Finn title to B. de Thier

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33426, 7 January 1974, Page 2

Finn title to B. de Thier

from Our Own Reporter

NELSON.

After many anxious moments, and greatly assisted by an outstanding performance by P. Rudling (Auckland), the Canterbury helmsman, B. G. de Thier, regained the New Zealand Finn class yachting championship at Nelson on Saturday.

De Thier had to be content with fourth placing in the seventh and final race, but his main rival, D. Schmidt (Auckland), sailed in the shadow of Rudling throughout the course and could not earn the maximum points he so desperately needed from this event.

Had Schmidt taken line honours, de Thier would have had to fill second position to stay ahead on aggregate. When Schmidt trailed only Rudling, and de Thier was no higher than seventh, at the first mark, it seemed that de Thier’s cause was all but lost.

But Rudling was determined to keep in front of the fleet this time. On more than one occasion during the series he had held the initiative for several legs before falling back because of tactical errors. REACHED BEST Tn beating Schmidt by Itnin. he reached the level of performance that he had promised in previous races. By discarding his fourth, de Thier finished with 11.7 points from three wins, two seconds and a third. Schmidt conceded 14.4 points as a result of his three wins, a second, two thirds and a noncounting fifth. N. R. Everett (Auckland), who was within lOsec of Schmidt on Saturday, was third over all with 30.4 points and displayed his consistency by being among the top five in every heat. Rudling (49) was fourth, followed by N. J. Paul (Auckland, 66.1), and the Canterbury pair,. J. S. Weam (70.4) and D. Eastmond (85). LIGHT CONDITIONS

The conditions for the final race were light to moderate, not as brisk as de Thier would perhaps have preferred and a little stronger than' the airs in which Schmidt was dominant during the week. De Thier could not really get going on the opening leg and his aggregate lead looked very slender when he was four places behind Schmidt. De Thier managed to work his way through to be only 20sec behind Everett at the line — and Imin 30sec behind Rudling — and he was among the first to acknowledge the high standard attained by Rudling. P. W. Letcher (Auckland) was both the happiest and

lunluckiest man in the conitest. He finished virtually as he had started —- with a! (broken tiller extension on his ; [new Finn. In between was a! (continuing tale of teething; [troubles, a disqualification, a i “win” in an abandoned race i i and even a gashed finger; i when retrieving his craft [ (from the water after his third | [placing in the sixth heat.

Fourth of the nine Canter- [ bury competitors was B. G. Winters (twelfth). H. Dimock was fourteenth, R. S. Wells fifteenth, P. Folter eighteenth, I D. J. Campbell twentieth, and R. Farmer third last. FIFTH TITLE

De Thier’s victory — his : fifth national title — earned him the right to represent [ New Zealand at the world Finn Gold Cup series at Long Beach. California, later this year, but he said on Saturday he was not certain of his availability for the international contest. Results:—

Seventh race.—P. Rudling (Auckland) 1, D. Schmidt (Auckland) 2. N. R. Everett (Auckland) 3, B. B. De Thier (Canterbury) 4, J. S. Wearn (Canterbury) 5, B. L. Morley (Auckland) 6, J. J. Paul (Auckland) 7, P. B. Nelson (Auckland) 8, D. Eastmond (Canterbury) 9, P. W. Letcher (Auckland) 10. Other Canterbury piacings: P. Folter 13, R. S. Welfe 15, D. J. Campbell 20, B. G. Winters 22. H. Dimock 25, R. Farmer 28. Aggregate points ibest six placings).—De Thier, 11.7 points, 1; Schmidt, 14.4. 2; Everett, 30.4, 3; Rudling. 49, 4; Paul. 66.1. 5; Weam, 70.4, 6; Eastmond. 85, 7; Morley. 85.7. 8; Nelson, 92.7, 9; A. Macfarlane (Wanaka). 98.7, 10; Letcher 105.7, 11; Winters, 109, 12; 81. A. Pope (Nelson). 117, 13; Dimock, 122. 14; Wells, 126, 15.