Canty pair’s close Zephyr battle

Press, 10 January 1986, Page 3

Canty pair’s close Zephyr battle

By

BRYCE SIMS

In a nail-biting final race to the national Zephyr class yachting championship on the Estuary yesterday, John Morrison, in Victoria, sailed to victory and clinched the series from his fellow Canterbury sailor, Paul Stemmer, in Gamble. Morrison won the race by lmin 3s and became the first South Islander to win in 28 national championships. He won the series by 0.3 points from Stemmer, who sailed consistently throughout and recorded a first and four seconds. Morrison had two wins, a second, a third and fourth in the series. Jim Park, in Pooh Stick, finished third over all, after a first placing, a third, two fourths and one seventh. With one race still to be sailed in the national Noelex 22 championship at Lyttelton, John May, of Canterbury, has wrapped up the series after winning the sixth race yesterday. May was made to work hard, and only on the last leg was he able to stamp his authority on the race. At the finish he was 49s ahead of last year’s New Zealand champion, Rob McCullough, of Gisborne, skippering Red Pepper. In the last race of the Zephyr national championship, Don Le Page, of Canterbury, led out the fleet, with Morrison and Stemmer immediately tacking out to the starboard side of the course.

On the beat to top mark, Stemmer kept Morrison covered, and went round the mark 45s ahead of Morrison. Stemmer was first round the wing mark from Alan Reynolds, in Spartan, and Le Page. Morrison made good progress down to the leeward mark and was first round the bottom mark by 5s from Slemmer, with Reynolds and Le Page battling for the third placing. At the top of the triangle, Stemmer was ahead of Morrison by 3s, but at the wing mark the lead changed, with Morrison taking over. In the run to the finish, Morrison covered the fleet, and went on to win the race by 635. That win enabled him to take the series from Stemmer, who struggled to hold second place from Le Page with Park fourth. May and McCullough both made good starts to the Epiglass Noelex championship, McCullough leading May by 4s round the top mark, and both being together at the bottom mark. Results:—

Noelex class:— Sixth race: Double Dark (J. May), 1; Red Pepper (r. McCullough), 2; Murihiku (E. Johnstone), 3; Polystripper (G. Parratt, Canterbury), 4; Lyric (R. Allen, Canterbury), 5. Over all:— Double Dark, 8 points, 1; Red Pepper, 30.3, 2; Murihiku, 37.7, 3. Zephyrs (48 starters).— Race 5: Victoria (J. Morrison), 1; Gamble (P. Stemmer), 2; Nutcracker (D. Le Page), 3; Pooh Stick (J. Park), 4; Spartan (A. Reynolds), 5; Echo (W. Beere),

6. Over all.— Morrison, 8.7 points, 1; Stemmer, 9,2; Park, 21.7, 3; G. Hore, 33.0, 4; Reynolds, 40.7, 5; Le Page, 41.7, 6.