SANDERS CUP

Southland Times, Issue 19757, 3 February 1923, Page 5

SANDERS CUP

WON BY RONA. AUCKLANDER’S MARKED SUPERIORITY. MURIHIKU’S TWO SECONDS. (Special to the Times.) AUCKLAND, February 2. The 1923 contest for the Sanders Cup was brought to an end to-day when the Auckland defender Rona, annexed the two races sailed and thus secured the three wins necessary to defeat the southern challengers. The first race of the second series was sailed this morning, over a triangular course and in a fresh south-westerly wind. Rona showed superiority by winning v/ith a margin of Bmin 39secs. The second race of the day was over a windward and leeward course. The wind had freshened to a strong breeze and as the course was from Orakei to White Light, off Rangitoto, the competing boats were for a greater part of the time in Rangitoto channel, where an uncomfortable sea was running. Again the Rona crossed the line a winner, this time with 14. min 14secs in hand. In both races the Murihiku finished second. The Linnet did not complete the course in the first race and in the second capsized. The three competitors were sent away on the fourth race this morning at 10.30 a.m., the course selected being from the starting line off King’s Wharf, round the buoy in Orakei Basin, and back to the starting line, twice round. The ebbing tide carried the Rona and Murihiku over the line before the starting gun went off and they had to return, letting the Linnet away to a flying .start. The Murihiku followed 15 seconds late and the Rona 31 seconds late. It was run to the Orakei mark and spinnakers were set. The Rona went into the lead at an early stage and off Hobson Bay, had established a fair lead in a fresh southwest breeze with an occasional southerly slant. All the boats were making good progress, the order here was: Rona, Murihiku and Linnet. Rounding the buoy off Orakei, the Rona was Imin. 15secs ahead of the Murihiku, and 2 min. 20secs in front of the Linnet. The Auckland boat did not get her leader set for the stretch to the sandspit beacon until the Murihiku was around, but the Southland boat lost little time before her leader was drawing, and the Linnet was equally smart on the lead across. Both southern boats closed up somewhat, and both the Rona and Linnet had decreased the Murihiku’s lead. The time at the sandspit were: Rona, lOhr. 57min. 15secs. Murihiku, lOhr. 58min. 20secs. Linnet, lOhr. 59min. Osecs. Both the Rona and Murihiku stood across for Orakei, but the Linnet’s skipper elected to make short boards up on the North Shore a manoeuvre which eventually robbed her of any chance of winning. Meanwhile, the Rona and Murihiku made Paul’s Bay, Orakei, and putting about headed up for the south shore, passing just besides Orakei buoy. At this point there was between 2| and three minutes between the boats, while the Linnet was approximately off Dudler’s Wharf. The Rona next made a short board in-shore, off Campbell Point, and the Murihiku at the same tinje, went about and headed towards Parnel Baths, tacking in short boards in smooth water, in the lee of the eastern tide deflector. Both boats passed close to the outer, end of the reflector. The Linnet had iiow passed the <erry wharf at Devonport, and standing out into the middle of the channel, went aboyt and lay up in the harbour. The Rona and Murihiku were now approaching the starting-line off King’s wharf, the Rona lying close to the starter’s launch, while the Murihiku was well to the leeward. The times rounding the city mark were:

Rona, llhr. 31min. 24secs. Murihiku, llhr. 36min. 45secs. At this stage the Linnet’s skipper saw that he could not get into company with the leaders and retired. The Rona now had a lead of smins 21secs and running before the wind with her spinnaker drawing to its utmost, she increased her advantage, and rounding Orakei buoy for the second time was 6 minutes 35 seconds in front of the Murihiku. Approaching this mark the Murihiku experienced some trouble with her spinnaker and brought it aboard. The Southland boat came about at the mark. On the second run to the sandspit, Murihiku gained slightly on the Rona, which was six minutes, five seconds to the good at the mark. Both boats stood for the Orakei shore, the Rona only going far enough to lay the mark off at the King’s wharf and as the wind showed a tendency to go further to the south, Murihiku did not carry on so far, going about in the hope of heading the Auckland boat off at the finishing mark. However, the Rona made the mark comfortably with 8 minutes 39 seconds in hand. The finishing times were:— Rona, 12hr. 27min. 37secs. Murihiku, 12 hr. 36min. 37secs. FIFTH RACE. The fifth race was sailed over a windward and leeward course, and in order to get a course of sufficient length with the prevailing south-west breeze which had now increased in strength, it was found necessary to start the contestants from the Orakei basin, from whence they ran to the white light in Rangitoto Channel, and back to the starting point going twice round. Linnet and Murihiku each had their reef down, but Rona carried her full sail out in the channel. The wind was now very strong, and the flood tide had caused a fairly big sea to get up. The order going over the line shortly after three o’clock was: Rona, Murihiku and Linnet, but the latter had a spinnaker put at once and went to the front, while the Southland boat also passed Rona. However, off Orakei wharf, Rona again went into the lead and was never again headed. Out in the channel Linnet was lying third. Rona showed the best behaviour under the heavy weather conditions, and increased her lead. On rounding the white light for the first time, Rona was leading Murihikfl by 56 seconds, while Linnet was only 21 seconds behind the Southland boat. All stood to the wind for Cheltenham, with Linnet a little to leeward of the others. Rona and Murihiku went about well off shore, but Linnet carried on towards the beach. Murihiku was following Rona closely, but had the misfortune to lose her tiller and lost valuable time before it was recovered. Rona next took a short board off the North Head, and then stood for Orakei, with Linnet out in pursuit. It was a rough slog into the basin for all the i boats, and the starting buoy was rounded as follows: —Rona, 3hr 50min lOsec; Linnet, 3hr 54min 30sec; Murihiku, 3hr 56min 15sec. It was seen here that Linnet had pulled up on Murihiku. Setting out for the second round, Rona set her spinnaker, but with a fresh breeze coming out of the basin. Murihiku’s skipper deemed it wiser to carry on with his mainsail only. Linnet had just rounded the mark and was hoisting her spinnaker, when it skied and fouling the mast capsized her. The launches rendered assistance and the crew were rescued without delay. Out in the channel again there was slightly less sea, but both remaining contestants took less chances than in the first round, Rona lowering her spinnaker long before reaching the white light. Rounding the light for the last time Rona had a lead of llmin 45sec, and after standing in towards Cheltenham followed practically the same course as that sailed in the first round. Murihiku, however, went off on the starboard tack and crossed to the weather side of the Bean Rock and then worked up the south shore. The finishing times were:— - Rona .. .. 4hr 37min Murihiku .. 4hr 52min Bsec.