N.Z. yachts favoured

Press, 6 December 1977, Page 6

N.Z. yachts favoured

INZPA Sydney « Twelve overseas yachts will 11 line up for the world Half Ton J Cup to be sailed off the New i South Wales coast, starting today, i They will compete with 10 i Australian boats in a five-race series for what is recognised t as one of the most prestigious I yachting trophies. I It is the first time the Half Ton < Cup has been sailed outside the s Northern Hemisphere and results will have an important bearing it on future design trends of small S ocean-racing yachts. I The series has attracted many J radically-designed boats from l the drawing boards of such • i internationally-known designers, ; as Doug Peterson (United States).’ Bruce Farr and Paul. Whiting I • New Zealandi. Scott Kaufman ( (Australia). Ron Holland Jre- I land) and Steven Jones 'England'. ( Nine of the yachts are centre- I boarder.®.. « The overseas entries include < three from New Zealand, four S f from Papua New Guinea, two r from France and one each from s Italy, England and Ireland. c All except the French, who j

are chartering local yachts, have brought their own craft. The 'lrish yacht. Silver Shamrock DI, iis being sailed by the defending world champion, Harold Cudmore. Hot favourites for the cup are the New Zealand boats Swuzzlebubble lan Gibba> and Gunboat Rangiriri • Peter Willcox), which dominated last week'a Dunhill series off Sydney. However, the Irish yacht and the Australian boat*; Twenty-Two Sixty-Nine -Graham Obome . Liquidator (Mike Fletcher) and Industries 'Ken BetshcJ* are certain to improve, as they went into last week's -.eriea without any previous racing. The programme is: Tuead*: , December 6. 22 nautical mile Olympic type race; Wedneidav, December 7. 22 nautical mile Olympic type '-ace: Thurada.' , December 8, J2B nautical mile short off-shore race; Sunday, December 11, 22 nautical mile long off-shore race. Four of the five races count for the championship but competitors must carry disqualifications or penalty races.