SANDERS CUP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23879, 1 February 1941, Page 6

SANDERS CUP

CAEESS WINS AGAIN MARGIN OF TWO MINUTES CONDITIONS SUIT LOCAL BOAT Sailed in a fresh south-westerly breeze, which later veered to south, the second Sanders Cup race was won by the Auckland boat Caress by a margin of two minutes two seconds from the Canterbury contender Ajax. Wellington's 'J'assie was third, one minute two seconds astern of Ajax, while Wainpsu of Otago, was fourth, one minute sixteen seconds further back. The light crew of the South Canterbury boat Gallina had trouble in holding her up and were again last. The course was :i triangular one, starling off the Auckland MotorYacht Club's pavilion, thence to a mark moored off Chelsea, down to Rona buoy opposite the starting iinc, and thence round a mark off the Western" Wall, three times round. This should have given the boats a beat out, with a run and a lead, but the wind shifted after the start, and the last leg was also a run. The distance was approximately nine miles, similar to that of the previous day. Canterbury was first, away, closely followed by Otago, Auckland and Wellington, with South Canterbury some distance astern. All worked short boards up the southern shore, and the tide, which had just turned, did not have any effect. Gallina was to windward, and, although when they got clear of the breastwork, Wain pa and Ajax weathered Auckland, Gallina in turn weathered Wellington and Auckland, and caught Wampa on the wrong board to put her about, but Ajax was clear. All made a long board up the harbour, with Gallina in windward position and Wampa, Ajax, Tassie and Caress following in that order. It was a flat run to the If ona buoy, and Caress opened up a slight gap. On the next leg, with sheets inboard a little and spinnakers drawing well, Ajax was on the heels of Caress all the way, the two boats moving at a great speed through I he, water. With llie tide now running out strongly, Rogers had Canterbury under his lee, and, although the others worked the southern shore and took advantage of several good lifts, Caress was taking no chances with Ajax and kept her out to leeward in the tide. A heavy rain squall with a shift of wind saw them ail go to leeward, but Auckland was able to maintain her advantage and round the mark .'IB seconds ahead. Caress increased her lead on the run down and on completion of the second round was forty-six seconds ahead of Ajax. These two again kept together on the beat cut to the windward mark, and Ajax gained slightly, a shift of wind to the south enabling them to lay the mark in one long board, Caress being thirty-nine seconds ahead. Ajax was slower with her spinnaker and the Auckland boat opened up a gap which she further increased when Ajax lost her spinnaker sheet nearing the leeward mark. The others were a long way astern, but, taking their spinnakers in at the Rona buoy, they sailed better to the last mark and gained on Ajax. Elapsed times for the course were as follows:—Caress (Auckland). Hi 10m <l7s; Ajax (Canterbury), Jm 48m 1 f)s; Tassie (Wellington), 111 'llm 51s; Wampa (Otago), 111 'Kim 7s; Gallina (South Canterbury), 111 'lom The positions of the various provinces on the points table are as follows:—Auckland. fi'2 points; Otago, 18: Canterbury, 18; Wellington, 14; South Canterbury, 'J. TO-DAY'S CONTEST The third race of the Sanders Cup series i will be sailed this morning over a windward and leeward course, starting off the Auckland Motor-Yacht Club's clubhouse at 10 o'clock, provided the wind is suitable for the course. Should the wind be northerly or southerly, the boats will be taken down to liobson Bav I where a course will be laid out. ShonM Caress win this race it will not be necessarv to hold further races, but a win to either Otago or Canterbury would utako the position interesting.