YACHTING

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10532, 8 March 1920, Page 8

YACHTING

RACE FORJMILLS CUP WAITANGI SCORES FIRST WIN. On Saturday afternoon the first contest took place for the Mills Cup, presented by the late Mr E. C. E. Mills, at one time commodore of the, club, to the Port Nicholson Yacht Club,- to; bo competed for by first-class yachts, and to bo won three times in succession or five times at intervals before it ’becomes the property of the winner. The' trophy is a handsome silver cup valued at about 150 guineas. Preliminary test races tools place during the past two years and were won by Mr W. Duncan’s Viola and Mr E. Bucholz’s Wairere ID, but owing to war time conditions prevailing then it ppion psaa rjsiif eq; ptippoep su.u. not bo hold until this year. Perfect weather prevailed on Saturday afternoon, and a fine race wag -witnessed. The steamer Duchess was engaged to follow the race and some hundred spectators accompanied 1 the vessel. : Captain J. Lowry, of- the Duchess, manoeuvred his vessel so as to enable the passengers to obtain a splendid view of the race from start to finish. The event resulted in a win for Messrs H. J. Smith and M. Rowell’s Waitangi • by only tWo minutes from J. McLean’s; junr., Edna. At 2 p.m, there was a light northwesterly breeze, and under the conditions of the race the handicaps were allotted on the basis of the amount of wind that E revailed at that hour. The breeze, owever, freshened appreciably towards 3 p.m., at which hour an excellent flying start was made by the’nine-competitors. The course, which measured about eighteen miles, waa from a line out from the Clyde quay wharf, outside Jorningham buoy to the Pinnacle buoy off Seutoun, thence to Koro Koro buoy near Petone. back around Jerningham buoy to the starting line. ‘ • Immediately after the start the Waitangi took the lead with full-sail on, followed by the Maraagi, and the others bunched for some distance. The yachts presented a picturesque spectacle as they raced past Oriental Bay. Off Point Halswell the order was Waitangi, well ahead of the Marangi, which ‘was considerahlv in advance of the-Kobiri 11.. Ailsa, Wairere 11., Viola, Eona, and Atalnnta. All except the Wanderer,

Ailsa and Atalanta were smart in sotting their spinnakers. The Marangi was obviously handicapped through having her mainsail double-reefed, the breeze not warranting anything but full canvas. '

Bounding the Pinnacle buoy the Waitangi was three minutes ahead of the Marangi, which was two minutes in advance of the Kotiri 11., with the Kona a couple of lengths behind, a similar distance separating the Bona from the Wanderer and viola, which were abreast of each other. The Ailsa. was three lengths behind Wanderer and Viola with an interval of a minute and a half before the Wairere 11. rounded the buoy and the Atalanta one minute behind the Wairere IX. . Beating up to' windward towards the Koro Koro buoy tho fleet spread out in all directions. The Wairere sailed splendidly into the breezy, especially when, she ran up her jib-topsail oft Sdipes Island. The Wairere 11, and Viola kept close in to the eastern shore. The wind eased considerably after passing Somes Island, but good progress was made by all. Tho Koro Koro buoy was rounded in the following order:—Waitapgi, shr 6min; Bona, shr 48min 54sec; Kotiri 11., Shr 14min 30sec, Ailsa sbr ITmiu 45soc; Marangi, shr 21111111;, Wanderer. sbr 22min; Atalanta. shr 23min Itwec; Viola, shr 24min; ■ Wairere 11., shr 29miu 39seo. The Waitangi set a course for the Jerningham buoy, carrying her topsail and ffpiimnker. One or two others followed suit, but the wind backing to the westward rendered the spinnakers useless-and balloon jibs were hoisted. The wind, which had been fully moderate at times during the race, now settled down to "light." across the finishing line off the Clyde quay wharf a comfortable first' without taking the handicaps into consideration. When these, however, had been deducted, the result was as follows; — H. J. Smith and M. Rowell’s Waitangi (sailed by H. J. Smith), handicap, sor,. finishing time 6hr -17 min 2seo, corrected, time, same, 1. J. McLean’s (junior) Bona (sailed by owner), handicap, 6min, finishing time shr S4min Msec, corrected lime, shr, 53min Msec, 2. , J. B. L. Cull’s Kotiri 11. (sailed by owner), handicap 7m>n. finishing shr 58min Sseo, corrected time shr 51 min Sseo, 8. . _ W. Duncan’s Viola (sailed by B. MUiman), handicap 17min, finishing time 6hr 9min, Ifisoc, corrected time Shr 52mm 16scc, 4. ’ ' , Ham ill Bros’. Ailsa (sailed by Q-

Hamill). handicap llmin, finishingtim# 6hr Smin Sfisec. corrected, time Shr 52 min 56sec, 6. . Clark and Hadfield’s Wanderer (sailed bv C. Hadfield), handicap 15mm finis hihg time 6hr lOmin 25sec, corrected tune Shr 55min SSsec, 6. .. ~_f ; Hill Bros and Company,s.. Atalanta (sailed bv H. McOomish), handicap 10 min. finishing time 6hr 9miu 32seo, corrected’time shr 59min 829ec, 7. B Clarke s Marangi (sailed by owner;, handicap -Smin, finishing time 6hr 4mm 29sec, corrected tune 6hr Imm 29soc, 8. B. Buoholz’s Wairere IT-. (sailed by owner), handicap 9mm, finishing time ohr 15min 35scc. corrected time 6hr 6n £? thcTconcliision of tho race hearty cheers were exchanged between the. crews of the various boats and the winning yacht .in particular received a great Gendall acted as handioappor and starter, and the judges were Messrs, A. J. Pcthenck and J. Gendall. Every credit is duo to the secretary. Mr A. G. Wilkinson and his committee for the general success of the event from the Standpoint of tie spectators who wore on tho Duchess. . , , The Turnbull Cup, presented by the late Mr Alexander H. Turnbull will. be competed for on Saturday, March 20th. A steamer has been engaged to folio y the race with spectators. SECOND-CLASS RACE.

The Port Nicholson Yacht Club held a second-class yacht race for the Tt Rum. Cup during Saturday afternoon, in which there were four starters. _L>'lowing is the result:^— J. Wefcha \7in<h ward * (handicap 82mm), finishing time Ahr Slmin XSsec. 1; W. Duncan s Wylo handicap 6sec), finishing tune 4hr 19mi« fuec •>• P B. Neill’s Lizzie (handicap 14 „in) finishing time . 4hr SSmm a>scc, 3 ' Scott and Jordan s Galatea <sor . started. The course was over a diManre of Ol miles. The event starl. ed at - 4 j I(^TORi B oAT RACE.

The Port Nicholson Motor Boat Cteb held a club handicap on Saturday afternoon over n 4) mile course. There were four Starters. Following' is the result •- _W. Webb’s Marie (handicap Tinny, finishing time 4hr 45mm 15seo 1; Bobertson and Brodie’s Veronica (handicap 2min) finishing time 4hr 46m 10 , 2; Downes Bros.’ Naomi (handicap l-min), finishing timo 4hr 46mm Steec, 3. IRonayne’s Nellie’ (handicap sor), finishing time 4hr 46min 40sec, also started.