Aust, boat takes first One Ton Cup race

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32541, 26 February 1971, Page 22

Aust, boat takes first One Ton Cup race

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, February 25. Leading the fleet all the way, the Australian entry Stormy Petrel was an easy winner of the first race of the One Ton Cup series, in the Hauraki Gulf yesterday.

In unexpectedly tranquil conditions the 36ft 6in white-hulled yacht, sailed by S. Fischer, finished more than smin ahead of the German boat Apecist (O. Fischer).

Young Nick (A. B. Warwick), the first New Zealand boat to finish, was in third place, about IJmin behind

Apecist. The reigning One Ton Cup champion, C. B. Bouzaid, sailing Wai-Aniwa, was 15J min behind the leaders, in seventh position. Joran (Switzerland, J. C. Berger) was fourth. Escapade (New Zealand, G. Hedges) fifth, and Optimist B (Germany, H. Beilken) sixth.

A surprising eighth was the Canadian boat, Mustang (J. Beatson), which moved from second to last at the fifth buoy, the one before the beat to the finish. Other placings were: Kerkyra (Italy) 9, Victoria (Sweden) 10, Concord (Britain) 11, Runaway (Germany) 12, Kishmul (Sweden) 13, Maria (Australia) 14, Ceil (Hong Kong) 15, Outrage (Britain) 16, Warrie (Australia) 17. Two hours before the start of the race, in the area bounded by Rangitoto, Tiri and the East Coast bays, the

north-east wind was gusting to 40 knots, and the sea was violently rough. As the gun sounded at 11 a.m., the wind was blowing at eight or 10 knots from the south-west, and the sea was rapidly flattening. Wai-Aniwa had been installed as the pre-contest favourite because of her excellent showing in the recent national trials. Yester-

day, however, she was never in the race. -

Bouzaid’s explanation was brief: “We couldn’t get any wind.”

There was a sensation at the start when all 17 competitors ignored a recall signal fired by the starters. The arrangement for a fast boat or boats to cross the fleet as an additional signal for a general recall was not used.