MANY STARTERS IN RACE AT REDCLIFFS FOR YACHTING CUP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18056, 17 January 1927, Page 4

MANY STARTERS IN RACE AT REDCLIFFS FOR YACHTING CUP.

TWENTY BOATS COMPETE IN PRESIDENT’S TROPHY. Tn a. fresh easterly breeze, which later fell away to a light air, the largest number of starters which has crossed the line at Kcdcliffs for a long time was sent away at 3.3.0 p.m. on Saturday in the third race for the president’s trophy. Twenty boats, representing most of the classes in the Redcliffs fleet, competed. The course, which was longer than usual, was from tlie jetty at the clubliouse, round the tripod buoy to Heathcote stake, back to tripod buoy, then to Avon buoy, back to tripod, then again to Avon, and home, finishing at the jetty. Dottrell was first away, followed by Gadfly, Betty, Secret, Tui and Alerte. Sea Imp got on the mud at the start, and lost a few seconds. Myra was the last boat to turn tlie stake at Digby’s jetty, and fouled the stake, pulling it right out and losing several minutes. Aftef* turning the tripod buoy, Te Arai took the lead, followed by Dottrell, Warau, Betty and Alerte, with Secret farther behind, leading the rest of the fleet, which was well bunched. In the beat back from the TTea.thcote Te Arai established a good lead, with Dottrell. Betty, Warau, Tui and Secret astern of her. Tfc Arai was first to turn the tripod on the run to the Avon, followed b.v Dottrell, Betty, Warau and Secret. Te Arai bad things all her own way over, the rest of the course, and finished Well in the lead. The corrected finishing times were:— I Hep. h. m... s.

TAKAPUNA PUNT TRIALS HELD AT LYTTELTON. The Canterbury Yacht Club held races at Lyttelton on Saturday afternoon. There was a fresh nor’-wester blowing, with a moderate sea, and sailing conditions were good. The first event was the seventh trial race for Takapuna sailing punts in connection with the Cornwell Cup contest. The draw for boats resulted as follows: —Wee May (G. Brassel). Sea Pearl (E. Sinclair), Kai Iwi (M. Norris) and Wetu (R. Taylor). The race started at 2.15 Probably as a. result of an agreement between the skippers, spinnakers were left in the shed, there being quite enough wind l'or mainsail alone. There was an even start, and the boats kept well to-e-other on the lead for the reef. Sea pearl led by 28sec round the pile, with Kai Iwi next, then Wetu and Woe May. Brassel. in Wee May, had bad luck. As be swung up to round the pile, he found nose-divetl, and before she could recover the stern swung over and hit the pile, thus disqualifying "Wee May for the race. Brassel kept with the others until rounding the light pile, and then retired. Tlie oilier three stood across towards Quail Island for a while, and then came about., and. it being full tide, came through the reef. Sea Pear! was at this time in tlie lead, with Kai Iwi and Wetu following in that order. The position remained much the same until nearing the. end of the third and final round, when Kai Iwi challenged Sea Pearl. Kai Iwi had taken a different course from the usual one on the beat to the light pile, and she succeeded in rounding the mark a few seconds ahead of Sinclair’s boat. She maintained the advantage on the lead to the moles, and finished first. 21 sec ahead of Sea Pearl, which in turn was 4min SOsec ahead of Wetu. This gave Norris his first win. As a result of a protest, in the fifth race, the Sailing Committee ordered the race to be resailed between Brassel in Wetu and Sinclair in Kai Iwi. and the event was decided following tire seventh race. There was a perfect start, both boats crossing as the flag dropped. Wetu gained slightly, and was Bseo ahead at the reef pile. At the end of the first round she was 34sec ahead of Brassel’s boat, and continued to improve her position at the same rate, finishing 63sec in front of Wetu. Tn the Takapuna class Sinclair has four wins, and Norris, Brassel and Taylor one each, There are two races yet to be sailed. OPEN CLASS. Some fine sailing was witnessed' in I.he open class race, which started at 3 p.m. At the start Water Beetle, Usher and Linnet tvere all jammed togretlier at the tripod, and a. few seconds elapsed before they sorted themselves out. The larger boats followed them across. lona was over five minutes late in starting. The only outstanding incident was ■when, after rounding tlie pile tlie first time. Usher and Linnet were approaching the pier. Usher, slightly ahead, stayed, and Linnet, caught napping, ran into her. Linnet sustained a broken bob-stay, tlie ring being pulled out of the stem, j Linnet kept* on, and rounded tlie Ripa I Island buoy, but retired in the second round. Tlie result was as follows: Phyllis (3 2min), J. Sinclair ..3 Magpie (24min). D. Pascoo 2 lona (scr), J. Waddell .... 3 Usher (I.Ginin), F. Collins; Water Beetle Hmin), M. Scott; and lona (lHmin), R. Sinclair, also finished.

Tui (R. Round) 3 5 Te .Arui (A. T. Round) Gadfly (T. Treleaven) 15 J i? i 4 1 7 2;l n p£ 8 4 4 IS M Fidget (13. Morrison) 3U, AVarau 'tc. B*aIfour> t0n^ 4 4 21 1 1 I 1