Another Southern Cross win to Farr’s Prospect

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34032, 22 December 1975, Page 28

Another Southern Cross win to Farr’s Prospect

(N.Z. Press Assn—Copyright) SYDNEY. New Zealand swept to a 12-point lead over New South Wales in the Southern Cross yachting series at Sydney at the week-end, thanks to brilliant sailing by the Auckland yachts Prospect of Ponsonby and [Quicksilver.

Prospect (Noel Angus) won the 180-mile race by the huge margin, on corrected time, of 21 minutes, and Quicksilver (Richard Wilson) was second. The New South Wales yachts all finished well up, Love and War (Peter Kurts) coming third, Patrice II (Ray Kirby) eighth, and Mercedes IV (Ted Kaufman) eleventh. But Roy Dickson brought the third New Zealand yacht, Tempo, home in twelfth place to put New Zealand in the lead at the half-way stage of the four-race series. This race counted for double points. The team points so far are: New Zealand 253, New South Wales 241, Britain 223,

United States 172, Western Australia 141, Queensland 124, Tasmania 121, Japan 120, Victoria 105, South Australia 97, Papua New Guinea 86. Two damaged It was a gruelling race for all the yachts, with some tough overnight beam reaching on the 90 miles northbound leg, and some really hard windward work in 25knot winds during the final leg back to Sydney on Saturday morning. Two yachts suffered damage during the race. Brutta Faccia (Western Australia) limped home in clear last place among the cup yachts, and the New Zealand yacht, Natelle 11, competing as an individual, damaged her rudder on Friday night and limped back to Sydney after withdrawing. Prospect of Ponsonby won the race on the long 90-mile overnight haul from Port Kembla, 45 miles south of Sydney, to an islet 45 miles north of Sydney. “We were wel] ahead of her at the southern mark on Saturday night, and we thought we sailed really well through the night,” said Wilson, after bringing Quicksilver home in second place. “But in the morning there was Prospect, well out in front. We could not believe it, but as Kiwi team members, we did not mind.” Angus, whose record is now five straight wins in the New Zealand trials plus two wins in the Southern Cross series, was elated at the results. Talk of town "It was mighty hard work during the night. We worked almost everyone, with only one-hour spells,” he said. The revolutionary Prospect, designed by the 18-footer king, Bruce Farr, is now the talk of Sydney yachting, and other teams are wondering if she can pull off all four races. "It wasn't our wind,” said Ron Arney, of the top British yacht Noryema, which did well to come sixth. “But Prospect’s a great yacht if she can beat this sort of fleet by 21 minutes.” There was an exciting battle for line-honours, the 79ft American ketch Kialoa II breaking the race record by sailing the 180 miles in 18hr 48min. Two more big yachts, Windward Passage (South

Australia) and Ballyhoo (Queensland) finished close behind Kialoa. 11.

Apollo, sailed for Queensland by Scott Barrett, came home fourth and also beat the old record, which she set in 1973. Open win There was a further success for New Zealand when Corinthian, sailed by Russ Hooper, of Auckland, was second in the associated open race for cup and non-cup yachts. The non-cup yachts sail the same course as the cup fleet, starting 15 minutes behind. But the results for the open

race can differ from cup results, since older yachts qualify for an age allowance on their handicap, whereas no age allowances are allowed in the cup. Prospect of Ponsonby was the open winner, by seven minutes from Corinthian, with Quicksilver third. The third cup race will be a 30-miler for single points today, and the final race, for triple points, is the SydneyHobart race, starting on Boxing Day.