YACHTING CONTESTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 151, 24 December 1934, Page 9

YACHTING CONTESTS

Z CLASS CHAMPIbNSHIP

SANDERS CUP DEFENDERS

Nine entries have been received by tho New Zealand Yachting Council for the Z class championship contest, to be sailed on' Lyttelton Harbour, starting, on January 16, and it is anticipated that the contest will provide some interesting racing (says the "Christchurch Times"). The Z Class Cup, which is given to the winning crew, is at present held by the Canterbury Yacht and Motor-boat Olub, Lytteltou, and at the next contest its representatives will have to defend the cup Against challengers from Paremata, Tlimmerton, Wellington, Kaiapoi, Christcburct; Port Chalmers, Otago, and Invercargill. SANDERS CUP CREW. Elliott U. Sinclair, skipper of the 'Canterbury Sanders Cup defender, has been taking, part'in Sanders Cup contests for several years; Ho was a member of George Brassell's crew in the Avenger when she won at Wellington in 1932, and again at Lyttolton in 1933. In. January this year, sailing the Irene, he won tho right to represent Canterbury :in tho defence of the cup at Lyttelton, and succeeded in retaining the trophy (says "The Press"). Sailing the Irene again this season he won tho first three trjal-races in succession. F. Forinan, tne spinnaker hand, is now becoming a veteran; with several contests to,his.credit. Undoubtedly behas been the best spinnaker hand in tho I'l-footer' class 'in New Zealand during tho last two or three years. He is also la' handy man at the tiller; and last season raced Collocn \yith cohsiderable'sucicess.' v H. May, tho third man, will be taking part .in his'third,'contest.'

R. Hendry, a newcomer to the crew, is, like the others, a graduate from the Z, or Takapuna, ;class. He was spinnaker hand for W. Tissiman when the latter' won the Cornwell Cup at Wellington in 1932. He was the representative skipper the following year, when tho contest was held at Lyttelton, but was unsuccessful. At the contest at Duncdin in January of this year he won in handsoihe style, his /ability to handle Takapunas. and his seamanship earning him warm praise from southern critics. '■ '■ ) :

The Piimmerton Yachting Club hold a trophy handicap on Saturday, each boat skippered by one of the'usual crew. The weather was calm, with a light northerly breeze, whjch turned to -the south-west and freshened before the race finished. Six boats started , well away together. The finishing: times on handicap were as fol-lows:—-KiaOra (G. Nunino), 4hr 33min lOsec, 1; Clyde (J. Schierninz), 4hr 33min 56sec, 2; Juneta (H. Cathie),-4hr 35min 49sec, 3. Als9 started: Corsair' (-1. o'Donough), 4bi 41rnin 28sec; Paerata (V. Armstrong) and Watti (K. Watsdn), 4hr 33m in SSsec, fouled buoys. .