Line honours taken by Lang in Archon

Press, 25 February 1987, Page 24

Line honours taken by Lang in Archon

The Davidson 40-designed yacht Archon, skippered by Bruce Lang, clinched line honours in the Canterbury International Pegasus Bay yacht race for keelers last week-end. The 128-nautical mile race

from Lyttelton to Steephead (Pigeon Bay) to Point Gibson near Gore Bay was sailed in winds from 11 knots on Saturday, and up to 40 knots on the north-westerly change on Sunday afternoon. In the light north-easterlies on Saturday, Southern Fun was the first yacht to round the Steephead mark, holding off a strong challenge from Archon. But with the wind on the nose, Archon edged ahead on the first board on the run to Point Gibson.

Throughout the night Archon sailed a middle course while many yachts chose to go further out to sea, and two yachts Granny Apple and Southern Fun sailed an inshore course.

At the Point Gibson mark, Enchante, which sailed a seaward course throughout the night, rounded the mark narrowly in front of Southern Fun and Granny Apple, while Archon increased her lead

further at the front of the fleet. i Off Motunau, a wind change to the northwest, of 40 knots allowed the leading yachts to close on Archon, who was sailing in light breezes off Brighton. Archon went on to win by 2hrs Omin 51s from Southern Fun, with Enchante a further 13min 2s back in third place. The handicap honours went to Nerissa skippered by Ken Marshall. Results.— Line honours: Archon (A. and W. Archer) 30hrs 50min ss, 1; Southern Fun (McMillin) 32:50.56, 2; Enchante (R. Romeril) 33:3.58, 3; Granny Apple (B. Wall, M. Field) 33:9.57, 4. Handicap: Nerissa (K. Marshall) 1, Bacchus II (R. Allan, M. Hore, C. Hill) 2, Archon 3, Granny Apple 4. 1.0. R.— line honours Archon 1. Handicap: Archon 1, Granny Apple 2.