First race (33 started).—Finnsarby (B. G. de Thier, Canterbury), Ihr 23min 59sec. 1; Finntasia (B. Watson, Auckland), 1:24.7, 2; Jan (B. E. Treleaven, Canterbury), 1:24.40, 3; Finnacy (R. Cooney, Auckland), 1:24.56, 4;

Topaz (J. G. Farmer. Rotorua). 1:24:58, 5; Finora (R. Wills, Canterbury), 1:25.46, 6; Finnkeen (G. Gibbs, Wellington), 1:26.8, 7; Flnella (N. Everett, Auckland), 1:26.9 8; Flnnakin (R. Watson, Auckland), 1:26.36, 9; Finnlandla (H. Raudascbl, Austria), 1:26.41, 10. Second race (33 started).—de Thler, Ihr 14min 41sec, 1; Far- ; mer, 1:14.48, 2; Finn de Slecle (C. A. Roberts, Auckland), 1:14.54, . 3; Tiffany (B. Winters, Canterbury), 1:15.1, 4; Everett, 1:15.9, ' 5; R. Watson, 1:15.20, 6; Rau- ' daschl, 1:15.22, 7; Finrua (A. Balllntihe. Wellington), 1:15.27, 8; Monica (R. Bailey, Tauranga), ; 1:15.39, 9; B. Watson, 1:15.57, 10.