THE YACHT SQUADRON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18642, 25 February 1924, Page 9

THE YACHT SQUADRON.

ANNUAL OCEAN RACE. . WON BY VICTORY. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron held its. annual ocean race on Saturday. ■ The course wa* from starting line, off King's. WharJ, through, the. MotutapuMotuihi passage, ■ round Bird Rock (one mile south of Elephant cove), thence round- Canoe Bock, off Kawau, thence through Tiri and' Rakino-Mobuitapu passages .to Matiatia, a distance of 81 miles. The, entries and handicaps wore:— tangi, scr.; Rawene, 6m.; Prize, 11m. ; Moana, 15m. ; Victory, 15m. ; Windward, lh. 45m. .'.' The boats were sent away to a good start at 2.45 p.m., Prize crossing the line first; closely followed by Waitangi, Rawene, -Victory, Moana, and Windward, in that order. There .was a fr sh northerly wind blowing when the boats left the harbour, which gave them a close haul to Emu 1 int, . Rawene leading the fleet, closely followed by Prize and Victory. It . was a beat from Emu Point to off Matiatia, when the boats were again enabled to ease sheets for the long leg to Bird Rock. Rawene was first to reach Gannet Rock, but at this stage she was passed by Prize, . which was sailing remarkably well. Bird Rock was reached first by Prize at 8 p.m., followed by Rawene at 8.10 p.m., with Victory, Moana, and Waitangi following in thai order. Windward gave up at the back of Waiheke. From Bird Rock to Canoe Rock the yachts made a lead of it, Rawene, Prize, and Victory, all keeping very close together. Prize rounded, the Canoe at midnight, closely followed by Rawene and Victory in that order, Moana and Waitangi being some distance further away. A heavy sea was experienced in ' mak the rock and on getting round Prize was struck by a squall which * carried away her goose neck on her spinnaker boom. All were now carrying spinnakers for the run to Matiatia except Prize, and both Victory and Rawene drew away from the new.boat. Moana now picked , up on Prize and a close finish was witnessed between these two boats, only a minute separating them on arrival at Matiatia. Victory finished first at 4.36 a.m. yesterday, and Rawene" at 4.45. Then came Prize and Moana about 20 minutes later, with Waitangi still further away. The result was : Victory 1; Rawene 2, and Moana 3.