SANDERS CUP

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 105, 29 January 1924, Page 8

SANDERS CUP

— ■■■♦ RONA WINS TROPHY FOR 1924 LINNET AND RONA FIGHT OUT AN EXCITING RACE AUCKLAND BOAT’S EASY VICTORY IN LAST RACE Rona, Auckland, yesterday won the Sanders Memorial Cup. The little champion not only proved to be a superior boat, but she was handled better than were her opponents. Five races have been held, and Rona won three of them. She won her third and last race in easy fashion, and the Auckland Yacht, and Motor-boat Association, now retain the Sanders Memorial Cup for 1924. THE FOURTH RACE. The fourth race proved to be the best and most exciting of the series. Linnet maintained a lead from Rona right up until the last bouy was neared. Here V. Lidgard, the young Aucklander, outmanoeuvred the Canterbury veteran, S. Sinclair, and snatched tho race from the Canterbury boat. Murihiku blundered early in the contest, and after that was not in the race. The IconditSoKs yesterday morning were ideal for racing. There was a moderate, if fluctuating, northerly blowing. The course lay from a lino

between Clyde Quay Wharf, and the starters launch, thence down to ana around Coromandel Buoy, moored oil Kaiwarra, and back to the starting line. This course, providing a lead, and a run, was sailed three times round. The total distance was about nine miles. The boats and their crews were as follow: — , . . Rona: V. Lidgard (skipper), W. Smith, and R. Brown. Linnet: S. Sinclair (skipper), R. Sinclair, and W. Morton. Murihiku: W. Johnston (skipper), T. Bragg, R. Bragg, and A. Booth. At 10.35 the last starting flag went down, and Linnet crossed the Tine first with Rona close behind, and Murihiku bringing up the rear. The wind for tho start was verv light, and the first 100 yards were covered in slow time. When the yachts were well away from the wharf the breeze freshened, and Linnet drew to th'e front. Murihiku, m her element in the light conditions, was sailing well, and she also drew ahead of Rona. Rona was caught right in the doldrums. The water had a fair jobhle, and Murihiku with her crew of four was very steady. Rona changed tacks, and stood well into the wharves. Linnet followed these tactics, and soon both boats were sailing well under a steady breeze. Lidgard’s move, although at first it appeared te be an error, stood him well, and Rona was soon heading Linnet, and Murihiku. Rona was on the windward side, and had the advantage of picking up the frequent puffs first. Linnet drew ahead of Rona again before the Coromandel Buoy was reached, and she rounded it ssec. ahead of the Auckland boat. Murihiku now blundered, and the blunder put her right out of the race. Her skipper failed to make the buoy, and she had to put about, after standing stationary for some seconds. She turned lmin. 25sec. after Linnet. On the run te Clyde Quay Rona’s spinnaker came away, but it was recovered before any damage had been done. It was never set after that, but she carried on with a leading jib set high. Linnet was making headway on Rona, and rounded Clyde Quay lmin. 15sec. ahead of her, and 2min. 15sec. ahead of Mun’iixn. Always good on the wind, Rona caught tin to Linnet considerably on the lead to the Coromandel, and she rounded only 45 seconds after the leader. Munhiku was 3} minutes, away. The race now resolved itself into a battle for honours between Rona and Linnet. The wind was very patchy on the run to Clyde Quay again, and Linnet lost ground. Her spinnaker, at times, seemed to be more hiirarance than help te her. Rona lifted to every puff with her dry sail. Linnet turned Clyde Quay buoy on the final round 15 seconds ahead of Rona, and omin. ISsec. ahead of Murihiku. Now began n battle royal for wind advantage between Linnet and Rona. About 100 yards from the Coromandel buoy the two boats drew level. Rona changed tacks to endeavour to get to windward of her opponent. But the skipper of Linnet was watching her every movement. and round she came, too. Linnet held the advantage. Five times within seven minutes this was repeated, and still Linnet .managed to hold tie advantage. But it did not last. After one such manoeuvre Linnet drew well ahead, with Rona directly in her wake. Rona now changed tacks and took a long beat to windward. Sinclair had now lost the Auckland champion, and with her the race. Rona caught a freshening wind, and drew away. She rounded Wig Coromandel on the final run for home 36 seconds ahead of Linnet, and 8} minutes ahead of Murihiku. It could now be seen that if Rona could hold the wind she could never be caught. She held the wind, and crossed the winning line, amid cheers, still 36 seconds ahead of Innnet. Murihiku did not finish. Linnet’s skipper had the race In hand right up until the last, hut he was out-generalled. The win of Rona can be solely attributed to the fine judgment of her skipper. She was handled admirable. Rona now had two wins to her credit. RONA DRIFTS TO VICTORY IN FINAL RACE. If it was the judgment of Rona’s skipper that gave him the race in the morning, it yas perhaps his good luck

that gained for his boat the Cup In the afternoon. Soon before the fifth race was timed to commence at 3 p.m. a full sail northerly wind was blowing across the harbour —ideal for racing. The competing yachts therefore carried heavyweight crews, which were after regretted. They were as follow: — Rona: V. Lidgard (skipper), H. Brown, W. Smith, and J. Gifford. Linnet: S. Sinclair (skipper), It. Sinclair W. Morton, and Williams. Murihiku: T. Bragg (skipper), 8. Bragg, R. Bragg, and Johnston. The Sailing Committee fixed a course lying from the starting line between the Jerningham Buoy and the starter’s launch, thence down to Coromandel Buoy, and back to the starting line. This course, which was repeated four times, provided a lead down, and a run back. The start was made sharp at 3 o’clock. Rona and Linnet crossed the line almost simultaneously. Murihiku was last away, as was the case in the morning. On the lead to Coromandel, Rona and Linnet stood over towards Pipitoa Wharf, while Murihiku made over towards the eastern aide of the harbour. All the boats were getting the steady breeze, and they made good headway. There was another fight between Linnet and Rona for weather positions, Rona eventually drawing to the front. Rona was first round the rimy, leading Linnet by 23sec.<, and Murihiku by 48sec. All spinnakers wont out on the way to Jerningham, and maintaining her lead. Rona rounded 65sec. ahead of Murihiku, and lmin. 15sec. ahead of Linnet. All the . time the breeze was dropping. Linnet seemed to-do better in the light wind, and she was only 30sec. behind Rona on the second turning of Coromandel Buoy. Murihiku was 3$ minutes away. Linnet was slow in getting her spinnaker out on the run to Jerningham, and she lost much time. Half-way te the buoy the wind dropped right away, and the boats just drifted 'along. Linnet madte more use of the occas-

ional puffs and soon overhauled Rena, while Murihiku began te overhaul both the leaders. The racing was painfully slow. Linnet benefited by catching a favourable breeze before rounding Jerningham, and turned 31 seconds ahead of Rona, and 51 seconds ahead of Murihiku. Half tlie race had been completed, . and the three contestants were within a minute of one another. Mlurihiku continued to do well, and fifty yards from the home buoy passed Rona to leeward. lhe wind now changed round to a northeasterly direction, but was very light. The boats stood practically still for some minutes, and then Rona, which had manoeuvred farthest, to the eastern side of thle harbour, picked up a favourable breeze, and drew ahead. The other boats lay becalmed far behind. Rona drew right away. She rounded Coromandel 19min. 20sec. ahead of Linnet, and 26min. 35sec. ahead of Murihiku. Rona was round Jerningham again when Linnet rounded the Coromandel buoy. Victory was now Rona’s if she could complete the course in tim'e. Under the rules the first yacht must finish the course in three’ hours or under. Linnet and Murihiku both made up time on the run to Jerningham, for the breeze freshened considerably for a time. Time now rested between Rona and victory. She made slow progress down to Coromandel for tHe last time. At last she rounded the buoy at shr. 37 min 45sec., leaving her 27 minutes 15 second b in which to run down to the finishing line. She was fortunate in holding a good wind on the run down, and crossed the winning line a whole lap ahead of the other boats. The official finishing times were as follow: — Rona: shr. 49mm. 15sec. Linnet. 6hr. llmin. 45sec. Murihiku 1 ,6 hr. 12min. 40sec. . Rona had won the Snnders Memorial Cup for 1924 with 22 minutes to SPar< CUP HANDED OVER

A large gathering of yachtsmen assembled at the club house of the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club last evening when the Sanders Memorial Cup was handed to Mr. J. B. Johnston, chairman of tlje Auckland ■» acht and Motor Boat Association by Mr. W. Duncan, chairman of the local Association. Mr. Duncan commented upon tne good feeling that had existed among the yachtsmen during the contest. Wellington had done its best to make a success of the races. They realised that Rona was the best boat. Wellington would most probably be represented by a boat of the Rona design next yetiT. In reply, Mr. Johnston thanked the local yachtsmen for their hospitality and the 'Wellington Association for the manner in which they bad carried out the contest. The toast of Rona and her crew was enthusiastically received. Mr. Jack Gifford acknowledged the toast.