SANDERS CUP

Evening Star, Issue 21638, 6 February 1934, Page 5

SANDERS CUP

DEFENDER WINS FIRST RAGE EILEEH JUST BEATEN FOR SECOND PLACE SMART HANDLING IN BAFFLING WIND SHIFTS [Special to the ‘ Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH, February 5. Lyttelton declared a whole holiday ■to-day. Very little business was done in the town, and all shops worked on skeleton staffs. Everybody, it seemed, was on the waterfront to see the first of the Sanders Cup races for 1934. It was a perfect day fur the seaside—hot, with a light, warm wind, and spectators had a pleasant afternoon. Unfortunately, the wind from the yachtsmen’s point of view was flukey at different times during the two hours in which the race was sailed. It blew from the east, then nor’-west, then south-east. The course was supposed to be a windward and leeward one of three laps, but on each of the three laps conditions altered. One leg which should have been a beat proved to be a lead, and on occasion the crews had to do smart work in getting their spinnakers out unexpectedly, or in getting them in. The Canterbury boat, Irene, won after being in the lead practically the whole way, but the other boats had varying fortunes. The Southland representative. Val, was the only boat to challenge Irene, and actually headed the defender of the trophy for some time; but eventually, through the fickle wind, finished last. Eileen (Otago) had the best of the start, and Lavina fared worst. Irene, well handled, soon weathered the others, and turned the first buoy with a lead of 27see from Val, with Eileen 28sec away, and Lavina (Wellington) llsec behind the Otago boat. At the end of the first lap Val was challenging Irene for the first turn being right on Irene’s counter. The following was the order at the end of the lap:— Irene, 2h 49min fisoc. Val, 2h 49min 9sec.. Lavina, 2h 49min 25sec. Eileen, 2h 49rain 35sec. On the next lap Val attained her objective, weathered Irene, and went into the lead, and although Irene improved her position, Val rounded the buoy 54sec ahead of Irene, _ Eileen 26sec behind, and Lavina drain 16sec back. On the run for the second time the backmarkers had the luck of the wind. Irene simply flew over the water, and soon overhauled Val, which, however, caught the puff and remained almost level with Irene. Suddenly the wind changed from nor’-west to southeast. The unexpected change gave the crews smart work to do in changing over spinnakers. The home pile was turned in the following order:— Irene, 3h 27min 44sec. Val, 3h 2Smin 21sec. Eileen, 3h 29min 21sec. Lavina, 3h 30min 24sec. The south-easterly still held, and the boats, instead of having to beat down the harbour, had a lead- Halfway, however, another change of wind took’ place, a light air coming away from the southward. “Out spinnakers” was the order. Lavina caught the puff first and moved up, and Irene, well in the lead, was next to start moving. She lost the wind before making the mark, and drifted round. The others carried a good puff right to the turn. At the buoy Irene was 54sec in the lead from Eileen, with Lavina another losec away. Val was 2lsec in the rear of the 'Wellington boat. . , , Still another change m the wind took place a fresh breeze coming down the hills from the nor’-west. Off the pier the wind was very strong, some hard puffs giving the crews an anxious time. Irene established a lead of 500yds or (500yds from Lavina and Eileen, which were level, with Val another 100yds in the rear. The pile was turned for the last time in that order. On turning Irene tried to carry her spinnaker forward, but had to take it in again. She covered the short distance to the finishing line in great style. There was an exciting contest between Eileen and Lavina for second place, the Wellington boat coming up fast and just heating Eileen by 3sec. 'The finish was:— Irene (Canterbury), 4h ISinin 56sec. Lavina (Wellington), 4h 20min 45sec. Eileen (Otago), 4h 20min 43sec. Val (Southland), 4h 22rnin 3osec-