Veteran helmsman shows the way

Press, 7 January 1983, Page 22

Veteran helmsman shows the way

By

JOHN COFFEY

Ken Maynard, one of the more senior salts of Canterbury yachting, was an impressive and popular winner of the first heat of the national Zephyr class championship at the Estuary yesterday.

It was in 1943 that a youthful Maynard had his introduction to the sport at the Estuary. He had a break of 16 years after his marriage before returning as a successful competitor in O.K. dinghies and now Zephyrs.

In recent years Ken's son. Peter, has kept the family name prominent in major yachting events; but Peter was an elated spectator yesterday as his parents com-.

pleted a notable double—not only did his father take line honours, but • his mother. Rema. headed off the other women entrants.

Ken Maynard relished the ideal conditions which prevailed for the opening race. He was fourth around the first buoy, slipped into second behind Craig Rosevear off the wind and moved imperiously into the lead midway through the second triangle.

That feat more than bridged the generation gap. Last summer Rosevear was the runner-up in the national Starling championship for intermediate yachtsmen. Rosevear opened a margin of more than 32s over his 49

rivals on the first beat yesterday. extending that to Imin 25s before the wing mark. It was then that Maynard began to make his move, and once he had surged ahead there was no chance that Rosevear would recover the lost ground. With Maynard, from the Christchurch club. Rosevear (Mount Pleasant) and John Morrison (Canterbury) filling the first three placings yesterday, the 25-year northern domination of the New Zealand Zephyr title is threatened.

Max Walker (Hamilton) just managed to nudge Ross Wilson (Waiuku) out of fourth position, and the winner of the invitation event, Clynton

Leuty (French Bay), was sixth.

Michael Pearson and Morag Kilpatrick, of Canterbury, had to settle for more modest placings during the second day of the national Flying Ant championship at Ctiarteris Bay yesterday, but they still have a useful points advantage with three heats remaining. The winners of both events on Wednesday, Pearson and Kilpatrick were fourth yesterday morning and then a close second to David Millington and Dean Lovell in the afternoon.

The consistent Auckland crew, Andrew’ Griffiths and Gillian Halcrow. was among the top three on both occa-

sions and is second on the over-all table, a position it filled last season.

Millington and Lovell have not had the best of fortune in the fickle winds which have prevailed for much of the series, but moved up to third with their victory yesterday afternoon. The morning heat was won by Andrew Buist and Kerry Purves. who had about lmin to spare over Griffiths and Halcrow. Results.— Zephyr championship

Race one: Runaway (K. Maynard. Christchurch) I. No Idea iC. Rosevear. Mount Pleasant) 2. Hauraki (J. Morrison. Canterbury) 3. Gamble (M. Walker. Hamilton) 4. Rewa (R. Wilson. Waiuku) 5. Belinda (C. Leuty.

French Bay) 6. Tui (R. Roberlon. Christchurch) 7. Echo tW. Beere. Christchurch) 8. Sandpiper (C. Van der Pol. French Bay) 9. Rocket iE. Park. Christchurch) 10.

Flying Ant championship

Race three: Gone West (A. Buist and K. Purves. Canterbury) 1. Mud Crab (A. Griffiths and G. Halcrow. Auckland) 2. Fiesta (A. Hobden and A. Carr. Canterbury) 3. Peter Pan |M. Pearson and M. Kilpatrick. Canterbury) 4.

Race four: Misprint (D. Millington and D. Lovell. Canterbury) 1. Peter Pan 2. Mud Crab 3. Fiesta 4.

Unofficial over-all points ibest three placings): Peter Pan. 3. 1: Mud Crab. 11.7. 2: Misprint. 14.7. 3; Fiesta. 19.4. 4.