Bird couple poised to take Cats title

Press, 10 January 1986, Page 3

Bird couple poised to take Cats title

PA Wellington The husband and wife combination of Warren and Debbie Bird are well poised to retain their national Hobie Cats 16s title with two days racing remaining in the Steinlager championships in Wellington. The Birds, of Auckland, recorded a fourth and a fifth in yesterday’s two races on Wellington Harbour, moving them into third place in the provisional over-all standings, with 19 points, just behind Richard Bates and Antoinette Cooke, with 18.75. The Hobie 14 title (for one-man boats) is locked in a three-way battle between the Wellingtonians, Gavin Harford and Brett Jackson, and Christchurch’s John Kay. _____

Meanwhile, the Aucklander, Geoff Senior, cleared out to win this morning’s race in the national P class Tanner Cup championship off Plimmerton. Senior, representing Murray’s Bay, won from Kelvin Harrap (Napier) and Hamish Pepper (Murray’s Bay). His victory yesterday pushed Senior into second place in the over-all standings, with 30 points, still a considerable distance behind Murray’s Bay clubmate Raymon Davies (19.7 points). There was only one race sailed yesterday. Rough weather forced the cancellation of yesterday afternoon’s race. The championship organisers are hoping that two races will be completed to-

day, the final day of the event. This will allow them to discount the worst performances of the competitors. The one Flying Dutchman race, scheduled off Lowry Bay yesterday, was abandoned because of bad weather. P class — Tanner Cup Race three: Geoff Senior (Murray’s Bay), 1; Kelvin Harrap (Napier), 2; Hamish Pepper (Murray’s Bay), 3; Raymond Davies (Murray’s Bay), 4; Michael Stewart (Murray’s Bay), 5; Mark Howell (Canterbury), 6. Over-all placings (worst performance not dropped): Davies 19.7 points, 1; Senior 30, 2; Stewart 31.7, 3; Alan McGlashan (Murray’s Bay) 39, 4; Simon Patchett (Bucklands Beach) 44, 5; James Turnbull (Murray’s Bay) 45, 6; Tony Ashcroft (Whangarei) 48, 7;

Chay Mclntosh (Bucklands Beach) 54, 8. Hobie 14s, race three: Gavin Harford (Wgtn), 1; John Kay (Chch), 2; Brett Jackson (Wgtn), 3. Race four: Jackson, 1; Kay, 2; Harford, 3. Over-all placings: Harford and Jackson, 6% points, 1 equal; Kay, 12, 3. Hobie 16s, race three: Crofton Umbers and Dave McGlashan (Auckland), 1, Derek Cassel-Brown and Debbie Boswell (Auckland), 2; Dave and David Johnston (Auckland), 3. Race four: Richard Bates and Antoinette Cooke (Auckland), 1; Andrer Springford and Tony Millar (Auckland), 2; Stuart Scott and Anne Galloway (Auckland), 3. Over-all placings: Umbers and McGlashan, 13 points, 1; Bates and Cooke, 18.73, 2; Warren and Debbie Bird (Auckland), 3.