HISTORIC YACHTING CONTEST

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 104, 27 January 1938, Page 11

HISTORIC YACHTING CONTEST

Sanders Cup Race To-day THIS YEAR’S BOATS AND CREWS (By Spinnaker.) In 1921, 17 years ago, the Sanders Cup contest was Inaugurated when the cup wits presented by Messrs. M alker and Hall to perpetuate the memory of Lieutenant-Commander W. E. Sanders, V.C., a New Zealander who lost his life in the Great War while in command of the Q ship Prize. To-day the series of races lor the blue riband of New Zealand yachting will begin on Otago Harbour. Five craft, representing the major provinces of the Dominion, will compete for the supremacy of the 14-footer X class to become national champion. Each year the series creates intense interest, not only among yachtsmen, but also among the general public. There have been many stern struggles and exciting victories in past contests, and up to the present Canterbury has shown a clear-cut majority of wins. This has been due largely to two craft, Betty, now at Dunedin, and Avenger. Canterbury has won the trophy on eight occasions, a performance twice as impressive as that of Auckland, who have taken the cup north four times. Though Otago has won the cup three times, her performances since she last won the title in 1930 have not been impressive, mid in the past two series she has not won a race. Auckland, however, has not had her name engraved on the trophy since 1929, which may be accounted for by the fact that, though she is one of the leading yachting provinces she does not foster the 14-foot X class boat to the same extent as the other three. Wellington has gained the title on only two occasions, once in 1931 with Betty and again last year with Lavina. Lavina is this year sailing for Southland, who have not yet won the cup. A victory for this province this year would be a popular one. Previous Winners. The following table gives the winners of the Sanders Cup since the inauguration of the contest in 1921: — 1921. —Otago, Heather, at Auckland. 1922. —Auckland, Desert Gold, at Dunedin. 1923. —Auckland, Rona, at Auckland. 1924. —Auckland, Rona, at Wellington. 1925. —Otago, lona, at Auckland. 1926. —Canterbury, Betty, at Dunedin. 1927. —Canterbury, Betty, at Lyttelton. 1928. —Canterbury, Betty, at Stewart Island. 1929. —Auckland, Avalon, at Akaroa. 1930. —Otago, Eileen, at Auckland. 1931. —Wellington, Betty, at Dunedin. 1932. —Canterbury, Avenger, at Wellington. 1933. —Canterbury, Avenger, at Lyttelton. 1934. —Canterbury, Irene, at Lyttelton. 1935. —Canterbury, Irene, at Stewart Island. 1936. Canterbury, Avenger, at Auckland. 1937. —Wellington, Lavina, at Lyttelton. Boats and Crews. The boats which have been chosen to represent their this year, together with the crews which were selected after the trials, are as follows :— Auckland.—Aileen: R. H. Auger (skipper), R. Ronayne (forward hand), O. Cronin and C. Pickering. Wellington—Kitty: N. Blair (skipper), J. Elliot (forward hand), N. Banner and R. Morrison. Canterbury.—Manihi: G. E. Brasell (skipper), A. Norris (forward hand), It. Priddy and A. Olsen. Otago.—Eileen: E. Cuthbert (skipper), S. Simpson (forward hand), W. Tonkinson and A. Cuthbert. Southland.—Lavina: G. Bragg (skipper), C. Topi (forward hand), W. Dawson and J. Hamilton.

The Wellington boat Kitty has been racing for about six seasons without gaining representative honours, but for the past two seasons she has been handled by Nigel Blair, one of the shrewdest and most experienced skippers in the Dominion. He ran Lavina close in the trials last year, and his chances this year are good.

Canterbury’s entrant, Manlhi, was built about three years ago by F. Dobber, who also built Avenger, a previous winner. Manihi’s skipper, G. Brasell, won the cup for his province in 1932 and defended it successfully the next year. His crew have had experience in Sanders Cup racing. Aileen, Auckland’s challenger, is only about five years old and won four of the five trials held on the Waitcmata Harbour. The opposition was not strong numerically, but her crew and skipper were chosen “en bloc.” The Otago boat, Eileen, has represented her province on five occasions and has been a consistent performer in club races for many years. She is a heavy-weather craft and is seen to best advantage in full-sail breezes. Cuth-

bc-rt is one of the most Experienced skippers in Otago, but he has not sailed as skipper in a Sanders Cup contest before, though he has sailed as a member of a crew.

Lavina* .who won the cup for Wellington’last year, was then skippered by J. Coleman and a crew that was one of the youngest ever to have won the trophy. This year Lavina will represent Southland, though she was first considered as an entrant from Stewart Island, her home port. The other associations, however, would not agree to Stewart Island being recognised as a separate district and she sailed in the Southland trihls. The Course.

The first race tor the cup will be sailed this afternoon over a windward and leeward course extending from the Victoria Wharf down to the mark off Challis’s and back, and the second will be over a triangular course, the two courses then being used alternatively until one province has won three races. The triangular course is from the Victoria Wharf, down to the Castle beacon, across to a mark off Waverley and round the Kitchener Street pile.