SANDERS CUP TRIALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18578, 10 December 1923, Page 11

SANDERS CUP TRIALS.

RON A AGAIN SUCCESSFUL. ANOTHER DOUBLE VICTORY. CLOSE FINISHES RESULT. The v second i series ,of f trial races Ato decide which, boat will represent Auckland in the contest for Hie Sanders Memorial Cup took place on Saturday afternoon, and • resulted -in another double win for Rona. The weather, conditions were good, a. wholesail breeze from ■ the west blowing throughout the afternoon. The course for the first test, was a , triangular one, v and for the second a windward and leeward one. The boats -■ and their skippers were:—Rona, J. Gifford; Queen March, G. Bailey; Joan, V. Lidgard. As on the previous Saturday, great interest was taken in the trials, a number of yachts and launches following the progress of the races, while there was a large gathering of the general public on the King's Wharf. . ■ The First Race.

The first race was started at 2.20 p.m., Queen March crossing the line first, closely followed by Bona and Joan in that order. Queen March was .first to get her spinnaker drawing, but Bona gradually caught the leader, and at the eastern tide deflector she was leading Queen March by 15 seconds, Joan being a length further astern. The run to Resolution buoy saw Joan overhaul Queen March, but when they rounded the buoy Queen March drew up on Joan, passing her just before reaching the * Sandspit beacon. Meanwhile Rona continued in the lead, carrying her spinnaker longer'than the others. The times rounding the beacon were: —Rona, 2h. 53m. 305.; Queen March, 2h. 53ra. 455. ; Joan, 2h. 53m. 50s. The boats now hauled on the wind for, the beat to the markboat off King's Wharf, Rona maintaining her lead to the finish, which was timed as follows: — Bona, 3h. 17m. 155., 1; Queen March, 3h 18m. 235., 2; Joan, 3h. 19m. 355., 3. The Second Race. The course for the second race, which was started at 3.25 p.m., was from startling line off King's Wharf, round mark below the Watchman, back to starting line. This gave the boats a beat all the way to the top mark and a run back again. From a good start Rona was first away, followed by Joan, with Queen March well to windward. All stood on port tack, Queen March and Rona keeping more in mid-harbour than Joan, ■which- stood further in toward the northern shore. When Queen March and Rona broke tacks, the former crossed her rival, but a i little' later Rona again headed Queen March. When the boats met under Stokes Point (Northcote), Rona crossed Joan and rounded the Watchman mark 28 seconds ahead) of Queen March, which ■ beat Joan round by five seconds. Spinnakers were set to starboard for the long run to King's Wharf, Rona still leading the way. Passing the western tide deflector Rona had a lead of 34 seconds from Queen March, which was 10 seconds ahead of Joan. ' At the Queen's Wharf Joan drew . level with Queen March, and a great finish was witnessed between the two boats, Joan beating Queen March across the line by one second. The finishing times were:— Rona, 4h. 23m. 505., 1; Joan, 4h. 23m. 505., 2; Queen March, 4h. 23m. 515., 3. The officials in charge of the trials were:—-Messrs. J. B. Johnston, E. J. Kelly, W. A. Wilkinson and H. R. Arthur. Four teste have been 'held, and all have been won by Rona. DUNEDIN'S TENTH TRIAL. ' t ) } . WIN FOR WINIFRED.' [BY TKTEGBAPH.— ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, Sunday. The tenth trial; race in connection with the selecting of a boat to represent Otago in the Sanders "Cup contest was sailed yesterday in ■ a light variable wind, which did not provide conditions for a true test. The competing boats were Winifred, June, Heather and Kia Ora. Heather early got into a calm and this settled her chances, '"■".'nifted finished first with June second. Three more trials will be sailed this week. Winifred has won six of the tests, June three and Heather one.