HEATHER'S IMPRESSIVE SHOWING

Evening Star, Issue 21004, 19 January 1932, Page 4

HEATHER'S IMPRESSIVE SHOWING

[Special to the ‘ Star.’]

WELLINGTON, January 19. In the first Sanders Cup race, held yesterday morning, which was not completed within the required timo limit, Heather, the Otago representative, gave an exceedingly impressive showing, particularly in view of the fact that at least half the race was sailed in very light weather conditions. On the first heat up to , Ngahauranga Heather was holding a poor third place, but Pettit took a long leg towards Somes Island and secured a good “lift up,” bringing him 'up to a strong position. The wind at this stage died down to the merest breath, with the consequence that some strange tricks were played with positions. When the boats rounded Ngahauranga buoy, with a changed wind to the south, Avenger (the Canterbury representative) was leading from Heather by 2min llsec. On the beat back to Shelly Bay, in face of the strong wind, Heather made a valiant attempt to catch Avenger, but it was of little avail, and when she rounded the mark buoy sho had an advantage of smin 33sec. Although on the run back to Ngahauranga Avenger continued to draw away, Heather nevertheless put up a fine showing, and the little craft literally flew _ through the choppy seas. It was fairly apparent when the last buoy was rounded at Ngahauranga that the race could not be finished within three hours, and indications were that Heather would have finished second.

In the afternoon race, which was over the same course, Heather held a very likely position on the first run to Ngahauranga, and at one stage held the lead from Betty and Avenger for a short while. For about half an hour the contest was very exciting, Betty, Heather, and Avenger fighting for leading position. Short!,y_ afterwards, however, Heather, following her tactics of the morning, split tacks, and endeavoured to get a lift in the southern end of the harbour. But she was unlucky. Avenger and Betty drew ahead to-

gether, and left the other three boats well behind. G. Brassel, Avenger’s twenty-year-old skipper, put up an exceedingly meritorious performance in both races, and in the afternoon event he was only beaten by the riper experience of Arthur Johnston, Betty’s skipper. This was seen when both boats were fighting for the leading position when they were approaching Shelly Bay from Ngahauranga. Johnstmi kept Betty closer to the wind than did Brassel, and when ho secured the weather position the issue from that point onward was scarcely in doubt.