P class yachting at Pigeon Bay

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32798, 24 December 1971, Page 15

P class yachting at Pigeon Bay

The Canterbury contenders for national P class inter-provincial and inter-club honours next month will have their final serious competition when they take part in the South Island championship at Pigeon Bay, beginning on Sunday.

P. Maynard, who recently earned the responsibility of defending the Tanner Cup,

won for the province by T. K. Stevens a year ago, should be able to gauge his prospects of success to some extent when he meets the Otago, Nelson and possibly West Coast champions during the three-race contest. A total of 25 entries has been received for the island series, which is to be sailed in conjunction with the Pigeon Bay club's regatta. The young P Class skippers have also been provided with handicap events on the regatta programme and the extensive competition will be most valuable in their preparation for the cup races at Lyttelton between January 8 and 15.

Although his convincing victory in the trials entitles him to favouritism, Maynard can ill afford to relax his concentration at Pigeon Bay. He was relegated to third, behind E. L. Snowden and S- Mander, in the opening Graham Mander Trophy heat at the Estuary last week-end and will also need to keep a watchful eye on Miss R. Shields, C. Roberts and Miss M. A. Stemmer. The usual light easterly conditions at the bay may be expected to assist the three Nelson entrants for similar breezes regularly prevail over their home waters. Local skippers will similarly require little adjustment in their tactics, with the promising J. Fowler, from Akaroa, likely to lead their challenge. Each of the three races has been scheduled for afternoon starting times on a separate Olympic-type course from that being used by the other regatta classes.