LYTTELTON RACE Pathfinder extends handicap lead

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33433, 15 January 1974, Page 14

LYTTELTON RACE Pathfinder extends handicap lead

The Auckland One-Tonner Pathfinder (1. Htchener) has consolidated her hold on the over-all handicap placings in the Wales Auckland to Lyttelton yacht race, and last evening "as known to be in second place, about 50 miles due east of Napier, in the battle for line honours.

The leading yacht is presumed to be the 73ft Buccaneer (T. E. Clark, Auckland), which might be up to BO miles ahead, hut as the yacht did not answer the compulsory radio link at 7.10 ]p.m„ her position reimains a matter of guesswork. Her position is likely to be] pin-pointed this morning by: a Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion aircraft on a routine flight. The yachts which replied! to the position check—the; Wellington ketch Sundancel (R, A. McKenzie) was the only one besides Buccaneer; to miss—placed themselves I in an area more than 200! miles long and about 20\ miles wide. KETCH WITHDRAWS The light going is obviously making it a slow trip for the heavier entrants, and one, the 56ft ketch Nereides (R. A. Owens, Tauranga) has with-

y drawn from the race and will ,'motor-sail to Lyttelton. For most of the da\ the ; fleet encountered breezes of I five to 10 knots from the east-south-east. These are I not conducive to fast times, i but the heavy swell en;countered during Sunday has i moderated, and this should lhelp the light-displacement I craft, such as Whispers 11. ! On last evening’s positions, Whispers TI (G. Stagg, Wellington) was lying second in The fleet, about a mile behind Pathfinder, with Wai-Aniwa (D. G. and M. G. Ormsby) I six miles further back. Then came another of the Auckland One-tonners, Escapade (D. St C. Brown), the 45ft [Sloop, Aroha (R. Ferrier,: ; Auckland), and the 53ft I yawl, Kochab II (T. Nesbitt, i Auckland). TRIMARAN LAST ; Carrying the lanternej rouge at the rear of the fleet was the big Lyttelton tri-j maran, Lady G. (G. Copland),! but the position given was! so far behind the others of I her class that there is some: doubt as to whether Lady G. is continuing the race or returning to Auckland. ' South-east winds of 10 to! 20 knots are predicted for the] Cook Strait area today,; which should help the I leaders. Further down the, South Island coast the winds will moderate to between five and 15 knots, but will! also veer to the east, making it eased-sheets sailing. Handicap positions computed for the race organisers, the Banks Peninsula Cruising Club, are worked on “corrected distance covered” (not to be confused with the actual position of the yacht). These put Pathfinder 409 miles along the way, with Wai-Aniwa second over-all at 394 miles.. Escapade (3861, T. Fyfe’s Auckland Halftonner, Mokoia (354) and Whispers II (353) are next on handicap. 1 Leading handicap positions!

1 for each of the five divisions are:— ■> 1.0. R.—A Whispers 11. 353 (.miles: Aroha, 343; Kochab 11. ? .323; Buccaneer's position not , reported. LOR— B: Pathfinder. 409; Wai-Aniwa. 394: Escapade. ; .386. j 1.0. R.—C: Mokoia, .354; t Diablo (D. S. Hart. Lyttelton>. 343; Prospector (A. K. Archer. Lyttelton). 300. • Cruising division: Scally- ' wag (B. D. Fitchett. Auck!iland), 346; Nemesis (A. Verqhaaren, Auckland). 323; Sin 1 'bad (S. W. Brown, Auckland). [285. I Multihull division: Rebel ;II (A. Allan, Lyttelton). 291; J Legato (M. Parsons. Auckland), 277; Lady G., 137.