MOTOR BOATING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19849, 19 January 1920, Page 4

MOTOR BOATING.

That keen interest is being token in tho revival of motor boat racing was demonstrated on Saturday afternoon, when a. very forgo crowd gathered on the end of the Gladston. Pier to witness a motor launch 'race for boats not exceeding a speed of six knots. The entries totalled eleven, and with the exception of two—l h> Bedwing and the Pakeha, wnieh arrived bi-te—all faced the starter. Tho nine craft started off the seme mark together, tho meo being held under sealed handicap conditions. The course was from be.twe.cn moles around Poet Beacon, thence round Parson Bock Buy, thence past Pile, Beacon and bark around to Beef Beacon, thence hack to buoy, end finishing at- moles. All bnnvs and ben-oil? had to bo passed on the port side. The. result was:

Mr L. .Sinclair's Kowhai, tOsec . 1 Mr 'WT.reha.m's Colccn, sn . . , ‘J

Also started—D. Bnmford's Florence, scr; T. Ba.nchop's Dauntless. -lOse:; J. Anderson’s Myrtle, (hnin; W. I,ester’s C.A.G.. 13min; J. Miller'.? Huninui. lOmia; ,1. Parker'? Konini, 12min; Yf. Koskola'? Gypsy, l-lmin loser.

The Gypsy was the lirst to jam a. lead, tut. she had not. gone far before 1 lie- Kowhai became prominent, although the launches kept pretty dose togi'iier until nearing the Beef Beacon, which was tirsi passed bv the. Kowhai. followed by tile Colleen, Florence, Dauntless. M\rtle and llurr.mii, muring together, Konini and Gypsy. The Kowhai was «ti!l in the lead ca completing Iho first lennd, and on arming opposite the mole she had a lead of tilWec on Ihr Colleen, the latter lending tho Florence by lO.ee, with the Hurunui ami Myrtle dmin -I isr;- end lhn hi lifer re-ptvti ;elv behind llm Flo’-enee. Tho Konini ond Gvpsy were well in the rear. Tho C.A.G. experienced engine trouble soon after pim-dng the Beef Beacon. The Kowhai in the next ian increase ij her load on the Colleen, end won in, llir lllse-e, lie.iu Mice ahead of the Colleen, whose time was ,1 In- ‘dilinin Msec. The .Myrtle finished Tsec ah.’ad of the Uurr.nui. The first prize was tins entrance fee. amounting to £'.? las, the second prize being a trophy donated by Air Suillor. At the conclusion of the race, tho Mayor, Mr TV. T. I,ester, who lied been a. pesse-iger on tile C.A (1., in presenting the winner with the lirst prize, oxnrissed ■ the hope that the race would Vie only one of many to follow. lie hopu! tha.l interest would b'> taken, in the snort, pet only by those who owned motor boats and sailing yachts, but by others interested in reviving a sport that was clean and Ivaliliy, ami which would help to make Lyttelton what it. was previous to the war, when it possessed numerous clubs, including rowing, swimming and sailing Captain Sillars, bad made no arrangements for a second prize, but Mr Spiller had come forward and offered a trophy, which would be handed to Mr M'areham.

Even mere enthusiasm was shown yesterday morning in n. rare «vet the same Vmrse between the Cork \? the Walk, owned bv J. Huff, and the Firefly, owned if.- C. .lohnscr. The latter, in a ciw lienee race for £l2 a-side. w? beaten previously.' end the wner? challenged the Cork o' 'the Well- to another race for £2S a-sids. Both boat? reached the starting line ter s. flvins s*ait nicely together. The Firefly from the start took n slight lead. The distance (o (be beacon was nesntiated in =iv minute?, the Firefly lending Iwr oyipnnorl, by about' four Innyfhe. At the Parsons Hook bum- between Tiipa. Island and Diamond Harbour (ho Cock o’ the Walk was Ksec behind. On relnrninto the reef beacon the Firefly, eroiim welf had increased her lead to Imin 3R?ee,'lmd J the Parson’s Roik Imoy to flmin finish. 1:1 ■ tlio cdiiiih' in llir lout in -j i !tfc Cn.d; o’ the Walk :smin Jhscc behind. The wenther condemns con'd not have b-ei hotter 10-; the race.