SANDERS CUP TRIALS

Evening Star, Issue 18158, 26 December 1922, Page 3

SANDERS CUP TRIALS

WINIFRED WINS SIXTH RAGE. SUBSTANTIAL LEAD IN POINTS. A light north-easterly wind prevailed on Saturday afternoon when the seven 14ft one-deaign boats lined up for tho start of the sixth race of the Sanders Gup trials on tho Upper Harbor. The wind was very light just Wore tho start of the race, and tho officials, on that account, discussed the question as to whether it would be advisable to limit the boats sailing oyer the course once instead of twice, as it was thought that the boats would not be able to finish in the time limit. As the wind gradually freshened, however, it was decided that the boats sail the full course, and this proved a wise decision. _ A large crowd of 'lnterested spectators lined the foreshore, and many motor oars filled with enthusiasts were 'lined np on the lower Peninsula and Raversbourne roads, which proved that the interest in these trials is particularly keen as they are nearing the finish. The race was sailed over the Otago Yacht Club course, and the white sails of the seven entrants presented a fine sight, especially when they raced before_ the breeze with spinnakers set. Winifred practically led throughout, mid won easily. This boat has consequently three firsts and a second to her credit, and as she has established a substantial lead in P9 IT IJ fl there is very little doubt that she will bo the boat selected to go to Auckland to ■represent the province in the senes of testa to be sailed on the Wnitemat® for the Sanders Memorial Cup early in February. Should the Winifred win the next itrial" race there will be no necessity to sail tho final. Winifred was well handled by her skipper (George Kcllctt). The first round of the race was somewhat disappointing, and the test of the race was really in the second round. Heather did not show up very prominently in the first round, but .greatly improved her position as the wind freshened. The Heather requires a full-sail breeze to show her sailing powers, but this has bean lacking in each trial race this season, and must be very disappointing to her skipper. The same may bo said of Eunice, as her show inr in the second part of the race was much bettor than in the first round. Throughout the trials Vailmai has peen v-ory cTo.clitn.ibfy handled by Her skipper (F.'B. Francis). , Tho race started at 3 p.m.. and a. good start- iraa effected, the boats crossing’ Hne lino in the following order Agnes, \a|mai, lona. Heather., Mona, "Winifred. Eunice. All the boats practically rounded the throe-legs mark together, being well bunched. After rounding, in the beat to OhalhVs buoy, lona, Winifred, Agnes, Valmai. and Mona stood to the Pemnsula, while Heather and Eunice made e, short board towards the retaining wall. Shortly after this Valmai weathered lona and Winifred. About this time the wind .fell away altogether, and the boats were almost A little later, when tHey were opposite I>lack Jack’s Point-, the wind freshened, and Agnes drew into the leading position, with Valmai holding second -place. The wind further freshened from the north, and Eunice stood, away to the Peninsula, while Winifred and lona were fighting a close moo alongside the retaining wall. Valmai at this stage stood to the Peninsula, and dropped back to fourth place. Winifred overhaul od_ lona, and ChalHs's buoy was rounded in the following order Winifred, lona, Agnes, Valmai, Eunice, Heather, and Mona. After rounding, spinnakers were set for tho run to the three-legs. _ Winifred’s crew were rather slow in getting the spinnaker set, but the boat still maintained her lead, and widened the gap between herself and lona until opposite Hie boat harbor, when Inna arain gained a little on her rival. The other boats still maintained their positions, and the three-legs was rounded thus : Winifred. lona, Agnes. Valmai. Eunice, Heather. Mona. On the boat back to the starting line the two leading boats maintained their positions. It was difli; cult to toll whether Agnes or \ a-mai would he the third boat to cross the starting line, as first one, and then the other was in tho lead. The* boats crossed the finishing line in the first round in the following order :—Winifred. lona, Agnes, Valmai, Eunice, Heather, Minna. Spinnakers were again set for the run to tli© ma/rk in. tbo second round, the. boats still maintaining their positions. Thev rounded the three-leigs in the same order as they did crossing the starting line. On the beat to dhaliis’s buoy, after roundin,* the three-legs, the wind freshened to a n-ood full-sail breeze, and Winifred stood well across to Grant’s Braes, thereby improving her position. She then stool ©.cross to tho retaining wall. Valmai and Agnes, which had also stood to the Pen’"' aula. preferred working that shore, while the other boats worked closer to the retaining wall. Winifred was making good weather, and further improved her lead. During this time Heather and Mona, which” had been some distance behind, were making better progress, and gained considerably on the other boats, while Eunice worked into third place. The boats rounded Ohallis s buoy in the following order :—Winifred. lona, Eunice, Agnes, Vwhnai. Heather, Mona. Spinnakers were set for the run to the three-legs, and from this on it was easily seen that Winifred had everything her own _ way. She rounded the three-legs 3,min ahead of lona, The other boats rounded as follows :—F.unice, Agnea, Valmai, Heather, (Mona. There was very little change in the position of the boats on. the heat back to the finishing line, and they crossed the 'line in the following order : —Winifred, Tmm. Eunice, Agnes, Heather, kalma.i, Mona.

The corrected finishing times are as follow :

Winifred (0. Kellett). 3h 12min 11 sec 1 lona (A. Wifema.nl, sh. J4min Slsec ... 2 Eunice (C. French), 3h 17min Msec ... >3 Agnes (R. C. Miller), 3h 20min Here 4 Heather fW. J. P. M’Culloch), 3h

2Qrain 35seo 5 Valmai (F. B. Francis), 3h 20rnin 49soc 6 Mona (W. Watson). 3h Zimin 19 sec ... 7 The boats ware clocked rounding the various marks as follows ; —First Bound.Ohallis’s buoy : Winifred, 4h 52imn 25sec; lona, 41i 52rain 45sec: Agnes, 4h 52min 55sec; Vaiknal, 4h 33miu 40sec; Eunice. 4h 35mdn 46soc; Heather, 5h 39min SSsec; Mona, Sh 40min 25eec, ITire>e-legs : Winifred, 4h 55rnin 20soc; lona, 4h SSmin bZscc; Agnes. 4h 66m in fiOsec; Valmai, 4h 56min 53sec; Eunice, 4h 68min 50sec; Heather, Sh 2min; Mona., 5h 2mln 22eec. Rounding finishing line : Winifred, 5h 2rain 45boc! lona, Sn 3rain 52sec; Agnes, 5h smm lOsec; Yolmai, 5h Smin 40sec; Eunice, Sh smin Bsec; Heather, 5h Smin SSsec j Mona, 5h 9min 12sec. —‘Second Round.— Thnee-legfl : Winifred, 5h Smin SSsec; lona, Sh 7min 3stc; Agnes, Sh Smin SSsec; Valmai, Sh 9min 12sec; Eunice, Sh 9min 29sec; Heather, 5h 12min Sseo; Mona, 5h 12min 30sec. Challis'a buoy : Winifred, 5h 42mm Bsec: lona, 5h *4snrin 22ecc; Eunice, Sh 47min 40sec; Agnes, Sh 48min ISsec; Valmai, Sh 49m in 9sec; Heather, 5h SQmin 13sec; Mona, Sh SOrain 40sec. Three-legs: Winifred, 6h 3min 24sec; lona, 6h bmin 4Ssec; Eunice, 6h lOmin 3eco; Agnes, 6h Urn in ISsec; Valmai, 6h llmin l7»ec; Heather, 6h 12min 35sec; Mona, 6h 13min SSsec. Finishing line r Winifred, 6h 12min Usee; lona, 6h 14mda Slseo; Eunice, 6h 17mm 14sco; Agnes, 6h 20tmdn llsec; Heather. 6h 20nan 35seoj Valmai, 6h 30min 49seo; Mona. 6h 21min 19sec. The points gained by the various boats in the five races sailed to date are as follow !—■ Winifred M lona —» o Heather .» •- 8 Mona ... Eunice ... Agnes. 2 Valmai ... 1 The seventh trial raoe will be tailed on Saturday, December 30 over a course at Port Chalmers. This will be the first time that a Sanders Puptana! has been sailed over this course. The Lower P onto bo! I o course is very unsuitable . from a spectator's point of view, and it was for this reason that the association decided 'to sad! tre seventh race over the Port Chalmers tours*.