SANDERS MEMORIAL CUP

Otago Witness, Issue 3499, 5 April 1921, Page 24

SANDERS MEMORIAL CUP

HEATHER WINS THREE OUT OF FIVE RACES. (From Opr Special Representative.) AUCKLAND, March 28. The fourth race ci the series was sailed to-day, a fresh southerly breeze blowing, with a fair sea in the tideway. The course was triangular, each reach being one mile and a-hair. The start was from below the Railway wharf to a mark boat m Paul’s Bay, thence round the Sandspit beacon, thence round a buoy oil the starting line, twice round, keeping ail the marks to starboard. Lord Jellicce sailed the Iron Duke, with Bailey and Carnahan as’ crew, whilst Wiseman captained the Heather, with Paterson and Keilett as crew. Both skippers elected to sail under double-reefed mainsail and reefed jib, but it is quite possible the Duke would have done better with another reef down, for she did not carry her sail with the Heather’s ability. The Heather got the best of the start, and at once broke out her balloon jib, for she had a free lead to Paul’s Bay. The Duke followed some seconds later, and catching a strong slant of wind, gave a remarkable exhibition of her planemg qualities, slipping along at a tremendous ‘speed, with half her hull clear of the water. The Duke soon established a strong lead, and turned the first mark one minute eight seconds ahead. Both boats had to jibo at this mark, and as the next leg was a leading wind to the Sandspit beacon, it was fully expected the Duke would gain still further; but the Heather surprised everyone by cutting the Duke’s lead down to 44sec. The next leg was a beat to the starting buoy, and as soon as the boats close hauled it was apparent the Heather was making better weather of it. The Heather threw sharply round on the long board to the south shore, and continuing to gain steadily, completed the first round 3rnin 29seo ahead of her rival. On the second run to Paul’s Bay the Duke cut down this lead by a minute, but lost it again on the lead to the Sandspit, the Heather hauling round this mark with a lead of 3min 15«eo to start the long beat to vrfndward. The Duke made every effort to reduce tho lead, but the Heather was being sailed with a coolness and skill that were invulnerable, and crossed the finishing line with a lead of 12min 25see. His Excellency the Governor-General gave a dinner party at Government House to-night, and amongst those invited were Messrs A. O. Hanlon, J. Stevenson, B. H. Nees, D. Wall, W. P. M'Culloch, C. Sundstrum,, W. Waters, IT. E. Moller, and the visiting parliamentary and civic notables. March 29. The fifth and final race for the Sanders Memorial Cup and the yachting championship of New Zealand was sailed to-day oyer a windward and leeward course of nine knots. The weather was again fine, but the direction of the wind was somewhat difficult to gauge, and the officials finally decided on a course suitable for a wind from the south-west, but shortly after the leeward mark boat was anchored the wind went to the southward and threatened to make the course a leading wind one. The matter was fully discussed, and it was decided to adhere to the course set down. This made a free lead to the mark boat in Rangitoto Channel, and a beat to the starting buoy against the tide gave a very fair test of windward work. Lord Jellicoe again sailed the Iron Duke, with Bailey and Tyler as crew, whilst the Heather was again entrusted to Wiseman, with Keilett and Walls as crew. Both boats carried full sail, and were prompt in getting to the line, the Heather crossing first with a load of about three lengths. The wind was not square enough aft to permit the carrying of spinnakers, so both boats set leading jibs for the free reach to the mark off the North Head. The Heather’s smartness in getting across the line gave her the lead, but the Iron Duke soon demonstrated her superiority on this point of

sailing, and she rounded the lower mark 40sec ahead of the Heather. Both boats took a tack over to the south shore, and the Heather at once began to beat out to windward, and on coming about had established a clear lead over her northern rival. The beat back to the starting line found the Heather steadily gaining, and she turned the top buoy and completed the first round 3min 25sec ahead of the Iron Duke. On the second run down the Iron Duke reduced this lead to 2min 35sec, but the Heather began again to increase the gap when sheets were buttoned in, but when off Orakei the Iron Duke took a sporting chance of catching the slippery black-and-gold Ravensbourne crack by breaking her tack short off, in the hope of getting a slant of wind that would enable her to lead to the line. It was an excellent move, and cut down the Heather’s lead considerably, but - hardly sufficient to place the issue in doubt, for the Heather sailing on sound and safe lines crossed the finishing line a winner by 2mm Tsec. Both boats received an ovation on finishing, the Otago supporters especially being overjoyed at the success of their boat. ’ Several prominent officials were invited to dine with his Excellency on Monday night, and later begged that his Lordship would permit his name to be given to “Tho Fourteen Foot Clan.” His Lordship graciously consented, and the clan will in future be known as “Tho Jellicoe Clan.”