Field closes up on Anticipation

Press, 10 May 1979, Page 4

Field closes up on Anticipation

The hounds were after the hare on the fourth day of the yacht races to Fiji yesterday as the fleet leader, Anticipation, started to run out of wind. On the 4 p.m. positions report, Earnest Beaver (lan and Jenny Hendren) had closed to within 11 miles of Anticipation. At that time Anticipation reported light and variable winds.

Further to the south there were reports that the northerlies of the first three days still persisted, but a good breeze was blowing to close up the field. Quando (Jim Edmonds) which had closed the gap on Anticipation (Don Brown) to 31 miles, reported a steady 10-knot northerly.

One of the radio relay ves seis, Biene Star (Robert MeDei> mond), sailing at the rear of ths main bunch, reported 30-35 knot winds swinging to the east. Thi| wind pattern coming in from ths south was closing the fleet up os Anticipation. A stiff challenge to Antlcip* tlon and Earnest Beaver in th* race to Suva was coming fron the 12m sloop Angstrom (Treves Fell) which was positioned nicely to the east to take a break on a sudden wind change.

In the Air New Zealand sponsored race to Lautoka Quando held an 18-mile lead ovej Snow White (Bob Graham). Pom sonby Express (Noel Angus) was four miles back, 10 miles ahead of Golden Eagle.