SANDERS CUP CONTEST.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21264, 19 February 1931, Page 3

SANDERS CUP CONTEST.

SECOND RACE TO WELLINGTON. AUCKLAND BOAT FOULS MARK. EILEEN’S POOR SHOWING. A full-sail north-east wind and fairly heavy sea gave the crews a hard gruelling in the second race for the Sanders Memorial Cup, which was sailed over a triangular course on the Upper Harbour yesterday afternoon. The race was again a procession, and resulted in an easy win for the Wellington boat, Betty. The boats were sent away to a splendid start, and the Auckland representative, Avalon, and Betty immediately assumed leading positions. Avalon held a slight lead on the first beat to the weather mark, but it was here that her chances were spoiled. The Auckland skipper cut the mark too fine. The mainsail fouled the mark, and Avalon tilted to such a degree that she almost capsized. After coming off the wind Avalon retired from any part in the race, although her crewsailed about until some of the other boats had finished. It was very unfortunate that the Auckland boat fouled. But for this a close and interesting race between her and Betty would probably have resulted. Betty again gave a fine exhibition of her sailing powers. She had things all her own way after Avalon retired. The Wellington boat, however, had a worthy opponent in the Canterbury boat, Colleen, whose young skipper sailed an excellent race. The Southland boat, Rona, held third position throughout. Eileen, the Otago defender, gave another poor display, and was hopelessly last from start to finish. In Tuesday’s race Eileen’s sails were the cause of her poor showing. In yesterday’s race she was equipped with a new mainsail lent by one of the competing provinces. The sail certainly made Eileen more lively, although it did not fit to perfection. It was fully expected that the defender of the cup would make a much better showing under the change of canvas, but she failed miserably in every respect. M'Culloch seemed to experience difficulty in holding Eileen into the wind, and she frequently fell away to leeward. The strong wind called for quick and accurate work on the part of the fo’ward hands. In eveiy run to the mark off Vauxhall the spectators on the eastern shore and those afloat were provided with thrill after thrill as the two leading boats raced away with spinnakers bulging. The boats staggered under the press of canvas, and it was only good seamanship that kept them afloat. The Canterbury skipper sailed a very skilful race, and he harried the Wellington skipper at times. In the last two runs to the Vauxhall mark Colleen and Betty frequently gave their supporters a fright, as they almost capsized.

All the boats carried heavy crews of four men.

The starting line was between Rattray street buoy and the starter’s boat, thence round Castle beacon, then to white flagged buoy at Vauxhall, then round pile off Kitchener street wharf, this course being covered four times. The boats and crews were: —

Avalon. —D. Rogers (skipper), I. H. Larritt, M. Jones, W. Tupp. Betty.—A. Johnston (skipper), F. G. Harlen, L. Robertson, A. Willson. Rona. —V. Bragg (skipper), L. Bragg, G. Bragg, G. Fife. Colleen— G. Brasell (skipper), F. Forman, F. Collins, R. Priddy. Eileen—W. J. P. M'Culloch (skipper), C. Pettit, J. Robertson, G. Reynolds. THE RACE DESCRIBED.

The boats were sent away to a perfect start at 2.30 p.m. The order crossing the line was Eileen, Colleen, Rona, Avalon, Betty. The fleet made a short board to port and then stood to the eastern shore. All sailed close inshore before breaking tacks. At Waverley Point Avalon led Rona by about 30sec, but there was little between Colleen and Betty. Eileen was nearly Imin astern of the second boat. Betty sailed very fast on this board, and quickly overhauled Colleen and then Rona. The Wellington boat was only 14sec astern of Avalon when the latter turned the weather mark and fouled. Rona and Eileen had trouble with the' spinnakers on the run to the mark off Vauxhall, the Southland boat being blown off her course. Betty increased her lead on the run, rounding the Vauxhall mark nearly Imin ahead of Colleen, over 2min in the lead of Rona and nearly 3min ahead of Eileen. Sailing very fast Betty drew further away from Colleen on the broad lead to the mark off Kitchener street wharf. The Wellington boat rounded with a lead of about 45sec from Colleen, nearly 2min from Rona, and over 4min from Eileen. The boats staggered under the wind pressure on the second beat to windward. The Otago boat fell off the wind and dropped further astern. Rona and Betty pointed right into the wind, and Colleen also did good weather work. At the weather mark for the second time Betty had an advantage of Imin losec from Colleen, 3min from Rona and smin 3sec from Eileen. The wind freshened at this stage, and Eileen had trouble with the spinnaker when she commenced the run to the Vauxhall mark. The strong wind almost took charge of Betty at times, but the Wellington skipper handled his charge with skill. Rona’s spinnaker went overboard and was drawn in over the stern of the boat. Colleen was blown off her course, and almost capsized. Rounding the Vauxhall mark Betty led Colleen by nearly 2min, Bonn by nearly Cmin, and Eileen by about Cmin. When Eileen’s spinnaker was eventually set for the run to Vauxhall she gained fdst on Rona.

There was little change in the positions on the load to the Kitchener street mark. Betty came on the wind for the second time, leading Colleen hy Irain 34sec, Ilona by over smin, and Eileen by smin 30sce. The race had developed into a procession, and it was only a question of the Wellington skipper being cautious and keeping his boat afloat to register another win. Betty rounded the weather mark for the third time with a lead of 2min 23see from Colleen, over Grain from Bona, and about 7min 30sec from Eileen. Betty’s skipper played safe when the boat came off the wind, as he set the leading jib in place of the spinnaker. The Canterbury skipper was alive to the fact, and nothing daunted, ho sot his spinnaker at 3.41 p.ra. with the hope that the extra canvas would enable his boat to overhaul Betty. Colleen raced along the eastern shore like a flying machine and closed rapidly on the loading boat. The wind eased slightly, and the Wellington skipper, observing Colleen almost flying through the water, housed the leader and hurriedly set the spinnaker. It was a ticklish undertaking, but was accomplished. Colleen, however, gained over Imin on Betty on the run. Once round the Vauxhall mark Betty again drew away from her staunch rival, and when she came on the wind for the fourth time she had an advantage of Imin 25scc from Colleen, nearly 7min from Kona, and 7min 22sec from Eileen. The wind again freshened on the last beat to the weather mark, and Colleen sailed remarkably fast, holding well into the wind. She gained 28scc on Betty on the beat. Rounding the weather mark for the last time Betty led Colleen by less than Imin, Ilona by over 7min and Eileen by over flmin. Spinnakers were again used on Betty and Colleen for the last run to Vauxhall, and the two boats went through the

water at a terrific speed. Colleen sailed faster than the Wellington boat, and was only 37sec astern when they set ont on the lead to the pile off Kitchener street wharf. As in the other three rounds Betty drew right away in the final stages, and won by 2min ssec. Rona finished Oinin nsec and Eileen 13min 15sec after Betty. Following are the official sailing times: — Betty, Ih 51m 25s ...... 1 Colleen, Ih 53m 30s .« .. 2 Rona, 2h Ora 30s 3 Eileen, 2h 4m 40s 4 THIRD RACE THIS AFTERNOON. At a meeting of the Dominion yachting delegates last night, it was decided to sail the third race this afternoon, starting at 2.30 o’clock, over a windward and leewaffd course. The course is the same as that sailed by the boats in Tuesday’s race. The start will be between the channel buoy off the end of the Rattray street wharf and the starter’s boat. The course will be covered three times.