Mander wins title

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33154, 19 February 1973, Page 3

Mander wins title

G. S. Mander, a national champion in a number of classes during an illustrious yachting career, made a welcome return to competitive sailing at Lyttelton yesterday and skippered John Wesley Hardin to victory in the Canterbury Javelin championship.

A former South Pacific title-winner in the hands of J. V. Bilger and M. A. Ross (Auckland), John Wesley Hardin won all four heats. On Saturday it was crewed by P. G. Beaumont and R. Eastmond, but Beaumont was not available for yesterday’s two races and was replaced by Mander. In fashioning their unbeaten record, Beaumont, Mander and Eastmond brought to an end the Psyche Trophy dominance that had been exerted by D. Elder since the 1969-70 season. However, there were some excuses for Elder’s slip to second. His regular for’ard hand, R. May, was not able to take part in the series—the substitute was R. Norris —and much of the gear on his boat, Kehua, is still relatively untried.

TOUGH CHALLENGE After winning the first heat by Ijmin, Beaumont and Eastmond were severely tested by K. May and J. Boraston in the light and flukey conditions which prevailed on Saturday afternoon, only 47sec separating the two yachts. Elder had his most prosperous moments of the contest yesterday morning when he led almost to the last leg of the course, only to be overtaken by Mander and Eastmond, who won by Imin, and then C. and I. Smith.

Results:— Canterbury Javelin Championship Race 1: John Wesley Hardin (P. G. Beaumont and R. Eastmond) I. Kehua (D. Elder and R. Norris) 2. Sundowner (C. and I. Smith) 3, Kay Jay (K. May and J. Boraston) 4. Race 2: John Wesley Hardin 1, Kay Jay 2, Sundowner 3. Kehua 4. Race 3: John Wesley Hardin (G. S. Mander and Eastmond) 1, Kehua 2, Sundowner 3, Ra (C. White and L. Thurlow) 4. Race 4: John Wesley Hardin 1. Sundowner -2. Kehua 3, Kay Jay 4.

Over-all: John Wesley Hardin 1, Kehua 2, Sundowner 3.

Canterbury R Class Championship Race 1: Relent (J. Rountree and P. Townsend) 1, Renegade 18. Kitson and M. Willson) 2, Bondi Beige (R. Ineson and I. I,e Page) 3. Frenzy (A. W. Shields and J. Smith) 4. Race 2: Frenzy 1, Relent 2, Renegade 3, Guru (I. and N. Jackson) 4. Race 3: Relent 1, Bondi Beige 2, Renegade 3, Frenzy 4. Race 4: Relent 1, Renegade 2. Frenzy 3, Bondi Beige 4. Over-all: Relent 1, Renegade 2, Frenzy 3, Bondi Beige 4.