BIG YACHT RACE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22627, 15 January 1937, Page 11

BIG YACHT RACE

EVENT AT SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL SIX-METRES DOMINION ENTRY' SOUGHT An effort to interest New Zealand yachtsmen in entering for the international yacht race being promoted next year by „ the New South Wale* 150 th Anniversary Regatta Committee is being made by Mr. 11. H. Cod dard, a prominent Sydney yachtsman and racing official, who is at present it Auckland for the Science Congress. The race will lie for six-metre vessel.and already sufficient money has been subscribed to provide an attractive prize for yachts from overseas, while there is a likelihood of a considerably greater amount being available. Ihat the race will be a truly international one has already been assured as advice has been received that three of the six-metre yachts racing under the burgee of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, England, and one from the x\merican Pacific Coast will be entering for the race.

"It is the opinion of Sydney yachtsmen that nobody can build yachts as New Zealanders can, and I hope to find them sufficiently interested to build, say, two six-metre yachts to represent the country at next year's regatta," said Mr. Goddard. He felt certain that if New Zealand boats were entered they could be sold before the race if this was desired on account of the high reputation of Dominion-built vessels.

He understood that the only sismetre yachts in the Dominion at present were heavy cruisers, so it would be necessary to build vessels for the race. However, it was quite possible that the committee, would hold races for cruisers with sufficiently large prizes to justify local yachtsmen sailing their vessels across the Tasman to compete. He recalled that tile chief race at tho New South Wales Centenary Regatta was won by the New Zealand yacht Waitangi, sailed by Mr. Alfred Milson. The prize for that race was £SOO with a gold cup valued at that time at £4OO. Mr. Goddard is in touch with local yachtsmen on tlie question of New Zealand's representation and he hopes to get an indication of the prospect of au entry before he leaves for Australia.