TASMAN YACHT RACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20901, 17 June 1931, Page 11

TASMAN YACHT RACE.

PRESENTATION OF CUP. MR. E.'TAMBS COMPLIMENTED. TRIBUTE TO RANGI'S CREW. The recent, transtasman yacht race had an appropriate sequel last evening, when the challenge cup given by the Akarana Yacht Club was handed to Mr. Erling Tambs, the Norwegian owner and master of the Teddy, by the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, at a civic gathering in the Town Hall concert chamber.

There was a large attendance of yachtsmen and others. Among those present were Lieutenant-Commander Juler, who navigated tho Rangi; Mr. W. A. E. Leonard, her owner, the crews of both boats, ono member of the crew of the third competitor, the Oimara. The Mayor remarked that when the president of the Akarana Yacht Club, Mr. L. Heard, asked him to preside, he had no hesitation in making tho function an official one. The race had not only been a meritorious feat, but it might also lead to further contests between boats built specially for the purpose and better suited; to ocean racing.

In handing the cup to Mr. Tambs, together with a miniature replica, Mr. Hutchison said it gave extra satisfaction to find someone who had accepted a challenge winning the event. On behalf of the club the Mayor also presented Mr. Tambs with an enlarged photograph of the boat and her racing crew. Mr. Tambs, in reply, said he felt most grateful to those Auckland yachtsmen who had helped him in many ways. It was hardly fair that' he should come to this part ,of the world and win the cup, but he would always deem it a treasured possession. He paid a warm tribute to the work of his crew.

Lieutenant-Commander Juler also paid a tribute to his crew, ".vho, he said, had proved capable of doing the best possible thing in the most unusual circumstances. They were a great credit to the yachting fraternity of Auckland. As regards future races, specially built boats would be needed, although out of 16 A class yachts he had watched in the gulf, 10 were such as he would gladly have sailed to Sydney.

On behalf of the Akarana Yacht Club its chaplain, the Rev. Jasper Calder, presented Mr. Leonard with a framed address signed by the officers and most of the. committee, expressing appreciation of his sportsmanship in entering his boat for the race.

Mr. Leonard suggested that Auckland yachts had proved their weatherly qualities so often that they deserved something more than' the so-called "ocean races" to Russell, Tauranga and other places on the coast.