AQUATICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2287, 30 December 1897, Page 36

AQUATICS.

OTAGO REGATTA.

Commodore — Captain R. Strang ; vice-com-modores—Captain Anderson, Captain Boyd, Captain Giay, Captain M'Callum ; judges—Caplain Burton, Captain Wall, Mr R. >S. M'Gowan, Captain Broadway, Captain Ktenson, Mr C. K. Bossence; umpire-Mr C. W. Will, T.C. ; 6tarter — Mr A. M'Kiunon; committee — Messrs N. Dodds, S. Wilson, P. Sutherland, J. Bloxam, W. WiUon, A. M'Kinnon, C. Wall, and W. Wood ; chairman of committees— Mr J. Mill ; vice-chairman— Mr J. Waters ; hon. treasurer — Mr A. Fullerton ; hon. secretary — Mr Gaorge Hendry.

. The Otago Regatta Committee were unfortunate on Monday so far as the weather .was concerned. The stroDg breeze which was blowing and the high sea running made it evident at an esrly hour that it would be impossible to get c'ff any of the rowing events. The committee met in the morning, and decided to postpone the opening event until 2 o'clock. On meeting again shortly before that liour it was decided to proceed with the sailing races with the exception of the Model Yacht Race. The wind blew with steady force during the whole of the afternoon, and

from a spectator's point of view the sailing races mi; be raid to have been interesting, though doubtless thoie engaged in handling the boats found the task a pretty wet one. There was * fairly numerous gathering of spectator?, but the number fell short of thab of last year. The steamer Taieri, moored at the end of the Boweu pier, was u«od as a flagship, but was only fairly patronised by the public, who, however, clustered in large numbers on the adjoining wharves and points, whence a good view could be obtained of the races. The flag boat had unfortunately been moored close in shore under the lee of tho end of the jetty and of Signal Hill, with the result that in several instances compel iog crafts drifted helplessly about and lost considerable lime before getiifg round, and to this fact may be attributed the losing of first honours in the Champion Yacht Race by the Leader. The Port Chalmers Band was in attendance and discoursed some pleasant music during the day. The proprietors of a phonograph also catered for the public's amu'ement, and Edison's mechanical marvel attracted a large amount of patronage. The following are the results: — Open Boat Saiiing Race (not to exceed 20ft).

Diatance, 5 miles. Prizes : £5 and £2. Carbine, sci at cli (W. Winter) 1 Dash, 4min (Webber and Collins) ... 2

Ihe Jane (W. James) also started, but had not got far from the starting post whin, with the spinnaker set, the mast carried away. The Carbine won by about smin, the times being — Carbine 3hr 36min, Dash 3hr tlmin. All comkrs Opkn Boat Sailing lUcn. Dis-

tance, 5 miles. Prizes :£5 aud £2. Waitaugi 1 Nelson 2 The Thistle was third, and the Volunteer fourth, the Waitangi winning by l^min from the Nel-OD. No official time was taken. Ships' Four, oared Gig Rack. Two milesrrizc?: £5 and £2. Only two crev/s entered — viz , crews from the vessel Cornuvia and the steamer Herald. The Corrmvia's men rowed well and won easily. Champion Yamit Race. Distance, 15 mile 3. Prizes : £15 and £5. Thelma (2hr 31mm) 1 Carina (2hr 34imin) ... , 2 Tiilby (2hr 37Jmin) 3 A peculiar mishap put the Leader out of the race. Shs led all the way, but coming up to the buoy at the end of the lace she could not get round. She then made a short tack, and coming up ag.iin fouled the buoy. According to rule 15 every yacht must go fairly round the course, and must not touch at.y buoy, boat, or ves?el used to mark it out. The Thelma maintaining its position therefore rounded the buoy first, the Carina and Trilby being; next. CnuisEßS' Yacht Race (Haxdicvp), open to first and second class yachts. Distance, 15 miles. First priz?, £10 ; second, £3. D*isie (lime, 2hr 35min 15 ec) 1 White AVings (time, 2hr 27min 10.cc) ., 2

The time allowances were : Daisie ISrain, Winifred ISrain, Gip^y 12min, Seabreeze 2Smin, Mata kana Uniin, Rambler 20min, White Wings being placed at scratch. Daisie was first away from her mooriugs, and was closely followed by Matakana. At half-distance White Wings- bad assumed the lead, and had some difficulty iv roundiDg tbe flagboat, partly on account of the baffling character of the wind, and partly owing to the ft'gnoat being placed so close under th« lee of Sipual Hill. In fact, the position occupied by the fl*gboat was the means of several of the ciaft losing ground in the different events. Dii>ie was next round the flagboat, and was followed V'yMatakana, ltambler, v and Seabreeze in the order given. In the next round of the course the Winifred was unfortunate enough to lose her mast, which went by the board, and she was brought ill a helpless wreck by the torpedo boat. At the finish the White Wings had a good lead of the Daisie on rounding the fl<g boat, but not sufficient to compensate for the time allowance of ISinin. 'Jhe Seabreeze put in an appearance as third boat a long lim-j afterwards, aud the others did not apparently complete the ourse. Tiiikd Cliss Yacht Race (Hanticap), not exceeding 3 tons. Distance, 74 miles. First prize, £7 ; s€cond, £3. Mirage (time, lhr 31min) 1 Dieam (time, lhr 32min) 2 Mirage had a time allowance of 6min, Dream lmin, Gem Stnin, auJ Ruru 3min, the Waterwitch starting at scratch. All the boats got well away together, except Mirage, which was slow in leaving her moorings. On h*viug completed the half tiKtauoe the Dream had a Blight lead, being closely followed by Mirage. Waterwitch rounded the 11-igboat a few mmu l 'es later, with Gem pretty close up at her heel«, Ruru bringing up the rear. At the finish the Dieam was unlucky enough to meet with some difficulty in gettiopf round this flagbqat, and was beaten by Mirage, Waterwitch coming third, and Ruru fourth.. Open Boat Sailing Race (Handicap), boats not to exceed lOfb over all. Distance, 5 miles. First priae, £i j second, £2. Hei-ewiki (time, 3hr 21sm\n) t Hornet (time, 3hr 22Jmin) t Tbe time allowances were : Herewiki smin, Hornet b'min, Vision 3min, and Vigilant scr. At half-distance Hornet, Herewiki, and Vigilant we; c all close together, and on the course being completed a dead heat resulted between Herewiki ami Hornet, though the former was round the liigboat a minute ahead of her opponent.

The committee met last night and decided to hold the rowing races on Saturday January 8. There -will bo in addition a couple of sailing oven's «nd asubruarine explosion.