CANTERBURY HAS SUCCESSFUL YACHTING SEASON IN 1925-26.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17833, 29 April 1926, Page 10

CANTERBURY HAS SUCCESSFUL YACHTING SEASON IN 1925-26.

SANDERS CUP CONTEST, TO BE HELD HERE NEXT YEAR, SHOULD AWAKEN KEEN INTEREST IN SPORT.

(Written for the “Star " by R. G. Hampton.)

The official close of the 1925-26 season came with the long delayed finish of the Christchurch Sailing and Power Boat Club’s racing programme. The Lyttelton Club's racing finished a fortnight earlier, but owing to outride disturbances and the lengthy nature of the programme, the Redclitt’s racing was rather extended. An attempt was made the week before to sail the two classes of yachts, but there was insufficient wind to permit the entrants to finish. Conditions last Saturday were little better, many boats having to give up the race, but sufficient finished to permit of points- being allotted. The race was for the President’s Trophy, all classes competing, the winners in each class to receive points for the various <mps. Cordelia was placed first, giving her one win for the President's Trophy and seven points for the A Class cup. Betty was next, gaining first place points for the B class cup. and Eureka was the only C class boat-to complete the course, receiving her well-deserved seven points.

Thus with racing concluded it is possible to apportion the various cups to their respective classes, and to review the results generally. The Cummings Memorial Cup, for competition among boats in the A class division of the Redcliffs' fleet, goes to Messrs C E. Alien and R. G. Hampton's " Cordelia ” with a lead of approximately seven points over Te Arai. the runner up. Cordelia sailed in- the B class last year, being runnerup to Secret, but along with Ariti and ILuia was raised to the A class this season in order to improve the dying competition. She was equipped with

a new rig. being changed to the. Xarconi style. She was given new siik racing sails, an experiment which seems to have had its reward. The . position of runner-up is claimed by Te Arai. owned and sailed by Commodore A. T. Round, whose name figures prominently upon this oft-won trophy, he and his 30 foot ‘skimmer’ having had the A class cup in their possession a number of times. Next to Te Arai comes G. Andrews with his Ariti. there being very little ditference between the two boats. Ariti’s skipper has not been able to devote as much time as usual to his speedy 16footcr. owing to his connection with the Sander's Cup, so it is not to be expected that he should figure very prominently in club racing. It is a matter of some concern as to what is to become of the A classracing in the near future, most of the old competitors being past their prime, and it is possible that the Cup may not be competed for in the next few ' cars. This is an event which all will

strive to avoid, and it is within the bounds of reason that some way maybe found out of the seeming impasse effected by the disintegration of the A class racers.

None nf the difficulties facing the A class seem to have invaded the B's, and indeed it is more likely that this class errs on the unwieldy side. Constant additions are being made to this very popular fleet, and steps may have to be taken to further subdivide the field. This season Mr I-*. Morrison’s Secret, was again successful in winning the Life Members’ Cup presented for

racing in this • class, and her owner is to be. congratulated on his consistent. performances during the last, two seasons. Secret, although unsuccess ful in the Lyttelton trials for Sanders Cup honours, is far from being a back number, and should be able to improve on the performances of some of the provincial trials in the last Sanders Cup tests. Secret has always been in good racing condition, and it would be a sad blow to the club to lose the interest of her very active owner.

The runner-up in the B class was Betty, which lost many points by her unavoidable absence at Dunedin, a loss which she has done her best to wipe out but without success. Since her return from Dunedin Betty has three wins to her credit, and she is not veryfar behind her sister-ship for Cup points. Close to Betty comes Tui, a yacht which has put up some really fine racing this season, and has done much to vindicate the oft-expressed opinions of at least one of her admirers. Tui has been placed in a large percentage of her class racing, but has been unlucky in not gaining more firsts. However her racing has been most creditable, and her owners, R. Round and T. Wright have every reason to be proud of their 18-footer. Fulfilling the old adage of “keep it in the family,” Master K. Morrison,

younger brother to the winner of the B class cup. has succeeded in annexing the trophy for C class yachts with his fast little 12-footer ‘Fidget.’ Despite his youth he has proved himself a very capable skipper and deserves every credit for his skilful handling of his craft Fidget 'has sailed consistently well, and has never been far from the lime-light. This type of boat is a very fine one, originating from the winner's father, who conceived the notion of building a smaller version of the speedy Jellicoe 14footers. The result has been a very easily- handled and comfortable little craft, and it is not surprising that

others have lollowed. and will follow this well-designed example. Second to Fidget comes L. Griffin’s Eureka, which lias sailed quite a' number of good races against her more speedy rivals, and close to Eureka comes A. Lawson's Bluebird. whose performances have been quite up to her usual form.

A fourth class of competition is for the cup presented by Commodore Round lor racing amongst the junior members. This cup has also been won by E. Morrison, with only one point lead over G. Allen who again leads R. Beveridge by only one point. Interest in this class then has been very keen and a very capable type of young skipper is being fostered. At present there are no boats, of the Takapuna class in Redcliffs. but next season will see the addition of one or two, and there is no doubt that the young Redcliffs skippers will prove themselves to be an a par with the best that other centres can turn out.'and should make a good showing in next years’ races. A new feature this year has been the inclusion of a system of races for a trophy, in the form of an expensive aneroid barometer, presented to the club bv its very active president. Colonel IT. Hobday. Owing to unforeseen circumstances the complete series of races for this trophy have not been sailed, and it will unfortunately be necessary to sail further races next sea seal, the trophy to be held over in the meantime. At present the C class 12 footer Alert with R. G. Hampton as skipper, holds one win. and the A

class 20-footer Cordelia C. E. Allen) holds the laurels for the second race. The third race, and if necessarv, the finals will be sailed early next season. It is unfortunate that such a state of affairs should arise, but it is necessary to make the most of a bad job, and it is hoped that in future arrangements will be made to eliminate such a mischance. Racing in Lyttelton has suffered something of the same disadvantages as on the other side of the hill, and it is expected that in future club racing shall not be sacrificed to such an extent as was the case this vear. After a successful season racing closed at Lyttelton a fortnight agd, with the seventh and final race for the club’s open yacht race cup. A closely foughtout contest throughout the season between Mr M. Scott's Water Beetle and G. Whitford’s Magpie resulted in the former annexing the cup by only one point. Racing throughout has been interesting, and the races have always brought out fair-sized fields.

In addition to this cup another was donated for competition in the Takapuna Punt class, and this was won by Wet-U. skippered by the winner of the Cornwall Gup for the bov championship of New Zealand. Master G Rrassell. This lad has every reason to be proud of his year’s successes, and must in the vears to come prove a great asset to the sport in Lvttelton.

A competition for still more youthful yachtsmen, in the form of races for a cup presented for the boys’ dinghy racing, has been won by Master T. Hobbs Victory. It is to be expected that this young skipper will some day attain the honour of winning the Cornwall Cup if.Jie continues

in his present strain, and it. is a great credit to the Lyttelton Club to see the way in which they have fostered the skippers of the coming generation. CRUISING. The activities of the Canterbury clubs are not confined solely to racing, and this year has proved a very successful one also. on. the side of the less serious in the sport, the much enjoyed cruising, in which a large number of boats from both sides of the hill have taken part. Of course, the general rendezvous of all yachtsmen at Christmas and Easter time is the snugly sheltered little harbour just outside Adderley Head. Port Levy, a littleknown but very delightful spot in which to spend a few days’ rest from the trials of the working year. Most, of the Redcliffs yachtsmen have spent at least a portion of their spare time at this popular camping ground, and if it were not for the fact, that their fleet is necessarily more adapted to the work in the Estuary it is sure that some of the boats would have had a wider cruising ground. As it is several launches and the yacht Kiwi visited Pigeon Bay, considerably further round the Peninsula, and have voted it a very pretty and interesting anchorage. In addition to these movements. some of the larger craft in the Lyttelton fleet have made visits to Pigeon Bay, and still further to Aka-' roa, and have found the conditions all that could be desired for ideal cruisnig. At the present moment a number of Lyttelton boats, including Pe:a and Shadow, newly bought by Redcliffs enthusiasts. and Reverie and Arab, are wintering in the Estuary, than which no better resort could be founc. SANDERS CUP. No review of the season’s activities could close without reference to the greatest event in the history of yachting in Canterbury, which took place in the early part .of the year. I refer to the brilliant win scored by Mr G. Andrews with l\is self-constructed and self-owned fourteen-footer Betty, which annexed the Sanders Memorial Cup for the championship of Australasia, for the first time in the storj" of Canterbury's attempts. Undoubtedly this widely-broadcast victory will have an inestimable effect in assisting a hitherto somewhat neglected form of sport in Canterbury. Interest in this contest is Dominion-wide, and the fact that the Estuary can breed a type of yachtsman equal and superior to any raised elsewhere cannot fail to impress those who realise the significance of Betty’s victory. The only unfortunate point in connection with this contest lies in the fact that it disorganises the ordinary club racing fixtures, and club officials have come to see that the usual club racing must not be sacrificed to the perhaps more important interprovincial competition, and it is certain that in future the club racing will have to continue during the. time of the trials for the selection of the province's representative, if not during the contests themselves, which will be held this succeeding season in Canterbury. Interest in this contest is sure to be at fever heat, and the presence of the cracks of the other provinces racing in Canterbury cannot fail to awaken the people of this somewhat somnolent province to the fact that a sport which has no peer on earth has been allowed to

fall into the background. The 1&2526 season closes with the brightest of hopes for a really “ bumper ” timfe to follow, and one and all can 10.-k forward to the good times to come.