Yachting.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 75, 7 December 1901, Page 19

Yachting.

The final handicap races for first and second class yachts were held last Saturday. There was a stiff northerly breeze blowing. In the first-class event Waatangi, Rainbow, and lorangi uere all off scratch lorangi got the best of the start, Waitdiigi being close behind, but Rainbow was nearly two minutes late in getting awa> lorangi rounded the Worser Bay buoy at 3hr 6mm, Waitangi close behind at 3hr 6min oOsec, and Rainbow at 3hr 7min 40sec On the beat up to the Koro Koro buo-^ . Rainbow made a satisfactory beat but. on rounding the buoy, her reef pennant, which was hanging rather slack, fouled the buoy pole, and snapped the reef pennant. This would have counted a disqualification had she won. Waitangi rounded the buoy 40sec after Rainbow, with lorangi about lmin in the rear It was a graiid run home between Rainbow and Waitangi. Rainbow kept ahead until she was close to the Queen's Wharf, a few yards from home, when she got into the doldrums and was displaced by Waitangi, who cairied the wind with her. The latter won by the narrow margin of one second. Such a finish in a yacht race has not been known here for years lorangi finished 18sec behind Rainbow. Waitangi has now won two out of the three races, the third one having fallen to Rainbow. The final of the second-class yacht races was also sailed on Saturday, and was won bv Siren (from scratch) by a minute. Atlanta, which had 3min time allowance was the only other competitor. Sireii has won all three races Mr J. B. Speed, secretary of the Port Nicholson Yacht Club, acted as starter and judge, Mr. W. Monckton being handicapper At Lyttelton, on New Year's Day, the Regatta Committee are offering £50 as first prize for first-class yachts, if any yachts outside Canterbury compete. In all probability one or two of our cracks will make the trip