AVENGER WINS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 15, 19 January 1932, Page 9

AVENGER WINS

THIS MORNING'S RACE

BETTY TAKES THE LEAD,

BOARD FOR BOARD,

TUSSLE WITH THE BETTY

In an exciting finish the Canterbury challenger, the Avenger, won the second qualifying race this morning, after a close'tussle with the Wellington representative, the Betty. The Avenger assumed, the lead in the cariy stages but on the Unal beat the Betty had the windward position and looked a certain winner. Tho Avenger worked out of her lee, however, and retained her advantage to the finish, winning by 16sec Early in. the race the Val appeared to have a good chance of success, but she was outsailed ,aiuT actually finished fourth, the Rangi being third' and the Heather fifth.

During the greater part of the raco the wind was a fresh, southerly, and crews of four were carried, but the freeze died away considerably towards .the end, .

_ The course wa3 a triangular one from Point Jerningham to. the Coromandel buojvto a buoy, off the -Clyde quay wharf, to Point Jernitigham, twice round, back to Coromandel and up-to the Clyde quay bnoy, a distance or approximately nine and a half miles.

-Spinnakers were sinarfly out as the boats crossed the line a few minutes after 10 o'clock, the Avenger ..again doing, beat, in getting under way? In striking comparison with the lack of 'Wind yesterday morning, the fresh breeze carried the boats along, at a great late as first one, and then another -was struck, by a squall.:. The Avenger-was quickly in the load with the Val nearest of tho others, but .the .Betty, which was the only boat carrying a leading' jib, began to "plane" in remarkable fashion and soon displaced •th<S' Canterbury representative, rounding, the Coromandel buoy 2scc ahead of her; The Heather was a further Mseo^ back • third, and the Val and Hangi lsee.arid ssee respectively after the Otago challenger.- Thus only 25sec separated the five boata at the mark. The wind had increased in strength considerably and the sea was fairly heavy as the boats started on the long beat to.Jorninghain.: ;There was still comparatively little difference between them, but the Avenger appeared to be doing better than tho Betty, and-as far ag could be judged was to -windward of the Wellington representative passing the Aotca qiiay breastwork This proved to be the case when the two. boats went about close in towards the breastwork, the Avenger having an advantage of about forty yards Of the others the Val was doing easily the best at this stage. The Heather Artd Bangi were practically together some distance in the rear.

Board for board Brasscll/kept the Betty under his lee, both boats sailing close m- towards the wharves, where the water was smoother and the wind steadier. All the time tho Val was improving in third position, and she .was following the leaders as they entered the calmer water after passing the Pipitea.Whaif.. There was still plenty of wind, but it was coming in puffs Brassell had to make a short board to fetch the Clyde quay buoy, and Johnston-had-to .'follow suit, the «ten 6, Tmmding times being 35sec. The Val had lost nothing over the,£nal stages of ,tho beat and she rounded lmm 30sec after tho Avenger Tn« Bang! was fourth round the mark over 3mm behind the leader, and the Heather brought up the rear. On the load to Jerningham tho wind •WM light and flukey, but tho order w»s not changed, the Avenger rounding for the Tun 40sec in front of the Betty. The Val went round lmin lOsec behind the Betty, and the Rangi a fur-

ther lmin 40scc back. The Heather set her spinnaker 4min 40sec after the Avenger rounded. THE SECOND RUN. Conditions for the second, run wore the same as the first, the Avenger taking a further ssec out of the Betty, while the Val rounded the Coromandel buoy only 42scc further back third. The Rangi had some spinnaker trouble and rounded last, but only a few seconds behind the Heather. The leaders again sailed in company, tack for, tack, on the beat; Brassell closely following every move that Johnston made. The Avenger rounded for .tho lead to Jerniugham oOsec ahead of the Betty, and immediately set a leading jib. The Val rounded tho Clyde Quay buoy 4min 2uscc after the Avenger in tho falling wind, and the Rangi followed lmin ssec later. The Heathor was far back fifth. For a tiuio the Canterbury uoat was almost becalmed, and the Betty crept up, being only; 27sec behind as they went round; tho Jerningham buoy on the final run, on which the Avenger did not carry a leader. The Val had fallen bohind over, half a minute on tho lead, bat had made a minute on the Rangi, with the Heather still tailing the field. The Avenger took 9see out of the Betty on the run, rounding 36sse ahead, while the Vai made up 33see of the leeway between her and the Betty. Neither the Rangi nor the HeS.ther improved on the run, USEFUL LEADER. The Betty's leader made all the difference on the final beat, as tho wind again fell away near tho wharves, and she gained the. windward position passing the Pipitea Wharf.,. However, Brassell, sailing -\ a,, heady race, let the Avenger sail free, and, going about smartly,- put the Betty round and gained the advantage. A battle of tactics ensued, and the excitement was intense as thei1 boats neared the finishing line, only a few yards between them. In a great finish the Avenger crossed the line 16sec ahead of the Betty. The official finishing times by the clock were as follows:— Avenger .' lDhr 2umin lOsee Betty ishr 2arnin 20sec Rangi :.......■... 12hr 30min 42sec Val 121ir 32min ssec Heather ......;... 12hv 3Smin Osec The Avenger's win was a very popular one with the crowd that thronged the Clyde Quay Wharf and the vicinity of the Boat Harbour, after her ill-luck of yesterday morning. when the time limit expired eliding her chances of a decisive win.. ■.:/■.■ This afternoon's race should finish about: 5.30. .