AQUATICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13781, 20 June 1908, Page 8

AQUATICS.

The oil yacht Karora will leave for Whangamunnt to-morrow* returning to Auckland on Tuesday. The winter classes of the Royal New /.caland Yacht Squadron are now proceeding at the club rooms, Queen-street, there being a large attendance every night. The Richmond Cruising Club will hold their annual social in the Richmond Hall on

Monday evening, when the Hon. George Fowlds, patron of the club, will present the j prizes won during last, season. ] MOTOR-BOAT RACING. Mr. Thomas Fleming Day, editor of The Rudder, New York, has sent to the Royal j New Zealand Yacht Squadron a handsome ! silver trophy for a long-distance motor-boat race. ' The course will probably be from j Auckland to Wellington, and, the race will \ be open to motor-boats enrolled in any or- j ganised yacht club ia the Dominion. Tha l ! date for" the start has not yet been fixed, j i but it will probably be some time in De- i ] cember. i this race will do much In excite a general j j interest in motor-boat racing and do much j ! to improve the buildinr of boat-. Mr. Day j ! promoted the long-distance races in the j ' Gutted States, and they have become a ruin- j ! ripa! feature of the yachting season. Last j ! year two boats raced from New York to j i Bermuda, a distance of 670 miles, the win- ! I ncr making the passage in 6* hours 3/ win- } utes. The annual Marblehead race, a dis- ; ; tance of 270 miles, usually brings out a dozen \ I or more starters. ! Particulars of the race can be obtained I j from the hon. secretary of the Royal New j Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland. I A LAUNCH RACE. I During the recent stay of the Government j i steamer Tutanekai on the Northern Wairoa j j the officers took a cruise up the river and [ i were delighted with what they saw. Their J j boat, a beautiful and powerful launch, with j ) good speed, made the trip all the more eni joyable. The harbourmaster's launch was i met with on he way down. While, at j Dargaville it was decided to race the two > launches, and a most interesting contest took I place. It was at once seen that the Tutaj nekai's launch was the faster, and at Mount j Wesley was rive lengths ahead, and at .lock's ! Point 15 lengths ahead, the officers being delighted with what looked a sure win. By this time, it was dark. To the surprise of all on board the. Tntanekai's launch when Hearing To Kopuru Wharf a shout was heard. The race was over, and it was won by the harbourmaster's launch, which got. in ahead by about two lengths. The Tntanekai's launch took the Aratapu channel and the harbourmaster's launch crossed in Mititai channel. ' With local knowledge the race was won by the slower boat. LiiVX.