May and Cowan favoured

Press, 15 December 1979, Page 22

May and Cowan favoured

By

JOHN COFFEY

The reigning Canterbury and South Island Javelin class yachting title-holders might have to settle for more modest positions when the first four heats of the 1979-80 provincial championship series are held at Lyttelton this week-end. Robert Norris, who now has Craig Wales as his for’ard hand, and Andrew Conway sailed Gandalf to victory in the corresponding contest a year ago, and John Fisher and Derek Brandt guided Joshua to a second Island success. However, Keith May and Brent Cowan, in Simple Dream, held the upper hand when the best Canterbury Javelin crews last met. They won four of the six races in the Sanders Cup trials and quite decisively earned the right to represent Canterbury in the national final at Auckland in February. That performance certainly entitles May and Cowan (who had a share of the 1977-78 Canterbury title when in partnership with Pete Milliken) to favouritism, particularly as Dave Elder, one of the helmsmen who were among their sternest challengers, has a prior commitment in the provincial Trailer Yacht championships. But there was a hint during a club event last week-end that Norris will

not freely relinquish his title. After studying photographs taken while the cup trials were in progress, Norris made some adjustments to Gandalf and had that craft moving in spectacular fashion until it suffered gear breakage. The Macintosh brothers, Steve and Paul, should continue to enhance their unbeaten record in the Canterbury R class contest, also at Lyttelton. Sailing together for the first time and in a new boat Hard Rain—designed by Paul Macintosh—they beat the most accomplished southern crews in the Otago Quadrant at Dunedin earlier this season, and should again have the measure of the Otago entrants this week-end. The strongest rivals to the Macintosh brothers are likely to be lan Jackson and Tony Park in Flash R. lan in company with his brother, Neil, won the prized Leander Trophy for Canterbury last season, but Neil Jackson is at present overseas. Lyttelton’s harbour waters and hills will be the backdrop for a spectacular yachting setting today and tomorrow. In addition to the Javelin and R class series, the provincial Trailer Yacht titles will be decided in various classes, the largest numbers being expected in the Noelex, Farr, Hartley and 780 divisions.