SANDERS CUP

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 141, 18 December 1928, Page 15

SANDERS CUP

CONDUCT OF TRIALS ELIMINATION PROPOSAL A proposal made by the Sanders Cup selector (Air. lV W. M/raiiee) that this evening's trial should be confined, to tho three boats which: -hiivo. each registered a win was discussed, at considerable length at a spcciaT meeting :6f the Wellington Provincial . Yaclit 'and -Motor Boat' Association last ovoniiig. The chairman. (.Mr. J. Mo/Fat) said that tho meeting had been called to consider the advisability of etxeudhig the series of races, as \soino members seemed to think that the trials to date lnid not been satisfactory. Personally, lie tiiought the trials had till been on tlie short side, and the courses had not been all tliey might have been: Mr. L. Smith asked whether the selector was in order in proposing to eliminate tlio Wellcsley I. and the Clyde. He understood that the association had decided on five trials. There had been only four; was it fair to eliminate two of the boats? At Mr. A. Aldred's request, the secretary produced the minute dealing with the number of trials. :it ie;rd as follows: "The trials of Sanders Cup boats and crews shall ho five or les, one race to bo held between Koines Island and the southern blinker." Mr. Aldred pointed out that the trial mentioned in the minute had not been hold. ' ■ . • Mr. .Smith, said that, his remarks were ' not pr.om.pted by jealousy about his boat, the Clyde. The association proposed to send tho best boat to the contest on the trials held to date, but it would be impossible to get money by subscription because proper trials had-not been held. He considered that the selector ha.d not done his business efficiently. Was if fair that a bout which had been consistently second or third should be eliminated? "I think we should start afresh," said Mr. Smith. "Let us got a now selector if it comes to that." Mr. J. Webb asid that for many years the actual contest had been sailed in light, three-man weather. There had not been one trial in the local series with such conditions ruling, ile favoured an extension of tho trials. ! Mi: F. Kiernan.■■considered that there j had been only three.trials to date. Neither that in Kv.aiis .Bay nor the one in which, there had been two capsizes could be rej gardod as satisfactory. The association, he ! thought, had power to extend the series, but it was a pity that the selector had not bfcii asked to attend tlie meeting. He had made a mistake in eliminating the boats. Mr. Kicrnan mentioned that the skippers on Satnrday had refused to sail the original course set down by the committee. Were the skippers to be allowed to rim the races? Voices: "No." ■ . Mr. Kiernan urged greater firmness iv the matter. If the skippers would not sail tho course, they should stay ashore. Mr. B. J. h. Jukes said that boats had been eliminated in previous trials. So far as the trials to date .were concerned, he did not think the selector required all the boats to finish tp decide on the best boat. Anyone... wlrb had been to a contest would agree that.the races would bo held in such weather as-that which /caused the capsizes. In. hits opinion, the selector had done the right .thing' in eliminating the boats. The association had appointed him and was now telling him he did not kno"vy his business. Was it fair to take the business out of liis hands? If he refused to carry on, no one could blame him. Jlr. N. D. Blair considered the association was to blame': in not denning the selector's duties for him. As one of the skippers, he could say that the courses had been far from satisfactory. Mr. Blair said that the refusal to sail the course made out for Saturday was on account of tho Homo steamer swinging round iii tlie harbour. After further discussion, Mr. Webb moved, and it was decided, that the resolution regarding tho tumber of trials be rescinded. The chairman thought members wero too hard on the selector, who, after all, had been working in tho dark. Most o£ the .members coucurred with this view. The meeting rejected as unnecessary a motion by Mr. Jukes, "That the selector had the confidence of the association." i On the motion of Mr. Webb, it was decided to extend the series with a suggestion to the selector that ten racefc or less be sailed, with no eliminations.