VERSATILE YACHTSMAN Lester likely to sail in two Olympic trials

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34013, 29 November 1975, Page 4

VERSATILE YACHTSMAN Lester likely to sail in two Olympic trials

(By

JOHN COFFEY)

Peter Lester, the Lyttelton yachtsman

who claimed second position in the world O.K. dinghy championship in Helsinki a few months ago. will probably compete in Olympic Games trials in two other classes later this summer. With Tom Stevens as his forard hand, Lester is a definite starter in the twoman 470-class selection contest at Napier in midJanuary. and, depending on the availability of a suitable boat, he also has his sights set on the monotype Finn trials at Auckland in late March.

However, even the lure of possible Olympic representation has not persuaded Lester to put his O.K. dinghy into storage for the season. He will be at Lake Taupo (o make a bid for his first national championship in late .January and intends to defend his inter-Dominion title at Auckland during Easier week-end. Such a varied programme demands an equally diversified preparation. although Lester has largely concentrated on tuning his 470 and perfecting his team-work with Stevens in recent weeks. But he did sail in, and win,

the first Estuary Pennants race in the O.K. division, and will be attempting to extend his record in this series tomorrow afternoon. Lester’s experience overseas in the O.K. and Laser classes has convinced hint that a club racing programme is far from sufficient to ready a yachtsman for major events. He and Stevens — now that his university examination commitments are behind him — have been out on the harbour on week-day evenings and had another long training session last Sunday while the Javelin, J C. and P-class provincial trials went on around them.

Their most important assignment so far in the 470 was the inaugural South Island championship at Charteris Bay two weeks ago, when Lester and Stevens had placing* of second and third in two

of the heats and were fourth over-all behind Rex Sellers and Dick Urwin (Nelson), Colin and lan Smith (Canterbury) and Neville and Gary England (Canterbury). ~ “Since then we have changed a few things around and the boat is now performing up to expectations. We will be sailing in the Pigeon Bay regatta, but apart from that there is virtually only club competition until the Olympic trials,” Lester said. The prospect of Lester making a two-pronged bid for Games nomination will depend on the movements of a Finn with which he is quite unfamiliar. He has arranged to borrow the craft owned by the former South Island title-holder, Phil Folter, and there is uncertainty about the amount of time that he

will have available to prepare for the Finn series. Folter’s Finn will be shipped to Brisbane with others belonging to members of the New Zealand squad taking part in the Pan Pacific and world Gold Cup contests over the Christmas and New Year holidays, and Lester does not yet know when it will be returned to Christchurch. He considers that he will require about a month at the helm to justify a trip to Auckland.

Because Lester is better known as an O.K. skipper, it would be a surprise if he won either the New Zealand 470 or Finn championships — although the late Clive Roberts (Auckland) set a precedent when he completed the O.K . and Finn double last summer

— but prominent placings in both events would certainly enhance his chances of inclusion in the Olympic squad as a reserve. Each nation is allowed only one boat in the various sections- of the Olympic regatta, and because of the expense involved and the impracticability of attempting to cover all of the first-choice representatives in the event of illness or injury, Lester’s ability io be fully competitive in crewed and monotype yachts is. unlikely to go unnoticed.

Lester, for his part, is content to say that he should benefit from the experience of taking part in the trials.

The new gear that Lester ordered for his O.K. while in England on his return journey from the world championship arrived recently, completely undamaged. and will no doubt soon be in use. His O.K. dinghy itinerary includes the South Island contest at Akaroa on January 1 and 2, and the national series begins at Lake Taupo only five days after the final heal ot the 470 trials.

Lester’s outstanding display in Helsinki has served to harden his resolve to become the first helmsman to break the monopoly that Auckland representatives have held since the O.K. dinghy was established in this country. He is aiso very keen to keep the inter-Dominion title that he won in Australian waters last season.

“Alternating between classes could have a detrimental effect on my O.K dinghy sailing, but 1 think that the Olympic trials are more important at the moment. I will certainly be concentrating on the O.K. again next summer,” Lester said.

(Jf course, there is very good reason for Lester to keep his hand in with his O.K. The world championship has been allocated to Auckland early in 1977, and the New Zealand squad members — Lester among them — will be very keen to bring the trophy back to this country for the first time since Roberts was successful in England three years ago.