RACE FOR MILLS CUP

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 57, 8 March 1920, Page 7

RACE FOR MILLS CUP

NARROW WIN FOB THE WAITANGI. A light wind atriking down the harbour from the north, a moderate sea, and a practically, cloudless . sky, ■ made Saturday an ideal day'for yachting. ' The big event was the race for the Mills Cup, Which is competed for annually, under the auspices of the Port Nicholson Yaoht Club, and those who watched the progress of the contest from the decks of the harbour ferry steamer Duchess. specially engaged for the occasion, werenot only I'ewarded with a close finish, but with a brilliant spectacle. The big Waitangi, which won the race from tha Rona by one minute, came in for much admiration, and the manner in which she was handled won praise on all sides.

Nine yachta competed in the race — the Waitangi (scr)_, Marangi (3min), Eona (6min), Kotiri 11. (7min), Wairere 11. (9min), Atlanta (lOmin), Ailsa, (llmin), Wanderer (15min), an<s Viola (17min). . ■ ': A flying start waa made from -the Clyde-quay Wharf shortly after 3 o'clock. The Waitangi got well away, leading the Marangi and the Wanderer, the Atlanta and Wairere 11. bringing up . the . rear. There was practically little change in the order when Jerningham Buoy was rounded. The Waitangi, which was being handled beautifully,, increased her lead on entering Worser Bay, where the comparatively calm-conditions,., seemed,,- to trouble the other craft. The Waitangi rounded the buoy off Seatoun after j 334 minutes' sailing, and the Marangi was about 3£ minutes behind. The. Kofciri was third, and the Viola fourth. It was on the run "to Koro Koro that the, Ms^ I rangi fell badly back. The Waitangi was being sailed faultlessly. At Koro Koro Buoy she .was. still well in the lead, and her closest attendants were the Eona and the Kotiri. The Waitangi I (which was giving six minutes to the Eona) maintained her lead on the run home, and crossed the line about seven minutes ahead of the Eona. The Kotjri, Ailsa, Marangi,. .Viola, Atlanta, Wanderer, and Wairere..ll. were, the next .to finish in. that order. The result "of the. race must have given great satisfaction to the hartdieapper. Following were the. finishing times :— Waitangi, shr 47min 2sec; Rona, : shr 54min 54sec; Kotiri, Shr SSmiiri ssec; Marangi, 6hr 4min 29sec; Atlanta, 6hr 9min 32sec; Ailsa, 6hr 3mih 56sec; Wanderer, 6hr lOmin 2Ssec; Viola, 6hr, 9min 16seo;. Wairere. .11., 6hl' 15miri 35sec. The Waitangi is owned by Messrs. H. J. Smith arid M. ! Rowell, and the Eona by Mr. J. M'Lsan, junr. Mr. J-. Gend'all acted as handicapper, and Mr. A. J. Petherick as judge. ,; The Mills Cup was presented-to the Port Nicholson ' Yacht Club 'by.''the,'Jato Mr. E. C. E. Mills, one time Commodore of the club. The cup may' be won outright by three successive wins by the same yacht, or. by five wins at intervals. The race last year was won' by Mr. E. Bucholz's Waicere 11. ... ■■ . •