De Thier takes grip of Finn title

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33425, 5 January 1974, Page 3

De Thier takes grip of Finn title

(From ]. O. COFFEY)

B. G. de Thier (Canterbury) and D. Schmidt (Auckland) continue to fill the leading roles in the New Zealand Finnclass yachting championship at Nelson — but by the end of the fourth day of competition yesterday de Thier had strengthened his prospect of victory.

With the final race to be sailed early this afternoon, de Thier has conceded only six points from three firsts and two seconds (and a discarded third). Schmidt’s loss of 11.4 points is the product of three wins, two thirds, and j a non-counting fifth. De Thier and Schmidt have been locked in exhilarating rivalry since the contest began on New Year’s Day. De Thier now requires a second placing in today’s race to have won the New Zealand Finn Cup for the fifth time in nine seasons. MODERATE BREEZES For the second consecutive day, Schmidt went ahead on the aggregate points table I after capitalising on light conditions in the morning, only to fall behind when de Thier showed his preference for the moderate afternoon breezes which are characteristic of Tasman Bay. But there was added drama before de Thier was confirmed as the winner of the sixth heat. He and Schmidt duelled vigorously throughout the third leg of the course—to the extent that they allowed N. R. Everett (Auckland) to slip j through to the front—and

Schmidt emerged from the tussle with his protest flag flying. Everett continued to lead until the fleet rounded the last buoy, and de Thier had to work hard to take line honours. Schmidt faded somewhat, to fifth, and did not improve his position when the protest committee ruled against him, after a hearing lasting more than 75 minutes. In the light of previous events, the seventh heat today should lead to yet another clash of skills between de Thier and Schmidt. The early-afternoon start should provide breezes a little more brisk than those in which Schmidt has done best, but a degree below the winds in which de Thier has held command. LEADING SUPPORTS

Everett and P. Rudling (Auckland) have been cast as the leading supports to the two principals in a majority of races, and impress as the two helmsmen capable of upsetting de Thier’s plans if the Canterbury skipper is to be beaten. Indeed, Rudling appeared poised to break the de ThierSchmidt monopoly yesterday morning when he led the favourites at the end of the triangle section of the Olympic-style course. But such was his fall from grace on the last three legs that he came home a modest eleventh, and it was left to Schmidt to capture attention by keeping a determined de Thier at bay. The luffing match between de Thier and Schmidt was the feature of the afternoon race, even before the subsequent protest. Everett’s second, after his third placing of a few hours earlier, kept him comfortably ahead of the

rest of the entrants, if somewhat in the wake of de Thier and Schmidt on aggregate. Rudling registered his fourth fourth in six appearances to regain that position over-all from J. S. Wearn (Canterbury).

CANTERBURY HELMSMEN Another member of the powerful Auckland contingent, N. J. Paul, also moved ahead of Wearn. A fine fourth and then a tenth promoted D. Eastmond (Canterbury) to a very creditable seventh, ahead of the Auckland pair, B. L. Morley and P. B. Nelson, and A. Macfarlane (Wanaka). Three other Canterbury helmsmen showed improvement to record their best placings in the championships. H. Dimock (ninth in the fifth heat) and P. Folter (eighth in the next) were among the top 10 for the first time. R. Farmer has the distinction of having bettered his previous performance in every event so far.

Results:— Fifth race.—D. Schmidt (Auckland) 1. B. G. de Thier (Canter- i bury) 2, N. R. Everett (Auckland) 3, D. Eastmond (Canterbury) 4, D. Copperthwaite (Auck-I land) 5, J. S. Wearn (Canterbury) l 6, M. A. Pope (Nelson). 7. L. K.I Hope (Nelson) 8. H. Dimock (Canterbury) 9, B. L. Morley (Auckland) 10. Other Canterbury placings: B. G. Winters 11, R. S. Wells 16. D. J. Campbell 22, R. Farmer 23, P. Folter 26. Sixth race.—De Thier 1, Everett 2. P. W. Letcher (Auckland) 3, P. Rudling 4, Schmidt 5, N. J. Paul (Auckland) 6, P. B. Nelson (Auckland) 7. Folter 8, Morley 9, Eastmond 10. Other Canterbury placings: Dimock 15, Wearn 16. Winters 18, Campbell 26. Farmer 31. Unofficial aggregate points (best five placings in six races). —De Thier. 6 points, 1; Schmidt, 11.4, 2; Everett. 24.7. 3; Rudling, 49, 4; Paul. 53.1, 5; Wearn, 60.4, 6; Eastmond, 70. 7; Morley, 74, 8; Nelson, 78.7, 9: A. Macfarlane (Wanaka), 81.7, 10.