YACHT RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19621, 27 April 1927, Page 18

YACHT RACING.

LAST SATURDAY'S CONTESTS.

NUMBER OF CLOSE FINISHES.

SOME GOOD HANDICAPPING.

BV SPINDRIFT. The official closing of the yachting reason,, in Auckland on Saturday was marked by cold and showery weather. Early in the afternoon a moderate northerly wind was blowing, but as the day wore on the wind increased m strength and varied between north and north-east. Heavy rain also fell late in the afternoon. In spite of these conditions, the majority of the boats that had entered in the various clubs faced the starter, while very few failed to finish, which speaks well for tho keenness of the crews. The entries for all classes totalled 322, against 369 for the closing event last year, 318 in 1925 and 262 in 1924. The falling off in the entries on Saturday was principally in the races for the T, X, and Y classes, especially the two last-named. Almost every Saturday shows fewer Y boats racing, in spite of the fact that there are about 50 boats on the register. The Jellicoe (X) ciass has also lost its popularity, only three boats Rona, Nyria, and Joan —competing in the race for such a handsome trophy as the Lipton Cup.

Reviving the X Claas. Next season there are prospects of reviving the X class. Mr. F. Cloke, owner of Avalon, has been transferred back to Auckland, and this means that Avalon will be seen racing on the Waitemata when the 1927-28 season opens. Mr. W. A. Wilkinson, founder of the class, predict;.; that it will come into its own again next year. At any rate it will not be for the want of encouraging it, so far as he is personally concerned. He states that there will be a good showing of Jellicoe boats, and more interest will be taken in the class than was the case this season. Tho direction of the wind in the harbour on Saturday did not give very much windward work, but, in spite of this, some close finishes were recorded, while the handicapping in a number of the clubs was exceptionally good. In S class, in the Ponsonby Cruising Club's events, there was only 17 seconds between the first and second boats, and 3m 14s, between the first and last (fifth) boat. In the same class in the Richmond Club's race there was only 10 seconds between the first and second boats, and lm 14s, between the first and last craft.

Of the eight boats that started in the Devonport Yacht Club's, race for T, .X and Y classes, only a little over 4m. separated the first from the last boat on corrected times. In the Akarana Club's race for S class the difference between the six competitors on corrected times was only 2m. 355. In this same club the first and last Y class boats were separated by 2m. ss, on time .allowance. Joan's Defeat of Bona.

A feature of the racing in the harbour was the good performance of Joan, which defeated Rona by 21 seconds in the race for the Lipton Cup. In the first round Joan had a lead of 50 seconds from Rona and, although the latter reduced Joan's lead in the second round, she was unable to head her rival. Joan will now hold the cup for 12 months. The Victoria Cruising Club will hold a series of harbour events, including races for the Boonstra, Casey, and Rae cups, on Saturday. The New Zealand Powerboat Association also has a programme set down for decision on Saturday, including races for speed boats. SPORT OF CYCLING. MANUKAU CLUB'S RACES. BRAY BREAKS A RECORD. A feature of the road races held by the Manukau Cycling Club on Saturday was the fine riding of W. Bray, who established a record over the five and a-half miles Mangere course in a field of 29. His time was 13.55, the previous best time being 14 28. The weather conditions were favourable for fast times, notwithstanding, the heavy rain which fell as the contestants neared the fir ish. Bray rode with Casey off 305., and the pair made a fast pace. Bray was rather unlucky in joining a bunch of a dozen riders a hundred yards from the finishing line, but he managed to squeeze through into third place. Iv. Mathieson, the winner of the event, showed improved form. He has always been a consistent rider, and his finishing sprint on Saturday was very creditable. C. Gainsborough, who finished second to Mathieson, rode a hard race. He was one of the riders responsible for the fast time and he did more than h's share of pacing. The scratch men, Byrne and Galbraith. rode well, but Galbraith was not in his best form. This left Byrne at a disadvantage. He encountered trouble some distance from the finish and this spoiled his chance of gaining fastest time. Next Saturday the Auckland Athletic and Cycling Clulb will open its road racing season on the Mangere course. With two big cash road races from Hamilton to Auckland oil the programme a busy season is assured. J. Harcourt, Auckland's champion, will be a competitor in some of the Auckland Athletic and Cycling Club's road races this season. The performauces of this young rider wib be watched with interest by all followers of the sport. Phil O'Shea was beaten in the halfmile South Island championship at Waimate recently by F. Ward. Inches only separated the pair at the finishing post. Later in the day O'Shea won the mile and a-half event from Austin and Ward, after another close finish. Ward won the half-mile in 59 3-ss. from 22yds. O'Shea rode from scratch in the mile, to win in 2.7. J. Fitzgerald, who rode in New Zealand last year, won the cne and fivemile championships of New South Wales. Paired with K. Ross, he also won the six-days' match. Jack Henderson, who had a bad fall recently on the Sydney sports ground track, was unable to start in the sixdays' race, owing to injuries. R. Lasky, who won the last Timaru to Christchurch road race, has bee- unwell since landing in Sydney and has done practically no racing. DOMINION CRICKETERS. BRIGHT BATTING EXPECTED. Although county cricket is to take preeminence this coming season, the New Zealand players, who will play most of the counties, are creating interest, says an English exchange. T. G. Lowry, the Cambridge Blue and Somersetshire cricketer, will captain the team and therefore will remind us of Percy Sherwell, who was wicketkeeper and captain of the 1907 South African team to visit England. The reserve wicketkeeper will be James, and probably he would not have been selected but for his dual capability—wicketkeeping and batting. All through, the New Zealand, team will be stronger in batting than in bowling, and the fielding will be sprightly, because youth for the greater part is employed. The batting will be on the bright side. Lowry, brother-in-law to A. P. F. Chapman, and, like Chapman and W 7 oolley, a slashing batsman, but right-handed, "will set that example.