SANDERS CUP

Southland Times, Issue 21288, 8 January 1931, Page 4

SANDERS CUP

TRIALS AT STEWART ISLAND. RONA REPRESENTS SOUTHLAND. A series of Sanders Cup trials was held at Stewart Island between the Vai, qualified representative of Invercargill Boating Club, and the Rona, qualified representative of Stewart Island Yacht Club. The first race was at 3.25 p.m. on Monday. The course was a windward and leeward one, there being a westerly blowing very hard. Both boats were reefed down. When the gun went off both went away to a good start. The Vai rounded the lee mark at 3.29.10 and the Rona at 3.29.12. In a hard beat to windward the Vai made a very good board and led well up the bay and rounded the inner buoy at 3.42.30 — the Rona at 3.44.25. In the second run out of the bay the Vai capsized just as the Rona was setting her spinnaker. When the Rona saw the Vai go over her spinnaker came down again. The Rona finished the course ill a “safety first” manner. In the last round the wind increased considerably and the Rona finished at 4.33.30. Crews: Vai—o. Johnson, L. Carstersen, E. Pasley, G. Johnson. Rona—V. Bragg, L. Bragg, G. Bragg, G. Fife. The second race was held at 7.40 p.m. over a triangular course, the wind still keeping up. The Rona got a slight lead at the start and she rounded the first mark at 7.47 followed by the Vai at 7.47.10 t On the lead across to the second buoy the Rona maintained her lead and two-thirds of the way across it was noticed that something was wrong with the Vai’s mainsail. The tongue out of the jaws of the gaff carried away, therefore the mainsail came down. The Rona rounded the second buoy at 7.50.3. The Vai hoisted the mainsail again and rounded the buoy at 7.53.25. The Vai went straight to the wharf and the Rona completed the course at 8.32 p.m. The crews were the same as in the first race. The third race was run at 12.21 p.m. on Tuesday. The weather was a moderate sailing breeze, westerly just before the start, and the course was a windward and leeward one. The wind suddenly changed to north just as the race started, so the courao was a lead both ways. The Rona reached the firat 'mark at 12.31.30 and the Vai at 12.32.32. The Rona completed the first round at 12.40.7 and the Vai at 12.41.30. In the ’second lead out the Rona cleared the outer buoy at 12.48.6, and the Vai at 12.51.15. The Rona completed the second round at 12.55.48 and the Vai at 1.0.30. On the third round the Rons rounded the outer mark at 1,5.5 and the Vai at 1.11.8, The Rona finished at 1.12.52 and the Vai at 1.20.0. Crews; Rona—V. Bragg, G. Bragg, L. Bragg. Vai—O. Johnson, H. Pollock jr., L. Carstersen, G. Johnson. In the last race the Rona showed great enterprise in setting her spinnaker right over the bow and getting a lead. The Vai did not use her spinnaker in this race. The Rona, having won three races, was declared .the Southland representative for the Sanders Cup contest.