DEFENDER FOR SANDERS CUP IS SOUGHT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18614, 16 November 1928, Page 9

DEFENDER FOR SANDERS CUP IS SOUGHT.

TRIAL WILL BE SAILED AT LYTTELTON TO-MORROW.

The first of a series of elimination races to determine Canterbury’s Sanders Cup defender will be sailed on Lyttelton Harbour to-morrow, starting from Gladstone Pier at 3 p.m. Spectators of the race will find the following colour guide useful: Secret: Varnished topsides, dark blue hulL Colleen: Kingfisher-blue topsides, white hull and decks. Ussher: Dark blue topsidee, graphite hull. Magpie: Black topsides, white hull.

More interest will attach to this year’s trial series than has done for some time past, when Betty was so definitely superior to anything else in the Dominion that there was little hope of any of the local competitors, all older boats, beating her. But now George Andrews has retired Betty, and the field is very open. Secret has always been a useful performer, especially in a blow, and, though she has been raced frequently by her owner-skipper, F. Morrison, she is now in as good sailing order as ever. Secret will probably have a considerable advantage in being rigged with Betty's gear, which is lighter and has seen less use than her own. Colleen is the newcomer. Mr F. Dobbie, who already has contested trials with the Ussher, built Colleen especially to challenge Betty for provincial honours, and the retirement of the latter must take away some of the zest of ownership from his latest possession. In trials with Ussher last week-end, when -F. Collins sailed her, Colleen proved definitely superior. When her new suit of sails arrives she should show still more speed, and Collins will gain skill in handling her, as he is more used to a forty than a fourteen-footer. Magpie has only a luck chance of a win, but her crew will turn out for the tun of the race. Whichever boat wins the local trials will have to meet tough opposition at Akaroa next February, with possibly some unknown quantities in the field. Besides their old challengers, three other provinces have new craft to wrest the three-years-held championship from Canterbury. Murihiku 11. will probably come again from Southland, and she has yet to do her best in the Sanders Cup. No news has yet come of the trials of the new boats. Misfortune overtook Val, which C. Wild has just completed building for C. G. Macindoe, of Auckland, owner of the famous Rona. On Saturday Val was lying on the slipway ready for launching when she was overturned by a squall. Her coamings and two planks were cracked, and her bowsprit broken.