LAVINA WINS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 64, 9 December 1935, Page 2

LAVINA WINS

Five Races and Five Firsts SANDERS CUP TRIALS Several Mishaps In Weekend Races By winning- nil five trials', held in conjunction with the contest for the Campbell Cup for X class centreboard yachts, Lavina has definitely established her right, to represent Wellington Province in the 193(5 Sandors Cup content. Sailed by the veteran Arthur Johnston, she scored two further'victories yesterday and on Saturday, although on both occasions Kitty and Tassic pressed hard. Good sailing conditions prevailed on both days, although both races were marred by' accidents. On Saturday there were two capsizes, and yesterday two boats struck trouble right at the start. Points gained in the five races are as follow: — Lavina 45 Kitty 37 Tassie 35 Idono 27 Monica , 24 Juno 1(5 Jannet 15 Peggy 10 Kia Ora 10 SATURDAY’S RACE In a moderate but gusty north-westerly breeze, all boats but Monica and Idono carried four of a erew for Saturday’s race. Starting off the wind, the counse was a leeward and windward one from Point Jerningham to Miramar buoy and back thrice round. Monica was first away, closely followed by Tassie and Lavina, then Kia Ora and Jannet together, Kitty and June together and Idono. Peggy went the wrong side of the buoy, which caused her to be very late in starting. About half a mile on their journey all boats were travelling fast under spinnakers when Kia Ora developed a crazy roll, finally broached to port, and rolled right over. - About ten seconds later Peggy performed exactly the same trick. Lavina also struck trouble with her kite opposite the slip. Round Miramar buoy tire first time the order was:—Monica, Kitty, Lavina, and Tassie in fairly close order; June and Idono, both of whom preferred a round turn to a gybe, fairly well back; then Jannet, who had lost a lot of ground by first setting her spinnaker on the wrong side. Lavina was not long working to wind.ward, and the first; time they crossed tacks, she was to weather of everything. Tassie started well on the wind, but the leader she was carrying was too much, and in changing it she dropped back to last. The field was well strung out rounding the Jerningham buoy, the order being Lavina, Kitty lmin. 45sec. behind, then a break of over four minutes to June, Monica close behind, and Idono and Tassie another minute and a half back. Lavina took over a minute to set her spinnaker, but Kitty’s was flying and full in under 10 seconds. Idono set hers fairly quickly, but had an accident and dropped it in the water. The breeze was freshening a little and Johnston, playing for safety, removed Lavina’s spinnaker and replaced it with a leader, enabling Kitty to close the gap somewhat. Round Miramar the second time Kitty was only a minute behind Lavina, Monica, June and Tassie following in that order. Having broken her pump, Idono was unable to keep the water down and she withdrew. Back at Point Jerningham again, Lavina had increased her lead to 2min. 4Cteec., but she was again slow with her spinnaker and smart work on Kitty enabled her to be only 55 seconds behind round Miramar buoy the last time. Juno was still third, then came Tassie, Monica and Jannet. Sharp stuck grimly to his task on the last long beat, and actually took time from Lavina, but he was still 51 seconds behind at the finish. Places and times were as follow: — Start 3.5 p.m. Lavina, 5.50.52 J Kitty, 5.51.43 - June, 5.57.27 ” Tassic, 5.55.44 Monica, (5.0.17 Jannet, 6.0.35 " YESTERDAY’S RACE Yesterday’s race was exciting from the start. In a strong, squally north-wester-ly June and Peggy very nearly came to grief before crossing the starting line. Just as the laet flag dropped both these boats took charge. June performed a couple of flying gybes and ran down the mark buoy. Peggy meanwhile first gybed, then swung round and went about on a taut backstay. It seemed a miracle, but she did not capsize. She took a great deal of water, but continued the race, very far behind, ultimately withdrawing at the end of the second lap. The course lay from Point Jerningbam to Fraser Rock, up to a buoy in midharbour, thence back to Point. Jemingham, three times round. Monica was again away well, followed by Idono, Lavina, Kitty, Tassie and Peggy. On the lead Monica stayed in front, rounding the first mark 27 seconds clear of Idono, witj Lavina, Kitty and Tassie in close order. On the wind Lavina quickly showed up, weathering all the others in one tack. Johnson overlaid the northern mark to ease off arid lead for it. The order of rounding was: Lavina, Kitty, ISsec. behind; Monica, Idono and Tassie. There was only lmin. 51sec. between first and last boats. Back at Jerningham Lavina was still in front, but Kitty, having tried to carry her kite to port, was driven to leeward of the mark. Monica picked up 10 seconds on Lavina and was second round, followed by Kitty, Idono and Tassie Monica set a leader on the journey to Fraser Rock, and Kitty endeavoured to carry here on the spinnaker boom, but could not hold it. The order was unchanged when they came on the wind again, but there was only 5a seconds between first and last. Idono took a tack up the shore toward Point Halswell and worked up to second place. Round the windward buoy the second time the order was: Lavina, Idono 21sec. behind, Kitty another llsec. back, Monica 4eec behind her, and Tassie 20sec. behind Lavina, with only 53 seconds separating first and last. Halfway down the run Lavina lost control of her kite and the whole field closed up, Kitty running past Idono into second place. On the last lead to Fraser Rock the boats still stayed together, Monica attempting to carry a spinnaker and dropping back to last. On the wind Tassie made up ground, but she could not catch Lavina, who was still ahead round the windward mark the last time. Kitty was third, followed by Idono, with Monica still last. Running for home both Kitty and Tassie closed the gap on Lavina, but they had no chance of catching her. Places and times were as follow: — Start 11.10 a.m. Lavina, 1.4.34 1 Tassie, 1.5.26 2 Kitty, 1.5.33 3 Monica, 1.5.58 4 Idono, 1.6.13 5 Peggy withdrew; June fouled a. buoy; Jannet and Kia Ora did not start. RACE RECALLED Yacht Capsizes Off Petone The Idle Along race arranged by the Heretaunga club.' Petone, ou Saturday afternoon, had to be recalled, because J

Ranui capsized and one of the other yachts had to go to her assistance. The Ranui was sailed by A. W. Nisbet, a newcomer to this class of racing and to local conditions. Caught aback by a squall, his boat went over and, as there were no corks in the watertight bulkheads, swamped. She was not easily righted, in consequence, and A. Harvey, in the new Idle Along, went to the rescue, and left one of his own crew, an experienced hand, in charge. The Ranui ht|\ to be towed home, being probably the first Heretaunga club Idle Along to suffer this indignity. Normally, on account their buoyancy chambers, these craft are readily righted and baled out. HUIA’S TWO SUCCESSES By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch. December 8. Huia, sailed by Eliott Sinclair, won the second Sanders Cup trial at Lyttelton yesterday afternoon. There were seven starters. The race was sailed over a triangular course in a fresh easterly breeze. Huia also won the first trial last Saturday. VAL DEFEATS BETTY By Telegraph— Press Association. Dunedin, December 8. The sixth Sanders Cup trial was sailed on Saturday afternoon in a full-sail northcast wind, and resulted in an easy win for Vai, which beat Betty by 3min. 7sec. The race was over a triangular course, and was confined to Vai and Betty, as the other four boats were never prominent. Betty let! for a time after, the start, but was then overhauled by V al, the latter outsailing Betty when on the wind. Betty, however, proved the faster boat on the run and reduced Vai's lead, each time when liefore the wind, but Vai regained and increased her advantage on each beat to windward.