AUCKLAND WINS

Evening Star, Issue 20413, 19 February 1930, Page 4

AUCKLAND WINS

FIRST CORNWELL GUP RAGE OTAGO OUTCLASSED IN SKILL Establishes the lead off the wind early in the first Cornwell Cup race yesterday afternoon, the Auckland crew, sailin with judgment and skill, retained its position to win, after a race not devoid of interesting manoeuvres, by 22sec from the Manukau challengers. Over the windward and leeward course a fresh nor’-easter blew without a lull. Auckland won by seamanship. The crews were: Auckland.—Tabuteau Bros. (Suzette). Lyttelton.—Tissman and Scott (Pupuke). Christchurch.—Beveridge and Webb (Pauleen) Manukau —Grant and Andrews (Wee May). _ Wellington.—Masters and M'Kenzie (Colleen). Dunedin.—M'Laren and Sell (Zita). When the live-minute gun was fired there was almost a dead calm, but when the last flag was dropped the breeze was coming away from the north-east and freshening all the time. At gunfirej Wellington was standing closer to windward than the remainder of the fleet, and they all went across the line to a good start- Wellington, however, lost its advantage by having to gybe, and Auckland poked to the front by hoisting its spinnaker smartly. Both Auckland and Otago were to leeward, but ofl tiie wind they all raced in good line for the buoy off the Kitchener street wharf. The wind freshening, Otam> obtained a good puff, and as the snip’s basin was abeam Otago ran into second place, a length behind Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Christchurch and Manukau following in that order. With their sails filling nicely, the fleet presented a lively picture as they sailed steadily to the lower mark, neai where Otago was showing most pace and running almost level with Auckland. In a fine battle to round the buoy, Otago whipped in its spinnaker the smartest, but coming on to the wind the local crew showed its first weakness, the skipper making a bad turn. Auckland was first round, followed by Otago, and then came Wellington, Christchurch, Lyttelton, and Manukan- It was ‘ follow the lender,” the boats being so close. Otago lost ground by making a poor gybe and not coining up into the wind with any precision. But if there were any prospects of a race up to that stage they were diminished when it came to windward work. On the thresh, Auckland showed undoubted sailing ability, holding his boat, close sailing her with initiative and expert smartness. Otago’s skipper allowed his boat to race towards the wharf, disregarding all the fundamental lessons of windward sailing. Zita was travelling fast, but falling right off her course, and when she was ultimately brought on to the tack to mid-channel she was lying a bad last. Meanwhile Auckland was outsailing the fleet, but Lyttelton was also working closer to the wind, while Manukau was fast moving into a good position. When all boats but Auckland had changed tacks, Manukau was in second. Auckland was holding on to starboaad, and obtained a fine leg down from t*o pile before coming about, to which' point Otago took three legs. With the breeze freshening the fleet was widely separated. From tho city side, Auckland worked across to the Peninsula, but Manukau, by two short boards in mid-harbour, was catching the wind, and she then stood over for the Peninsula. The Lyttelton skipper showed initiative by standing close into Vauxhall, where he obtained a fine lead off tho hills. Manukau also benefited by sailing along the windward shore, and the lead by Auckland was appreciably reduced. Lyttelton was getting the best wind and running in more sheltered water. Entering on the second round, Auckland was 34sec ahead of Lyttelton, with Manukau 16sec behindEighty seconds later Wellington hoisted her spinnaker, followed a minute later by Christchurch, while Otago was seven minutes behind the leader. All with the exception of tho local crew did good spinnaker work on the run up harbour, but Auckland showed the-greatest pace, and rounded 48sec ahead of Lyttelton, with Manukau 36sec behind. These boats were the only three in the race. For a moment Auckland’s supporters were perturbed, as, when gybing, the boat was nearly over. Auckland adopted different tactics on this thresh, and worked midchannel with short boards. Both Lyttelton and Manukau stood over to the Peninsula, and Lyttelton obtained a promising lift off the shore again. Lyttelton carried on too far past the training wall, and had to square off to round the pile. Before that blunder Lyttelton looked like beating Auckland, which was sailing in against the tide and the sea. Tho mistake let Manukau into second place, but tho Onohunga crew failed to catch Auckland. The finishing places and sailing times were;— Auckland, Ih 2m,in 4sec 1 Manukau, Ihr 2min 16sec 2 Lyttelton, Ih 4min 25sec 3 Christchurch, Ihr 6min 20sec ... 4 Wellington. Ihr 7min 45seo ... ... 5 Otago, Ihr IDmin 20sec 6 The race was keen, and the big crowd which lined the wharf was given a good exhibition of small boat handling by the boys.