Close racing in yacht trials

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32860, 8 March 1972, Page 18

Close racing in yacht trials

(New Zealand Preet Association)

AUCKLAND.

The New Zealand Olympic yachting trials began yesterday in bleak but invigorating sailing conditions off Torbay.

Conditions were a brisk east nor’-easter blowing 16 to 18 knots at the start but dropping to 10 knots at the finish. A long easterly swell with the tops breaking in a nasty slop made for conditions not too different from those expected to be found at Kiel for the Olympic events.

Nevertheless, finishing times were close, with only 57sec separating the first Solings to finish, 39sec between the first two Dragons, and in the Finn class, B. de Thier (Canterbury) was hard pressed by the former OK dinghy champion, C. A. Roberts, to take the gun by 6sec.

The first race of this regatta, which will last until Thursday of next week, was an invitation affair, and even if the prime purpose was only to give the visiting yachtsmen a look at the contest waters, it ,was sufficient to guarantee a close-fought series.

Results (Auckland boats and crews unless otherwise stated):— Finn.—B. de Thier (Christchurch) 1, C. A. Roberts 2, R. Bailey (Tauranga) '3, D. Schmidt 4, ~8. L. Morley 5, B. G. Winters (Christchurch) 6, B. E. Treleaven (Christchurch) 7, D. J. Campbell (Christchurch) 8, B. R. Watson 9, D. Eastmond (Christchurch) 10.

Flying Dutchman.—Takapuna (G. Smales, R. H. Roberts) 1, Cyrano (M. Ure, D. Hutchinson) 2, Helen of Troy (R. Thompson, G. Elliott) 3, Delilah (R. Bishop, R. Hill) 4, Ondine (G. Davis, O. Lennox-King) 5, Pandora (J. D. Hansen, B. Jones) 6, Lucius (I. McGill, N. Slbun) 7. Soling.—Solway Steamer (A.

• Ballantyne, Wellington) 1, Zeus (S Marten) 2, SoUtalre (H. D. ) Poole, Wellington) 3, Donnybrook t(P. Walker) 4, Vibrant (W. Moyes) 5, Solveig (J. E. Gilllng- > ham, Wellington) 6. Dragon.—Aotearoa (D. Green) 1, Barco Del Oro (R. J. Watson) 2, Komutu (R. Stones) 3, Samurai 1 (J. Grant) 4.