THE FIRST RACE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1924, Page 8

THE FIRST RACE

THE^SCE'-i ABANDONED.

c The first race of the Sanders Cup conJest wasjsafled in-.Evans Bay early this Jifternoon, Snder .somewhat disappointing Conditions \ioi j both, the participants, and She spectators. A strong southerly'Nvind y Inade the. sailing' conditions unpleasant, Jj«id there were, spme who held the opinion thai in view of the inclement weather the race should have been aban,doned. ':., ";■. . , | The system upon which the contest is *o be decided-'-.is: the same as'-in: the yast two contest. All the competing Jraft are to .engage in the" first three ■ jaces. The winners of these three races iwill engage in a further series of races •Jmtil one craft has secured' three first places, .inclusive, of wins in the first Seeries. Only boats .securing a victorySn the first-three races are permitted to further, and this has the effect - hi eliminating some "of the entrants and Reaving only a field of three to fight out jthe final. In "practice"this method of the contest means that it may conclude in three races,- but cannot exStend beyond seven except in the unlike--3y event of a dead heat occurring. The 'Dominion1 Yachting Council has decided Jthat on this occasion the three elimin,ating races shall bo got off *t the rate J>f one per day—one race on Wednesday, and Friday. » At a meeting of the Sailing Committee—Messrs. W. Duncan (Wellington), , <E. J...Kelly (Auckland), and Smith «(Otago)—held at 10 o'clock this morning, it was v decided'that in view of the Jveather the course should be from a *tarting- lino- in- Evans Bay; thence ■sounds mark- off the -shore at Ngahaur- ■ $anga, and back to the' starting line—a .^distance of .about eight miles. In consequence of the necessity for towing the cix competitors around to Evans Bay, ■the start, which had been fixed for 11 *'clock, was considerably delayed, and it ■was not till shortly before midday that Jhe head of the bay was reached.. The jwind had; not abated, and the bay was ■exposed *to the southerly, which churnled up ,the water and threatened the stability of the small boats under canvas. After a conference between the Skippers, -;it -was decided to alter the bourse. The choice was a windward and (fceward course, tfWice round the bay. l|The crews had been instructed previously as to the rules of the contest, so ihat nothing was necessary in the way of preliminary address to the competitors and the spectators who gathered round the starting point in yachts and paunches; From the point of view of Spectators ashore the course was not a i favourable one, for many people BS3 anticipated viewing the progress of. the Bailers from their own residences on the heights of the city. As the race was confined to Evans Bay, they were, of course, disappointed. The selection of .Evans' Bay was subjected to . a good .deal of criticism, many yachtsmen/ considering that under the conditions a triangular course inside the harbour would have been, preferable. i The crews were:— "', Rona (Auckland). —Messrs. J. Gifford •((skipper), H> Brown, A.WillettE, and.E. Matthews.''- ■; ,• . ■';' : ■ ; Konini fHawkes" Bay).—Messrs. 'Neil Gillies"(skipper), I. Gillies, S. Gillies, ■j,nd W. Anderson. 'j Linnet (Canterbury).—Messrs. S. Sinclair (skipper),; R. Sinclair, C. Williams,, land W. Morton. ' , j; June (Otago).—Messrs. C. French (skipper), G. Kellett, D. Paterson, and A.VBooffi. "■■■■.■•-.■..■■> ■-•. ' Murihiku (Southland), —Messrs. T. Bragg-(skipper), W. Johnston, R. Bragg, and Carson. V The race; was watched at the start by i/largejnumber ,of peopled from the for«--ghoß^. iV« '*' t,i...'"','.'.'' '. :: . ■■'■ t. On account of some trouble with her gear, Peggy (Wellington) did not start. After a good deal of delay, the other five Jboats got away well, shortly before 11.30 p.m. Konini was the first to get her spinnaker out, followed by Linnet and Rona.,. The Southland boat, in the heavy svind,,_did not run up any extra sail. Sis minnfes after start, the Otago boat, June, which was saDing well, capsized, and Konini, took the lead, followed by 1 linnet and Rona. The next boat, the Napier boat, gained considerably under i her',added, sail, retaining her spinnaker ' while :the. ..others, reduced canvas. 'She had" established a good lead when she, too, went over.... Rona now took the lead, but on account of the accidents to. the 6ther .boats, the race was abandoned.