SANDERS CUP TRIALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18750, 2 January 1923, Page 4

SANDERS CUP TRIALS

AN EASY WIN TOR EUNICE. Beautiful weather, with a light full sail, south-easterly breeze, wmch was ultimately followed by a fresh nor’-east wind in the second round, were the conditions prevailing for the sixth test race. “Togo” Watson, who sailed Eunice for the first time, and has also distinguished himselt in the Mona, sailed Eunice to victory. The course, which had to be traversed twice, was sailed on the Port Chalmers Yacht Club’s course on Saturday afternoon, and proved to bo the most interesting and exciting race of the trials so far held. The seven starters were all ready to time, and an ebb tide was running. This enabled the fleet to manoeuvre for positiong without difficulty. When the last signal dropped all boats got away almost together, and when under way with spinnakers set Mona led, closely followed by Winifred, Eunice, Heather, Agnes, lofia, and Yalmai. about 20 seconds separating first and last boat, without doubt the best start of all the trials, -ignes, Winifred, and lona kept close inshore, while Heather, Eunice, Mona, and Yalmai made for the channel course. After sailing with a leading wind to Rocky Point all the bouts had to make about three boards to make the Grassy Point buoy. Eunice rounded the mark first, and then came Mona, Heather, lona, Yalmai, Winifred, and the Agnes. In the leading wind back again to the starting line Winifred overhauled Heather, lona, and Yalmai, dropping into third position. All the boats kept in this order until rounding the mark post at (ho starting line. In the run down, soon afrer passing the export wharf, the wind chopped round to the nor’-east, and Hie fleet had then to bent to weather to the Grassy Point buoy. Eunice had increased her lead at this stage of the race by well over two minutes, Winifred securing second position, then came Mona close on the latter’s stern. It was now seen that the race was all in Eunice’s favour. Mona and Winifred, on the run home to the finishing line, fought out a duel practically abreast—first one 'and then the other dropping into second or third place. The same applied also to Heather and lona in exactly the same way for fourth and fifth position, hardly a boat’s length at times separating them. Eunice crossed the home mark first, and when passing the Queen’s Drive shed Winifred drew slightly aijead of Mona, beating her for second , place by exactly one minute. lona also just passed Heather, fchile Agnes and Yalmai tuu not finish the course After the race Winifred was notified that she was disqualified for fouling the buoy at Grassy Point in the first round. Her skipper (G. Kellott) lodged a protest, as he claimed that Yalmai forced him on the buoy. Subsequently, however, he decided to withdraw the protest. After the race \V. Watson, tho skipper of Mona, notified the sailing officials that he had fouled the buoy at_ Grassy Point. The following are the official times: —unice, Ihr 41min 7sec. Winifred. Ihr 45min 48sec. Mona, Ihr 46min 38sec. lona, Ihr 48min llsec. Heather, Ihr 48min 17sec, Yalmai and Agnes did not finish the course.