Yachtsmen scrape in

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34045, 8 January 1976, Page 18

Yachtsmen scrape in

(Bi)

JOHN COFFEY)

The Palmerston North yachtsmen, Malcolm Kennaugh and Ted Visser man, came with a late run to win the New Zealand Fireball class title by the narrowest possible margin—0.25 of a point—at Lyttelton yesterday.

Kennaugh and Visserman comfortably claimed line honours in the morning race to ensure that the series would have an exciting climax. In addition to the Palmerston North pair. Case Tabak and Jonathan Shaw (Christchurch), Lyle Tresadern and Jack Purdon (Napier) and Colin Duncan and Jim Woolley (Christchurch), had reasonable chances of overall victory when the fleet sailed out into a fresh easterly wind to start the final heat.

Duncan and Woolley made the most impressive start, but were closely pressed by Kennaugh and Visserman until the North Islanders capsized when a mere 6sec behind at the wing mark. From that point, there was

no doubt that Duncan and Woolley would have a second heat win and the outcome of the contest depended on the minor placings. W’ith the progress leaders, Tabak and Shaw, having encountered problems at the start, the eventual position of Kennaugh and Visserman became of paramount importance.

The least they required was to retain the second placing they filled at the top and wing marks, and which they still kept by 20sec over lan and John Douglas (Christchurch) at the completion of the triangle. Disaster had struck Tresadern and Purdon when they broke gear on the first lead and their enforced withdrawal knocked them back to fourth equal in the final calculations. On the second beat Kennaugh and Visserman slipped behind the Douglas pairing and it seemed that they might relax their grasp on the title. However, they regained the lost ground on the next leg, restricted their penalty points to 6.25 and headed off Duncan and Woollev (6.50).

' Third over-all were Tabak land Shaw, who were fifth and I then fourth yesterday, conIceding 8.25 points. lan and ‘John Douglas joined Tresadern and Purdon for fourth, with Nev Pearce and Richard Ineson (Napier) sixth. The conditions were quite rigorous, with all of the five top place-getters capsizing. The least effected were Duncan and Woolley, who were able to right their boat and stay well in front, but Kennaugh and Visserman, when chalenging for the lead, and lan and John Douglas, when holding Kennaugh and Visserman at bay by 3sec, went over at vital times. Results:—

Race four. —Spot of Bother (M. Kennaugh and T. Visserman, Palmerston North) 1, Screwball (L. Tresadern and J. Purdon, Napier) 2, Bumsova <l. and J. Douglas. Christchurch) 3, Hullaballoo (C. Duncan and J. Woolley, Christchurch) 4.

' Race five. —Hullabaloo 1, Spot of Bother 2. Bumsova 3, tovaball <C. Tabak and J. Shaw, Christchurch) 4.

Over-all.—Best four performances: Spot of Bother, 6.50 points lest, 1; Hullaballoo. 6.75, 2; Lovaball, 8.25, 3; Screwball and Bumsova. 13. equal 1: Chinook (N. Pearce and R. Ineson, Napier), 18, 6.