SANDERS CUP

Evening Star, Issue 18543, 28 January 1924, Page 4

SANDERS CUP

THIRD RAGE PROTEST* EONA DISQUALIFIED, EACE AWARDED LINNET. JUNE’S DISAPPOINTING SHOWING. CFeom Oim Own Eepoetee.] WELLINGTON, January 25. The third of the ecrice of Sanders Cfip races was sailed on Saturday morning under perfect weather conditions, when the Auckland flyer, liuaa, again registered a win in what proved to bo a keen, contest. When the Sailing Committee met there was practically no wind, and the committee could not determine what would be a windward course. The committee then fixed on the sumo course tluit the boats had sailed over on Friday afternoon. This was a triangular course, and the decision was a wise one considering the light weather. The course was from the starting lino off Clyde quay wharf, around the Jerningham buoy, thence round the Coromandel buoy, and back to the starting line, three times around.

The crews of the six provincial boats were ;

Eona (Auckland) : V. Lidgard (skipper), H. Brown, W. Smith. Konini (Hawke’s Bay) : Neil Gillies (skipper), I. Gillies, L. Trnvillo. Peggy (Wellington) : E. Bailey (shipA. Bailey, A. G. Crawford. Lmnet (Canterbury) : S. Sinclair (skipper), R. Sinclair, W, Morton, June (Otago) : Q, Keliett (skipper), A. Booth, W. Gardiner.

Murihiku (Southland) i T. Bragg (skipper), V. Bragg, L. Cartenson. A beautiful start was effected, all the boats fighting most skilfully for the weather position. The wind at this moment came away fresh from the west, which placed the Otago boat close alongside the starting launch as the gun fired. Juno moved off smartly, nnd Bona, then camo from tho rear with a rush. Lidgard thought ho had room to pass quickly between June and the starting launch, but he just missed his mark, and Eona fouled June and then tho launch.

Bona’« youthful crow quickly fended their boat off, arid Bonn, was tearing after Linnet a few seconds later. This mishap was what led up to the protest lodged ty June's owner against the Auckland boat. Tho protest took all tho afternoon to decide, thereby causing the afternoon race to be postponed, greatly to the disgust of thousands of spectators, who have now reached a high state of excitement in connection with the contest. It was practically impossible to move about on tho boat harbor yard, so dense was the crowd, while tho roadways for miles in tho vicinity were lined with perspiring crowds. The heat was intense, and when the Sailing Committee announced its decision to tho effect that Bonn had been disqualified and the third race awarded to Linnet (which finished second) the largo crowd considered tho decision a fair one. But it was generally recognised that it was extremely hard luck for Bona, which sailed into first place just after the start and led throughout the race. Tho sympathy of tho majority of the competing crews and yachtsmen and the public was with Bonn’s crew.

The Otago boat never at any stage flattered her supporters’ hopes, and although tho crew of light-weights (Kellett, Booth, and the boy Gardiner) handled tho boat well she appeared to be> dead. In two rounds Juno held absolute last place, while on tho last round she pained some three minutes on tho next boat, and beat Boggy (Wellington’s representative.) on the final run homo. Murihiku, while finishing fourth, was beaten by Konini on the post; but the skipper of the Southland boat, finding that he could not sail into first place, did not set hie sninn-aker in tho final lap to the finishing line, otherwise he could have gained third position. Konini, like June, was not brilliant, and sailed a poor race. Evidently June and Konini (supposed to bo built off the Bona mould) are far from being in any way up to tho same standard as Uona. Linnet for once showed a little of her true form, and Iboat Murihiku in tho second round, finishing just on two minutes after Bona. Peggy, the Wellington crack light-weather boat, was very disappointing in every stage of tho race, Beferring to June’s and Linnet’s protest again. It is worth recording that tho Sailing Committee was called together at the boat harbor at 2.40 p.m. to hear tho charge. Tho evidence of the skippers of Juno, Linnet, Murihiku, Bona, Peggy, Buna’s crow, tho timc-ke.e.pers, and_ others was taken, and, like all evidence in such protests, it was very con.tradictorv; but with men of euch standing ns Messrs Kelly (Auckland), Smith (Otago), and Duncan (Wellington) forming the Sailing Committee, the, whole question received fair consideration, with the result already mentioned. Tho committee's decision was announced after a deliberation of two and n-quarter hours, by which time the big crowd had become impatient, and many left tho boat harbor with rmittorings not * complimentary to tho officials in charge. The crowd chafed at the long delay of the committee in coming to a decision. This decision now means that two races will be sailed on Monday, and if none of tho three competitors wins two races it will mean racing again on Tuesday, as ono boat must win throe races before becoming tho holder of the cup. This year’s contest is proof positive that this memorial has brought the yachting public of New Zealand to white-heat interest. Bona, Linnet, and Murihiku have one win each. The mad quarter-hour rush of the six boats in the first race in a southerly gale on Wednesday afternoon is still tho most exciting episode of this year’s contests. Its like will probably never bo scon again in contests for tho coveted cup. For "the second time in succession the Otago boat has not qualified for tho finals, but there is some satisfaction in tho fact that June won tho New Zealand Championship Race. Tho Napier lads lost no time in packing up their boat, she being trucked and sent away this afternoon. It is expected that Juno will be shipped to Dunedin early next week.