SANDERS CUP CONTEST.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21265, 20 February 1931, Page 7

SANDERS CUP CONTEST.

THIRD RACE ABANDONED. TIME LIMIT EXPIRES. LIGHT WINDS AND CALMS. Light and variable winds and calms were responsible for the Auckland bond, Avalon,’ not registering an easy win m the third race for the Sanders Memorial Cup, sailed over a windward and leeward course on the Upper Harbour yesterday afternoon. The Auckland crew was exceedingly unfortunate. Avalon passed to windward of the Wellington challenger, Betty, when the fleet came on'the wind at the completion of the first round. Ihe Auckland skipper sailed into open water, where Avalon was fortunate in picking up a light steady breeze, and she quickly drew right away from the rest of the fleet. It was a beautiful break, and the Auckland champion soon had a lead or nearly a mile. Avalon made a splendid boai'd down harbour, and when she lay for the weather mark she led the Canterbury respresentative, Colleen, by 10mm 4/sec. The wind in the early stages was so light and variable that the fleet occupied Ihr 2omin in sailing the first round of _ the nine-mile course. When Avalon received the advantage she had the race well m hand but it was questionable if the boat would be able to finish within the time limit of three hours. She completed the second round in about 33mm, and speculation ran high as to whether she could complete the last round in 4mm. ihAuckland skipper took full advantage ot every breath of wind, and when Avalon rounded the weather mark for the last, time she had just over 18mm m which to rim one mile and a-half and then a shoxt beat to windward to the finishing line. Avalon almost accomplished it, as she u as only 300 yards from the line when the time limit expired and the recall flags were hoisted. Another five minutes would have been sufficient fo r the Auckland boat to register a well-deserved win. When the flags and gun announced to the cojupcting crews that the race had been called oft. Avalon was not sailing very fast, as the wind had faded away again. The wind was very light from the southeast when the five boats were despatched at 2.30 p.m. to a splendid start. In the first round it was a run to the mai k oil Ravensbourne, but in the secondl round he light wind was so variable that the,spec tators ashore and afloat witnessed the most unusual spectacle of boats Passing each other with spinnakers set. This o . curred after Avalon had commenced the third round. Colleen, Betty, and Hona were running before a breeze from the south-west, which had some pressure behind it, while Avalon was running in the opposite direction before a very light north-east .breeze. ~ The weather was perfect the sun main* from a cloudless sky. There was not a ripple on the water, and a!though the race was abandoned the people afl snent a very pleasant time, but it vi «« moTt exasperating to the competing crews Between 2000 and 3000 spectators gathered on the whares, which showed that keen interest is still being taken in the contest. When Avalon established such a big 1 ‘ • the interest was stimulated, and the larj.e crowd, while disappointed, gave the AuclC land boat and her crew a great °vaU°n The boats were frequently becaimei and the positions changed every now and again when one gained .an advantage through picking up a light wind, ine best exhibition of sailing was Jj’j Victor Bragg, skipper of the boutmana hnat- He gave a remarkable performance iii a the last a beat to the weather mark sailing Rona into second position. The Otacro defender (Eileen) gave even a worse performance than in the fiiet and second races. She w a sfirßt away atgmifire and kept with the fleet tor some time. Before the second round was completed, however, Eileen had fallen ngi t away astern. In the last round she was over a mile astern of Avalon, and when the race was called off ehe had not rounded the Lower Harbour mark Eileen was sailed by C. Pettit, MUulloch being in the centre of the boat. No excuses for such a performance can be offered. Jn such light and fickle winds Eileen should have been in company with the_tteet, as the five boats were on even terms in such weather. . Turning the mark at the whaives for the first time Betty led Avalon by 3<s second and Eileen by over a minute Colleen was (teec astern of Eileen and Rona 7sec astern of the Canterbury boat. Rounding the weather mark the second time Avalon had an advantage of 10mm 47sec from Coleen, nearly 12mm from Rona, over 13min from Betty, and nearly 16min from Eileen, Hona and Colleen reduced Avalon’s lead in the last round, and the Auckland boat was 3mm 6Qs«c in the lead at the weather mark. All the boats carried light crews ot three men. The crews were:

Avalon—D. Rogers (skipper, I. H. Larritt, F. S. Cloke. Betty.—A. Johnston (skipper), A. Willson. W. Corrin. , _ _ Rona. —V. Bragg (skipper), L. Bragg, Colleen.—G. Brasell (skipper), F. Forman, R. Renry. ' __ T n Eileen. —C. Pettit (skipper), W. J. 1?. M'Culloch, J. Robertson. TO-DAY’S RACES. The officials have decided that two races will be sailed to-day, if necessary. The fourth race will be sailed this morning over a windward and leeward course, starting at 10 a.m. The fifth race will be sailed over a triangular course, and, if held to-day, will start at 3 p.nr. ENTERTAINMENT FOR CREWS. The visiting and Otago crews will be entertained at a function in the Embassy Hall to-night. Should the contest be concluded to-day, the Sanders Cup will be presented to the winning crew at this function.