EILEEN AGAIN

Evening Star, Issue 21641, 9 February 1934, Page 8

EILEEN AGAIN

WINS FIFTH RAGE LAVINA CAPSIZES—IRENE DISQUALIFIED After the most thrilling race of the current contest Eileen, the Otago boat, won the fifth race at Lyttelton this morning of the 1934 Sanders Cup contest. The defender, Irene, fouled a mark about halfway through the race and was disqualified, while Lavina had the misfortune to capsize while running free with spinnaker set. This gives Canterbury and Otago two wins each, and Wellington one win. If either of the two first win the next race she will also win the cup. Conditions were unpleasant, the sky being overcast and intermittent rain squalls sweeping over the harbour. The wind was fresh from the south-west and a heavy sea was running. All boats carried heavy weather crews of four men, full mainsails, and working jibs. The course was a windward and leeward one of approximately nine miles, and there was a time limit of three hours on the race. The Canterbury boat, Irene, was first away after gunfire, and was closely followed by Lavina (Wellington), Eileen (Otago), and Val (Southland). Shortly after the start Eileen had the misfortune to lose a man overboard. The crew was leaning well out over the weather side to keep the boat on an even keel in the strong wind, and a sudden calm threw the man into the water. The boat at once put about and picked him up with a very smart manoeuvre, but about half a minute was lost through the incident, and it cost the Otago boat her place, the South-, land boat being to weather of her when they crossed tacks. Lavina began to open out from Irene and rounded the first mark about 27sec ahead of her. Val was about a minute and a-half back and Eileen about 35sec behind the Southland craft. Spinnakers were set and the boats flew to leeward in a smother of foam. A strong wind 1 was blowing at the time, and the boats raced away at a terrific speed. The extra sail was too much for the Lavina and proved her undoing. The boat was going along at a great pace when she ran her bow into a high wave and the spinnaker went over the mast, capsizing her. Otago sailed past with a great burst of speed, the skipper, M'Grath, showing wonderful seamanship. Sinclair, the Canterbury skipper, who was now in the lead, thought discretion the better part of valour and changed to a smaller spinnaker, but M'Grath retained his big kite. At the leeward mark Irene went about to get the sail on the other side, but tire Otago boat saved _ time by the risky manoeuvre of gybing. M'Grath was sailing a very fine race, and had made a wonderful recovery after having lost some time when the man went overboard. At this mark Irene had a lead of over a minute from Eileen, with Val nearly a minute behind the Otago boat. Eileen was holding the better wind, and M'Grath was steadily lessening Irene’s lead. Sinclair and M'Grath were now fighting out a close duel, while the Southland boat was some distance astern. When approaching the mark Irene fouled a pile and retired from the race, leaving Eileen and Val as the only contestants. The former, with a comfortable lead of several minutes, did not risk setting a spinnaker, but Hansen, in the Southland boat, set a leading jib as a kite, and the boat commenced to fly through the water, rolling to an alarming degree. It was subsequently decided to reduce sail, however, and she followed Eileen under mainsail and jib. At the next mark Otago had a good lead of over a minute from Southland, and the race developed into a procession, with the Otago boat drawing away from Val. Neither skipper was willing to take a risk in setting a spinnaker, and they made the last run under mainsails and jibs. Occasional heavy squalls, however, sent the boats leaping along on the waves, but there were no further mishaps, Eileen crossing the line 4min ahead of Val. . , , . Tho sailing time for the course ot the winning boat was Ih 44min lOsec.