YACHTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18678, 7 April 1924, Page 6

YACHTING.

AKARANA CLUB. CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS. VAN IT IE WINS DUNNING CUP The Akarana Yacht Club held races for yachts and launches on Saturday afternoon under most- unfavourable weather conditions. At 2.30 o'clock, when the first race was timed to start, there was a steady downpour with very little wind and the start was delayed for a quarter of an hour to give the boats an opportunity of reaching the starting line. This was a wise procedure, as 54 boats out of a. tot a- of 62 entries faced the starter. The wind was light northerly at first, next going to the north-west, then back to northerly, ' and finally into the northeast, where it held. Added to the unsatisfactory conditions .of the wind, rain fell throughout the afternoon, making matters very unpleasant for all hands.

The races were rather important, comprising the 1923-24 championships for the following classes:— L, M, N, V, S. T and Y. In addition, several general handicaps were sailed, including the race foi; the Dunning Cup, which was won outright by the keel yacht \anitie, owned by Messrs. Morris Bro\ All the events started and finished off King's Wharf, the officials in charge being:—Starter, Mr. W. A. Wilkinson; judge, Mi'. G. Miller 'timekeepers, Messrs. Wilkinson and G. E. Laycock. Details are as follows: — TOE DUNNING CUP. The only competitors in .this race were Ladye Wilraa, Vanitie, Wairiki, May belle. Naiad and Cynthia. At gunfire Wairiki crossed the line clear of the others and was ■well, in the lead before they got away. A little later Cynthia. followed and afterwards came Ladye Wilma. Maybelle, and Naiad By this time the wind had died away and for over 20 minutes - V anitie. which had kept rather close in toward the wharf, lay becalmed. Finally a light north-west wind enabled her to get away. Meanwhile. Wairiki slowly made her way in the lead down the harbour and was first round the Bastion mark. On getting round, however, Vanitie passed Wairiki and was the only boat to finish, all the rest giving up at . various stages of the course. Vanit:© finished, at eh 59m 295. and therefore wins the Dunning Cup and club trophy.

THE CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS. The race for class H was started at 3 p.m., the competitors being Sadie, • Starlight. Spray, Awatere . ana W&itere 11. Spray crossed the line first followed by S&die. Awatere and Starlight in that order. There was little or 110 wind, and the strong flood tide carried several of the' boats back ever the. line. Sadie, however, picked up a little breeze, which enabled her to draw away from her rivals.. Waiter* 11. lay. becalmed for over 10 minute* before she got under •weigh and whan the wind freshened she caught tip on several of the others. Sadie was first round the Saltworks beacon, and some minutes later Spray and Awatere followed in that order. Meanwhile. Waiter® 11. and Starlight gave up and later both Spray and Awatere retired, lea ring only Sadie to finish at 6h 3Sm 15s. She thus wins the class championship - and Mr. G. B. Wannan'a prize. Eleven boats faced the starter in the race for the 22ft. class, which was scat 'away »t 3.10 p.m. Valeria led the way over the line closely 'followed by Mows.!, . Doreen, Varuna 11.. Marie. Kokiri and Lucille, then came Venus. Ngaru 11. and Forest Gold. They had not gone very far. however, before they were nearly all- becalmed and drifted back over the line- Loveiight started 35m late. ' A light north-west wind eventually cleared the line and Lucille went into the lead, but before reaching the Bastion mark she was. passed by Marie. Venus and several others. Marie did well on- the t beat out to the Saltworks beacon and opened up a. new lead from Venus. Mowai and KokirL The run < back again saw Marie still" in charge with . Venus. Mowai, and Kokiri racing in that order. The finishing timeswere:—Marie (scr). 6h 36m So«;. Venue llim), 6h 57m 30s; Mowai (8m), 7h 21m 58s: Kokiri (11m), 7h 23m. Result: Marie, l; Venus, 3; Kokiri, 3. -'The champion flag was won by -Waiie. The remainder of the fleet gave up. Class N saw . Winifred,; Wayward,. Waits re and Waiapu cross (he ; line in that order at 8.20 p.m. There was a little more lift in tie wind now. Winifred leading the .way on the run down the harbour.. VPairpre was gradually gaining on the leader and eventually passed her. The finishing times were:—Wauere (lm), 6h 25m; Winifred (scr), 26m 255. Wsirere wins the champion flag- and club trophy and Winifred the second . prize- Wayward and Waiapu did not finish. I .-sV-.

THE 18FT. CLASSES.

There were 11 competitor* in the general handicap for the M. V and S classes. which w started at 3.30 p.m. Magic " beat the run Mo *m ordered, to return. Of the actual etart Materere -> was first away and then came Aratu. . Champagne, At&nratai. Colleen. ' Surprise, Chance. Mollis. Nsmu and /Wild Wave. Magic, which lost about ■ a minute in recrossirtfr , soon made up the leeway and gradually overhauled' the fleet. . hrr nearest opponent being ■ Champagne. The • finishing times were: Magic (scr). 6h >r23m 2s: Champagne (liml-Sh SUm 30s: Sur- ;:£■ prise • <scr>. 6h 27m 40s : Wild Wave (Sim). 6h 28m 40e; Kamu (6m), 6h * 29m 40s. Result Champagne. 1; Magic, 2; Wild Ware, ■a. Magic wins the cJtampiin -Aft* for class Y. and Nimii that for class S. Mollie. Chance. - Colleen. Matarere, At at a. and did not flffinh. The race for the ■ champion flag ; only in . the - M class will probably be leaailed later. : v , With ; one exception all. the entrants 'in the general .handicap for classes T and Y • started--at 3.40 p.m. By this time the wind :: had i again dropped and ; for about a quarter of an hour boats lay becalmed. Cupid was , first to set ; away and then came Westward, ■j Bronxewing, Viper, Kismet. Sea " Breese, P%a Chrome, ot«>ld Buddi and Sea Nymph, r Cupid led ;to the western tide . deflector, where she was passed by Sea Gnome, the latter leading for the remainder of * the course. OSier finishing times were:—Sea Gnome (sor). 6h lm iCs: Cupid (scr). 6h 9m 10s.:.;. Sea, Gnome -wins the Adeane Cup and the champion flag for class Y. Cupid receives a second in the general handicap. The race for. the champion flap. only in the x class will probably be sailed later.

> '... THE LAUNCH HANDICAP. The race for laurfchea was started at 3.45 p.m.. the competitors being:—Thistle, Sylvjster. Ngaroaa. Shamrock, Catherine, and Miss Alberta. Thistle was first away and then came fcgaroma, Catherine, Shamrock and Sylvester. Mine Alberta did one round only as Bne was 35 minutes late' owing to being caught on th } 9 tide at St. Wary'a Bay. The tunes on the completion of the first round were:—Thistle, 4h 8m: Sylvester, 4h 9m 2s: Catherine, 4h 11m: Ngaroma. 4h: 11m 6s; Miss Alberta, 4h 40m : Catherine gave up at this st»sre. while Shamrock, whose propel lor was fouled by seaweed, also retired • before reaching the flagship. The finishing times were: — Thistle (13m). 4h 30m 58s; Sylvester (I8m), 4h 83pi fis; Ngaroma (20m). 4h 37m Bs. Result: Sylvester, 1 : Ngaroma. 2; Thistle. 3.