WJELLINGTON FIRST FOUR TIMES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 94, 14 January 1939, Page 11

WJELLINGTON FIRST FOUR TIMES

Idle Along Yachting Championship

DISQUALIFIED ON A TECHNICALITY

Bay Of Plenty Boat Leads

On Points

Dominion Special Service.

NELSON, January 13. With three of five races for the New Zealand Idle Along championship completed, Rose Marie (Bay of Plenty) is leading M'ith 16 points; Tornado (Wellington) has 12, Mayfair (Nelson) 11, Vagabond (Marlborough) 9, and Marita (Canterbury) 7. Though tornado handsomely won the resail of the second event this morning, she was disqualified on technicality for not being in the water and sailing when the flags were raised, following the warning gun. five minutes before the start. The committee decided to adopt the judge's report, giving the placings: Rose Marie 1, Vagabond 2. Mayfair 3. Marita withdrew when she damaged her boom and rudder stay by striking a sandbank; Tornado led all the way in the afternoon race.

The morning race was over a twopoint course of about 10 miles, covered in three laps. A fresh south-westerly wind blew throughout. Tornado, after gaining the lead on the run to the first leeward mark, made no race of it and was never headed.

Bay of Plenty got the best of the start, but on the run Wellington took the front position, followed by Rose Marie, Marita, Vagabond and Mayfair. For the beat Wellington went on the star-board tack immediately and kept well to winward, using short tacks and sailing a beautiful race. 'When three-quarters of the first beat had been completed Wellington had 100 yards lead on Rose Marie, which was closely followed, by Marita. At the weather mark Tornado held her lead from Hose Marie, the two boats turning within 20 seconds of each other; Marita was next, half a minute behind, and then followed Vagabond and Mayfair well behind. On the run to the second leeward mark Tornado was about half a mile ahead of the last boat, Mayfair, the leader being followed by Rose Marie, JOO yards behind, and Marita, 200 yards away. The order remained the same throughout the leeward run, there being little change in the distances. On the beat back to the. southern end of the harbour the procession continued, with Tornado increasing her lead from Rose Alarie. Marita struck a sand bank, damaging her boom and rudder stay. When Mayfair turned for the third lap Tornado was approaching the leeward mark at the end of her run. Tornado ran in an easy winner from ’Rose Marie, which finished three minutes later. Tornado covered the_ 10mile course in 1 hour 33 minutes. Vagabond and Mayfair were a long way behind but made a great race for third place, only half a length separating them. Judge Disqualifies Tornado. When the committee . of delegates from each province represented met after the race the report of the judge placed Rose Marie first, Vagabond, second and Mayfair third. The judge disqualified Tornado because of the boat still being tied up at the sailing club’s runway when the flags were raised. The official starter, Air. A. W. Johnson, reported that he did not start the race, it was explained that the race was started at the correct time by the assistant, starter, Air. A. Powell, and the assistant’s action was endorsed. The Wellington delegate said the Wellington boat was held up in getting into the water because of there being only one trolly on the slipway. The five minutes warning gun could not be heard from the boatshed.

The chairman, Air. A. K. Griffith, pointed out that the technicality made no difference to the result of the race, and he suggested that 30 seconds lateness of the AVellington boat off the slip could be overlooked. The judge, Air. T. Flood, said he

had a duty to perform ami so far as he was concerned Tornado was still disqualified. The chairman in reply to the V ellington delegate said Tornado still had the right to appeal against the decision because of no official time being kept.. Another Kunaway for Tornado The wind was still fresh from the south for the afternoon race, when Tornado once again outclassed her opponents, particularly beating into the wind. It was a three-point, course over 11 miles. Tornado led all the way for a clear-cut win by three minutes 46 seconds from Rose Alarie, with Alarita a close third and Mayfair and Vagabond in that order. The winner’s time was 1 hour 26 minutes 32 seconds. Turning the leeward mark for the last time Alarita was in second place, but good sailing by Rose Alarie covered the Canterbury boat on the port tack, the northern representative holding the advantage to the finishing line. So far there have been'four races, in all of which Tornado finished first. The second race was annulled and the Wellington boat was disqualified in the third. Tornado will be unfortunate if it. loses the ehampionship because of a technicality. Seven-Footer Races. The first three of a series of live Tauranga class races have been sailed. AI.C. (Nelson), sailed by R. Highet. junr, had two wins and a second and Alatchbox (Wellington) sailed by M. Petherick a win and two seconds. Competition points were Nelson .17, Wellington 16. Pictou S, Havelock 3. An effort is being made to establish a New Zealand championship for the Tauranga class, with the first contest at Wellington next year.