SAILING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20611, 28 December 1936, Page 11

SAILING

FIRST OFFICIAL RACE VISITING BOATS LEND INTEREST A fresh south-easterly breeze and the racing of four Sanders Cup class boats among the 16 starters, lent considerable interest to the first of the official races of the annual regatta held by the Timaru Yacht Club on Saturday. The race was decided over the club’s standard course of about 61 miles, and although the record set up by W. Tlssiman in Colleen last regatta was not broken, good times were set up by the winning boats. Anita, an 18-footer, a type of boat never before seen In Timaru and coming from Kaiapoi, off scratch, was first home but the race went to Alerte, a locally-owned boat sailed by H. Kingham jun.. which won on its handicap, while Hula, a Christchurch Sanders Cup trial contestant off five minutes, gained second place. The second and third races to count for the aggregate trophy and cup will be sailed on January 1 and 2, but sweepstake events will 1 be held every day during the week. All the boats got away to a good start, and according to the individual ideas of the skippers, either went away on a long starboard tack towards the Nlnety-Mile Beach or as soon as clear of the Marine Parade, headed off for the smoother water In the lee of the Extension. The visitors on the first round were rather at a disadvantage, not knowing the local conditions, but Anita made a long board towards the seaward end of the Extension and, running free, cut across to the first mark which she rounded 30 seconds ahead of Hula, which was followed at a similar period by Alerte, Squib, Yvonne, Dorothy 11, Wee May, Sea Spray, Alice, Muri, Solace, Tawera, Zita, Rada, Joan and Toff. On the run to the bell-buoy, Anita increased her lead from Hula, both boats breaking out their spinnakers in quick time, while Alerte lost ground. All boats carried their spinnakers on the lead down to the Bay buoy, dousing them as they rounded to sail close hauled for the starting line. Anita was travelling well and continued to increase her lead on Hula, while Alerte lost considerable ground through attempting to carry her spinnaker too long. Wee May by this time was well behind but gaining on the field. Shortly after the first boats commenced the second round, the wind hauled more to the east and the boats were unable to carry their spinnakers from the extension buoy to the bellbuoy, while instead of the leg from the bell-buoy into the Bay being a lead, it developed into a run and boats carried their spinnakers across to the starting line. The order in the second round remained unchanged, Anita at the end having a two minute lead on Hula, Alerte being over five minutes behind the latter boat, while Wee May had improved her poltion and was lying in sixth place. Anita lapped three of the last boats In the third round to finish a minute ahead of Hula, Alerte crossing the line 10 minutes later. Rada retired half way through the last round, having broken her spinnaker boom. The placings and corrected times are as follow, the starting time being 2.40 p.m.

Alerte (16min) .. .. 3 51 50—1 Hula (5min) 3 53 30—2 Wee May (22min) .. .. 3 53 40—3 Anita (scr) 3 56 40—4 Alice (14min) 3 57 26—5 Sea Spray (22min) .. .. 3 59 55—6 Yvonne (5min) 4 0 10—7 Dorothy (6min) 4 0 53—8 Squlh (7min) 4 1 17—9 Tawera (24min) .. .. 4 1 38-10 Zita (22min) 4 1 40-11 Muri (18min) 4 5 28-12 Joan (24min) 4 7 0-13 Solace (lOmin) 4 7 50-14 Rada and Toff did not finish.