Protest complicates Finn sailing series

Press, 18 February 1980, Page 28

Protest complicates Finn sailing series

From JOHN COFFE\ in Auckland. The actual sailing seemed to be cne of the lesser considerations after the weath-er-plagued Pacific and New Zealand Finn class yachting championships were completed three days late at Takapuna, yesterday. The two series are still clouded by a complicated protest. John Bertrand’s second placing in what was only the fourth race to be completed , since last Monday was sufficient to give that very accomplished United States helmsman a narrow provisional win over Tom Dodson, a 22-year-old Auckland trainee engineer, in the Pacific event. But Dodson’s victory in yesterday’s race kept him ahead of his younger brother, Richard, in the New Zealand section. Richard Dodson. third yesterday, also filled that position on the over-all Pacific standings, ahead of Jorgen Lindhardtsen (Denmark), and another pair of New Zealand brothers, Bruce and Graham Deegai

It has been a frustrating week in Auckland. The winds have been very strong and from the east for the last five days, and racing was not possible between Tuesday and yesterday. Seven heats had been planned, four were held, and the abbreviated nature of the series did not allow for discards. There have been more

hard-luck stories and more mishaps than one would expect in a decade of grand nationals. When it was announced that it would not be practical to start another race late yesterday afternoon most skippers would have been happy to look ahead to the Peter Stuyvesant World Finn Gold Cup which starts on Wednesday. But the Pacific and world championships were also to be used as the New Zealand Olympic ‘rials and some of the competitors were understandably not satisfied that the wind should have such an influence on deciding who should represent this country at Tallinn later this year. Peter Lester, the former Lyttelton watersider, who won the world O.K. title over the same course in 1977, was so firm of mind that he has lodged a protest in a bid to have the whole Pacific and New Zealand series declared null and void.

Lester was twentieth yesterday, after having been as prominent as fifth and because he had been forced to withdraw from an earlier heat he could not afford such a concession of points. After a long discussion the protest hearing was adjourned on a technicality and will resume this evening. Only one resident Canterbury helmsman, Freerk Kempkers, found a place

among the 21 New Zealanders for the world contest. He was fourteenth to qualify, has been required to use old sails because of the weather, but said that he is not too happy with his boat speed.; The placings of the other South Islanders were twen-ty-fourth by Ben Winters, equal twenty-eighth to Peter Kempkers, thirty-eighth for Alister Macfarlane (Wanaka), forty-second by Bill Frater (Timaru), and fortythird to Dave Campbell. Exerienced observers have said that the easterly winds cannot last much longer; the usual span in Auckland is three days with hard blows for only 36 hours. But they are only repeating statements that competitors and spectators have had ringing in their ears all week and there was no sign F "t evening of the wind and rain moving to another quarter.

The New Zealand ssuad (from Auckland unless otherwise stated) is: Tom Dodson, Richard Dodson, Bruce Deegan, Graham Deegan, John Douglas, Dave Schmidt, Leith Armit, Paul K. Page, Guy Mannering (Napier), Paul D. Page, Mark Berry (Wellington), Neville Paul, Graeme Woodroffe, Freerk Kempkers (Christchurch), Brian Wiig (Napier), Peter Lester, Martin Douglas, Glen Garlick (Tauranga), Jamie Wilkes (Wellington), Harry Dodson and Paul Meo.