OCEAN YACHT RACE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 719, 19 January 1910, Page 5

OCEAN YACHT RACE.

'.. IORANGI WINS, Erom-first to last the conditions that prevailed for the Ocean Yacht Eace, for the Euddw Cup, commenced from Dune-, .din on Saturday and finished on -Monday, were absolutely the reverse of-those prevailing on Christmas Eve, when, the race was "started and abandoned- under such sensational and exciting circumstances. On Saturday afternoon (says the "Otago Times") there was a lighteasterly breeze, little or: no swell outside", "and plenty of sunshine. . Seven boats ;faced the starter, these and their .ratings and handicaps being the following:—loran'gi', ex-Wellington.yacht (Wall,. Morgan, and Co.), 10.4 metres, scratch; Eoma (H. Dodgshun), 8.65, lhr. 3min. 3fls'ec; Annis (G. Currie), 8.06, lhr. 29min. 3sec; Carina (J. Eobertson), 7.73, lhr/ 46min. 3sec.; Petrel (M'Keegan and Lambert), 7.62, lhr. 51min. sisec; Pera (Hanlon Bros, and Mason), 7.18, 2hr. : lsmin. 2-lsec.; Myrtle (A. Morgan), 6.89, 3hr. smin. 39sec. The Yvonne was ;in Lyttslton,-and was therefore a non-starter,-.- /.while the .'Matua was scratched.,/,,, ~, '..-"' ~, ■■• ;

■: The.distahoe;df the race was: 100 miles, the. course-being to a buoy.'about/seven miles north-east of Oamaru and back, and the Lady Roberts was'secured from •the Defence Department for the purpose of \ a patrol, boat, and proved of very great ■ assistance .to :the committee... 1.-.'-i .■ - With; the,,'lowering' -of ■ the' Blue ■■ Peter on Taiaroa. Heads Signal Station, the seven competing yachts lost no. time ■ in getting under way, and a good start w.as effected. The Myrtle and the Pera were the first-to cross the line, and the others followed in the following order:—Carina, lorangi, Petrel, Roma,- and .Annis. ;.The lorangi and Roma alone carried topsails. The Annis almost immediately came under observation by. parting, company.with ;the other.yachts and making for the open sea.. The' others continued straight ahead, and the light easterly breeze kept.them fairly olose together. A'slight freshening and,a. turn: to the-north-east gave, the yachts' the assistance of a : five-knot breeze, and under, its influence the Jorangi; with her'extra. spread of - canvas, gradually drew out.' It was at'once to be seen that if the breeze then prevailing were to 'continue, the lorangi would increase her lead very substantially; and would probably, reach l Oamaru at.ll o'clock!at night.' Later the Myrtle joined the Annis in the outside: Tunning, and stood in. the rear. The 'Annis -appeared; to. have worked.'in a little, and was making .'moderately good progress.. The': Pera,.Eoma, and Petrel were'in advance of;the.last division, and then came the Carina,: sailing r out; infront.' The lorangi had.increased the distance separating -her ; • fom. the other's,,and:the Carina,was the only boat to show any sign of sticking to her within a; reasonable distance.' At 4.30. p.m..;the lorangi appeared: to have 'a lead of over a mile.- The wind; now.'blew:.E.N.E., and the Annis,. coming .'in.. niore;tpwards the; coast; ./was; ,pushing -her ;■ way up.; .When.off Waikouaiti Heads lorangi had a lead of considerably more than a mile. The Carina was the. only:other boat that was making any .showing,; although/the Eoma. was hot so: very far 'in, the rear. At 6.30' p.m. the lorangi was; abreast of. Shaw Valley, ..with the.Carina next; in attendance,' and the .Roma drawing but from, theremainder. '."'.■''■■' 'Meantime, the: Lady': Roberts:;-had .headed..for Oamaru,' whioh .was .reached• at about. 10 p.m.,: the .'anticipation being to pick, up;; Captain Ramsey,,. harbourmaster; who was to officially represent the Yacht Club on the turning buoy., With the calm'that had set in,'it was at once recognised that the .yachts ;could not possibly, reach the'turhing buoy until the early morning.; ■'.;.Accordingly the-patrol' boat 'remained■', in \tho harbour • overnight, and at break of day.' swung out into the open sea. The turning:buoy, seven.miles away, was 'soon, reached, and'there Captain. Ramsay was. found to. be in. charge," and awaiting the arrival of the; competitors. The Lady Roberts anchored alongside the buoy, and at .exactly 5.10 a.m. a cheer from those on board: aimounced l the .lorangi as,the first;boat to turn. With a':freshening:breeze she'promptly headed off on the return journey. It was not for a/full-three hours, later that the.Carina reached the buoy, 'the official' turning time being.B.io-.'a'.m. The' Roma; which, had:;made-excellent time, rounded ,at' 8.55 a.m.,.the Annis at 11.16,•'the Petrel .'at 11.35, and Hh'O'Pera 'at 11.45/ The: Myrtle this time, and. the Pera having rounded/the Lady Roberts made back to .'Oamaru.

—Eight mUes south'of Oaniaru;'the Myrtle, slowly, plugging away, was picked up' and, taken'-in tow,' by tho,Lady/ Roberts. The; Pera. was. encountered off■ : light, and refused tho offer of a tow, and the Petrel: was. merely a few. hundred yards ahead. • About 5.30 p.m;, opposite Palmerston, the Annis was taken in tow,.' This left the'lorangi, Carina, 'and .Roma aotually' in;'the race, the Pera' aid Petrel," considerably in the rear, and. two boats, the Myrtle .<,and.Annis, berne towed. By. this time,, in fact,.;shortly alter 2 o'clock,., the wind had veered; Tound to: the southwest, and.while,it'.meant thit the'yachts had to beat against it, it was, ! if, anything, (Stronger'than it had. been. This, appeared to have-suited the, lorangi perfectly ,• for "the. lead of three hours she had when rounding the buoy outside of Oamaru was, gradually increased by an hour, and exactly at 4.30 pirn/she crossed the line : at Ta'iaroa Heads. >; The Carina came next..' ■ ./ ,■_ •>..-.:■/', '-;-■"