SANDERS CUP CONTEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19254, 17 February 1926, Page 15

SANDERS CUP CONTEST.

THE FIRST RACE ON FRIDAY. POINTS SYSTEM ADVOCATED. MANY ADVANTAGES CLAIMED. BY SPINDRIFT. The fixture for the Sanders Memorial Cup will be sailed at Dunedin on Friday. The competing boats will be Murihiku (Southland), lona (Otago), Betty (Canterbury), Konini (Hawke's Bay), Peggy (Wellington) and Avalon (Auckland). With the exception of Betty and Avalon, which are new boats, all the others have previously competed for the cup. While the system of carrying out the races has not yet actually been decided upon, it is expected it will be the same as in previous contests. All boats will compete in the first three races, after which only the winners of these three will engage in a further series of races until one of the boats wins three. Under this system it is possible ths.t seven races might be sailed, as was the case in Dunedin in 1922, before the consist can be decided. On the other hand, the fixture can also be concluded on the third race, provided the same boat wins all three. Only on one occasion since 1921 has the contest been decided in less than five races. This was at Auckland in February, 1925, when the cup was won by lona on the fourth race. Keeping the Interest Alive. While this method of deciding the contest possesses two desirable features — first, that the boat winning the cup 'does so by virtue of having won one more race than any other competitor; and, secondly, that the contest cannot extend to more than seven, races—it also has its disadvantages. Those who favour the system claim that it narrows the field down to not more than three boats in the final races. In the writer's opinion this is not by any means a desirable feature—rather the reverse. Then again, it would undoubtedly be better for the crews and the public. alike' if a definite number of races were decided upon, and, most important of all. if §.ll craft were allowed to complete tne series. As it so happened last year only two boats met in the final race, and it must be admitted that this feature, together with the undue shortening of the contest, robbed the racing of much of its interest. Advantages Outlined. In view of this "Spindrift" would like to see a suitable points system introduced and given a trial. Take, for instance, the .system adopted for the British-American six-metre contests. This provides for a definite number of races and allows all the contestants to, compete in the series. The number of points allotted to each boat is governed by the number of boats competing. If six boats were racing the winner would receive six points, the second boat five, third boat four, fouth boat three and so on. The number of races is immaterial, but five is the, general rule. The points system has two outstanding features as compared with the elimination system. Firstly, |here is some incentive to gain the best possible position in the race, for every point gained is an advantage, whereas in the present system, if a boat is not first over the finishing-line, she might as well be last. The other advantage of the points system is that all boats complete the serie?-, and thus interest is not allowed to wane, as was the case in Auckland last year, when only lona and Murihiku were left to fight out the final race. The courses, and the system of deciding the contest will be arranged in Dunedin by two delegates representing the various provinces interested in the contest. YOUTHS AS YACHTSMEN. THE OORNWELL CUP RACES. BOATS SHIPPED,. TO DUNEDIN. The annual contest for the Cornwell Cup, which is confined to the boats belonging to the Takapuna Boating Club s 12ft. 6"in. one-design class, will be decided at Dunedin about the same time as the Sanders Cup fixture. The Takapuna boats, Sport, Comet and Frolic, were shipped by the _ Kurowy which also had Avalon on board. In addition to the Auckland boats one has been shipped from Lyttelton and the fifth belongs to Dunedin. 1 . The cup is at present held by Auckland and the challenging provinces are Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago. This contest is run on similar lines to the Sanders Cup event, except that all boats compete until one crew, not the boat, wins three races. The boys are all nrlder 21 and for the first race the boats are balloted for after which the crew takes a different boat for each race. Auckland will be represented in the contest, by Masters Mackay and Masfield. YACHT-EACING NOTES. FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY. THE SPEED BOAT CONTESTS. Providing the weather is favourable on Saturday the New Zealand. Power-boat Association will hold its annual races for speed-boats and cruisers. The original arrangements made for February 6, when the fixture was postponed, will be carried ° U The Victoria Cruising Club will its annual regatta 'on Saturday. All c asses will be catered for, and £llO will be given away in prizes. Entries will close this evening. The annual picnic tendered bv the club to its vice-presidents will be held at Pine Island on Sunday. Launches will leave the clubhouse at ten o'clock. An extended cruising race for yachts and launches and also a harbour race for Class M will be held by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron on Saturday. _ Next Saturday the Manukau Cruising Club will hold its third annual regatta. Since its formation three years ago, the club has made great headway and there is every indication of record entries being received for the regatta. In addition to the sailing and launch events numerous sideshows will be held and also races for model yachts. Next week the club will hold a picture evening at Onehunga. During the recent westerly gale the 14-footer Ola 11. was driven ashore at Onehunga and was damaged almost beyond repair. A FORTNIGHT'S CRtIISE. GOOD SPORT AT RUSSELL.

The launch Rosyth, which left Auckland on Saturday, February 6, on a fortnight's cruise, spent a great deal of the time among the big fish at Russell. The trip from Kawau to Russell was made on the Sunday, during the hard, westerly blow. On Monday a hammerhead shark was secured and on Tuesday two large swordfish were hooked, but broke away with the wire traces after a short fight. One swordfish of 2471b. and one mako shark of 3001b. were landed on Thursday, and another swordfish of 1901b. on Monday. Excellent sport has been had by the party, which is now working its way down the coast, and will return on Sunday night. Rosyth will leave on March 6 for another swordfishing trip with a different party.