SANDERS CUP

Southland Times, Issue 19156, 28 January 1924, Page 5

SANDERS CUP

THIRD RACE GOES TO LINNET PROTEST AGAINST RONA UPHELD MURIHIKU IN THE FINALS. (Special to the Times). WELLINGTON, January 27. Although Auckland’s representative Rona crossed the finishing line first in the third race for the Sanders Cup on Saturday morning honours went to the Canterbury boat Linnet as the result of a protest by the Linnet and the June that was upheld. Wellington seems to be fated to bad luck in its Sanders Cup venture. Saturday dawned with every promise of a fine days’ racing. Brilliant sunshine and a light northerly breeze made the conditions for sailing ideal, but an unfortunate incident intervened at the commencement of the race. Soon before 11 o’clock the Rona and the June were fighting for weather positions with the result that the Rona fouled the June and collided with the starter’s launch. The race was completed before anything was said, Rona winning from the Linnet by 60 seconds. Two protests were then put in the hands of the Sailing Committee, one from the June thaf the Rona had fouled her, and one from the Linnet that the Rona had fouled the •tarter’s launch. The protests were entered soon after one o’clock, and the Sailing Committee, comprising Messrs E. J. Kelly (Auckland), C. G. Smith (Otago), and W. Duncan (Wellington) came back after lunch just before 2 o’clock to discuss them. AN IMPATIENT CROWD. Meanwhile several hundred people had gathered around the boat harbour and at other points of vantage to witness the fourth race timed to commence at 3 o'clock. It was perhaps the biggest crowd that had ever assembled to witness a yacht race in the history of Wellington. Three o’clock and then 4 o'clock went by and still there were no signs of the Sailing Committee finishing their business. 'Che skippers of the competing crews were called to give evidence. Soon after 4 o’clock the crowd began to grow impatient, many going away. I'he comment was free and laconic at the boat harbour. Such remarks as: “The question of the foul should have been derided right when it happened for that is what the judges are for,” and “This kind of thing will kill the sport in Wellington,” were to be heard on all sides. Someone pulled the flags on the mast over the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club to halfmast. It was an indication that the Sanders Cup was dead, and so it went on. At five o’clock a decision had been arrived at. The committee had discussed the matter for three hours and had ruled in favour of the Linnet. It was now too late to commence a race, and the fourth contest was put off until 10.30 o’clock on Monday. “We had to thrash the whole thing out when we were on the job,” commented a member of the Sailing Committee to a reporter.

The Linnet, Rona and Murjhiku now remain to fight out the final. Each boat has scored one win and the first boat to win the three races takes home the coveted trophy. It is a coincidence that these three boats fought out the final at Auckland last year. The Rona is the favourite but the Murihiku and the Linnet stand an excellent chance of beating her in the light weather that has prevailed for the past few days. 'DIE THIRD RACE. The course for the third race lay from a line between the Clyde Quay Wharf and the starter’s launch, thence to the Point Jerningham buoy, thence to the Coromandel buoy moored off Kaiwarra and uack to the starting line. This course, which was sailed three times round, was about nine and a half miles in length. A start was made at 10.50 o’clock. The boats and their crews were as follow: Rona (Auckland) : V. Lidyard (skipper), H. Brown and W. Smith. Konini (Hawke’s Bay) : Neil Gillies, lan Gillies and L. Truville. Peggy (Wellington) : Edward Bailey (skipper), A. Bailey and A. G. Crawford. Linnet (Canterbury) : S. Sinclair (skipper), R. Sinclair and W. Norton. June (Otago) : G. Kellett (skipper), A. Booth ad W. Gardiner. Murihiku (Southland) : T. Bragg (skipper), V. Bragg and L. Carstensen. A good start was effected with the exception of the fouling incident. The Linnet was away first followed by the June, Konini, Murihiku, Peggy and Rona. Spinnakers went out for the short run to Jerningham. Murihiku stood over towards Oriental Bay while Rona was farthest to windward with the others strung out in between. All the boats rounded Jerningham within 55secs of one another. The Linnet was first, leading Rona by 25secs, Konini by 36secs, the June by 44secs, rhe by 50secs and the Murihiku by 55secs. On the beat to the Kaiwarra buoy, Rona took the lead. She might be a freak boat as many suppose but she was handled in a masterly fashion by her young crew. Peggy and June stood too far into town and lost a freshening breeze and in consequence both dropped well behind. Rona rounded the buoy first, followed by the Linnet 35secs later and then came Murihiku, sQsecs behind, Konini Imin 25secs behind, Peggy Imin 40secs behind and June 3min 15secs away. June’s captain, whose experimenting in past races had sometimes mood him well, blundered on this occasion. With all sail set quick time was made up to Clyde Quay. Rona rounded the buoy 38 secs ahead of the Linnet, followed by Murihiku 65secs away, Peggy Imin 31secs, Konini 2mins 20secs and June 3mins 30 secs. Peggy had been unfortunate in the first round through her halyards away. She lost some time over the mishap. Rona continued on her winning way over the second round and turned Clyde Quay again Imin 25secs ahead of Murihiku, Imin 38secs ahead of Linnet, 2min 38secs ahead of Peggy, 4mins 4secs ahead of Konini and 4min 47secs ahead of June. The Hawke’s Bay boat had lost time on the round. The third round was the most exciting. Linnet became a proposition for the leader. She began to overhaul Rona on the way to Jermingham and rounded 46secs behind the leader. She had made up a leeway of 53secs in a mile. Murihiku had also caught up, rounding 52secs behind Rona. Then followed Peggy, Konini and June some distance away. The wind had freshened considerably. Although the Linnet challenged Rona for the rest of the way for the first position, the Auckland champion was never headed and she finished first. The official finishing, times were as follow :

The Wellington Yacht and Motor Boat Association entertained the visiting yachtsmen at a smoke concert in the concert chamber of the Town Hall on Saturday eyening. Mr W. Duncan presided over a large gathering of yachtsmen and those interested in the sport.

Ron a .. .. Linnet .. .. .. 12hrs. 49min. 40secs. .. 12hre. 50min. 3Lsecs. Konini .... .. 12hrs. 53min. lOsecs. Murihiku .. .. 12hrs. 53min. 2Oaecs. June .. .. 12hrs. 55min. Peggy .. .. .. 12hra. 55min. 35secs. VISITORS ENTERTAINED.