SANDERS CUP CONTEST

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 23, 28 January 1924, Page 8

SANDERS CUP CONTEST

RONA'S BRILLIANT FINISH

CANTERBURY OUT-GENERALLED

SOUTHLAND A LONG LAST.

The possession of the Sanders Memorial Challenge Cup for' the next twelve months is now being decided between the Auckland, Canterbury, and Southland representative boats, the other challenging provinces having been eliminated in. the three first races. The retention in the contest of Linnet (Canterbury) as a result of the protests lodged on Saturday has given added interest to the deciding round, for otherwise the result would have rested between Auckland and Southland. To secure the Gup one of the three remaining boats has to win three races. | The first race of the final series was sailed this morning, Rona finishing, first sheerly as a result of the superior seamanship of her young crew. Tip. till the last lap the Canterbury boat Linnet had led all the way, with the- exception of half a minute in the first round,''when JRoria- headed her. -The skill of the Auckland crew at the last turn before the run for home gave the jrace to Rona when it was within Lihoiet's grasp. Linnet should have won, ;and every credit is due to the Auckland'lads,, who •clearly established their ■ superiority as tacticians. ' ■■• '

The race was sailed over a windward and leeward course' from the Clyde Quay Wharf to the Coromandel Buoy, off Kai.warra, and. back—tShree times round. The. wind, blew lightly from the north, and ;was, somewhat, fluky. ■ The crews were as follow:— '

■ Rona "((Auckland). —Messrs. V. Lidgard (skipper), H. Brown, W. Smith.; Linnet (Canterbury).—Messrs.; S. Sinclair (skipper), R. Sinclair, W. Morton. Murihiku (Southland). —Messrs. W. Johnston (skipper), T. Bragg, R. Bragg,, 'A. '.Booth; . . ...

Linnet got away half a minute after the firing of the gun at 10.35 a.m., a length ahead of Rona, and about four lengths ahead of Murihiku. The sauthein boats caught the wind better than the Aucklander, which was passed with* in three minutes by Murihiku. Sailing was slow until the middle of the harbour was made. .Rona fell further behind, and ■ shortly set a 'leading jib, but still remained in dead water after the other pair had , found the breeze. The wind was very fluky, and each boat had its experience of alternate wind and calm until a line'was reached between Point Jerningham and the Queen's Wharf. Eon a ' now sprang quickly into action1, taking the inshore. course, while Murihiku sailed on' the other flank from Linnet. The Auckland boat passed Murihiku, and began to make ground on Linnet, ■ which had a good lead. Off "the new Pipitea Wharf the wind freshened considerably from the north-west, and the Canterbury boat fell back. All were now sailing under jib and mainsail, with »v- the breeze they could wish. Murihiku improved her position to about 76 yards behind Linnet, and shortly before the Coromandel Buoy was reached Rona took the lead, crossing into middle position. Linnet was a game disputant, however, and rounded the mark very narrowly five seconds ahead of' Rona.' MunhikuYcrew judged.the mark badly, ■almost sfouling^'.theV.''.buoy, and ;'were obliged, to go about, Josing valuable time „and. distance in so doing. She rounded lmin 25sec behind the Canterbury boat. Rona had trouble in setting, her spinnaker, the. crew losing the controlling sheet. Linnet took advantage of the mishap and. under a full spinnaker flew away with the wind. Rona, sailing, a: couple of hundred : yards behind the leader, endeavoured to set both leading jib and spinnaker, and, after further difficulty owing to the flying sail fouling, she resumed steady sailing. Meanwhile Murihiku closed' up on her ■Unnet had an advantage of lmin 15sec over Rona off Clyde Quay Wharf at the hmsh pf the first round, and a lead of <2min 15sec from Murihiku. The breeze was much' fresher at the commencement of the. second round of the course than it had been at the commencement of the race.,/ Linnet stood a iittle too far out into theharbour on the run to Coromandel, and was obliged to make a short board in order to improve her position for the buoy. Murihiku st, o°d fu*her out than Rona, and reduced the Northerner's advantage. Linnet gave the buoy a wide berth, and rounded the mark 45 seconds ahead of Rona. Ihe Southland boat, lay 3£ minutes behind the leader. Linnet and Rona presented a fine sight as they literally galioped away under extra - sail. Linnet made good use of her spinnaker, while Konaset a leading jib on her spinnaker boom, her crew being too light to risk setting a spinnaker. , An interesting incident occurred off the Queen's Wharf, where Linnet, which still had a good lead from Rona, suddenly lost the wind. This enabled Rona to come up to within fifty yards, where she, too, entered into the doldrums. The wind came in puffs, and at the finish of the second round Rona had' reduced the Canterbury representative's1 lead to 15 seconds. Murihiku was now obviously out :of the race, having lost further time on the run to the south She rounded the buoy 5 minutes 15 seconds behind Rona.

Sailing back to Coromandel Linnet made a short board to windward of Eona, and then resumed the former tack, the manoeuvre placing the two boats practically in line. Both made another board, and Rona then followed about three lengths behind, practically in the wake of the Southerner. Linnet drew away again, and a duel followed forth c weather position, each skipper keeping a close eye on his opponent. After several short, tacks Linnet lost the wind close to the buoy. She regained it, but stood too far out, and Rona beat her round the buoy by 36 seconds. Linnet ■was..slow in getting her spinnaker up to compete against Rona's leading jib, but when she did get it rigged she leapt with the wind, her bow out of the water..- For a minute it looked as though the race might yet be hers, but she could not hold the wind, and Rona drew away, finishing-« 36 seconds clear. 'Murihiku was a long last, and did not finish.

As a result of this morning's race the Auckland boat has two races in hand. If she wins this afternoon Auckland will retain the Cup, but if either of the other two boats, finishes first, at least one further race will be sailed to-mor-row. :