CONCLUSION OF SAILING SEASON IN WANGANUI

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 91, 20 April 1946, Page 7

CONCLUSION OF SAILING SEASON IN WANGANUI

CEDRIC WINS CHAMPIONSHIP OF RIVER FOR 1946

The 1945-46 sailing season was concluded in Wanganui over the week-end, when three races were sailed—one on Saturday afternoon and two on Sunday morning. Saturday’s race, the big event of the year was to decide the championship of the river. Seven boats started but owing to the extremely rough conditions caused by a strong up-river wind blowing against a powerful tide only two boats completed the course. Most of the difficulty was en-

countered at the Imlay turn where the seas were so high that all the smaller boats were forced to retire with the exception of the Rosalie which capsized ami was righted again before continuing. Brian Armit, well known throughout New Zealand as an experienced and successful yacht skipper, sailed bis power--1 ful foot Jellicoe class boat, I Cedric, to cross the line with a 8 considerable margin on Rosalie ■ to win the much coverted press miership of the Wanganui River. M. Wall, frequent Wanganui representative in the Cornwell Cup races, was the skipper of Rosalie, the only other boat to i complete the course on Saturday. | During the season just concluded Armit, sailing Cedric in one of the Henley Shield races, lowered the record time for the Wanganui course. The course, which is

from the Sailing Club down to Imlay and back, is of two laps—a distance of a little over six miles—and Cedric was driven around it the twice in 58 minutes, lowering her own time by more than four minutes.

PROSPECTS FOR NEXT SEASON The Wanganui Sailing Club, compared with other clubs in the Dominion, is hardly out of its infancy. The club was formed in 1932 and had just began to develop into a first class yachting club when World War II broke odt. The war made heavy demands on members, practically all the older salts either volunteering, or being called up into the armed services. This had the effect of knocking the development of the club back to a great extent. Most of the members, however, have now returned to their sport and the club, next season, will enjoy a more successful and active year than has been the case over the last few seasons.

Several of the more enterprising members will be building new boats over the winter, and this will necessitate the construction of more sheds at the club to house them.

R. Buller has a new idle-along under construction at the present time, and, if she is completed in time, it is his

intention to take her to the Paramata Easter Regatta. It has been estimated that somewhere in the vicinity of 15 new boats will be taking the water at the opening of the 1946-47 season. CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE RIVER Seven boats—two fourteen footers, an idle-along, three Takapunas, and a Santos class boat—laced the starter hi the Championship of the River. There was a strong wind coming up river, which chopped the water up into a severe condition, making sailing, especially at the lower reaches, extremely difficult. The race was started at 3.40 p.m., Breezealong showing up at the beginning with Rosalie, Jeanette, North Wind, Cedric, Santos and Avalon following in that order. As they headed down towards the turn in the river, Cedric steadily improved her position until, at the Imlay ttirn, she had replaced all the leaders and was first to round the mark. It was at this point that most of the boats experienced trouble, only two of them managing to weather the mark without, mishap. North Wind fouled Rosalie and 'immediately withdrew; Breezeadong experienced difficulty in rounding the mark on account of the high seas, was forced across the rock wall and suffered damage to her rudder necessitating her withdrawal from the race. The two Z class boats, Jeanette and Avalon, found the going too rough and were forced to return to the boat sheds without gaining the weather buoy. Rosalie, after having been struck by North Wind carried on, but on attempting to round the mark capsised. However, her crew, showign particular enterprise, righted their boat in the very high seas and, bailing out, continued the race in opposition Io the only boat left racing—Cedric. Cedric completed the first round in 41min. 50sec. with Rosalie about fifteen minutes behind. B. Armit, sailing a faultless race, brought Cedric arouni the course for the second time and returned home an easy winner, thus gaining the Championship of the River for 1946. M. Wall sailed his usual sound race and also berthed Rosalie safely after the second round. Cedric’s time for the second lap was 39min. 40 see., her time for lhe whole race being 1 hour 22min. lOsec.

SUNDAY MORNING’S RACES The final races in the series for the Henley Shield and the Kieiy Cup were sailed on Sunday morning, the idlealong North Wind winning the former and Rosalie getting the gun in the smaller class event. When the total points were announced, however, Cedric was ahead in the Henley Shield with North Wind second. The Kiely Cup was awarded to Rosalie which held a considerable margin over Viking. Three starters —the Z class boats Rosalie and Viking and the Santos — left the mark at 11.16 a.m. in the Kiely Cup race and with spinnakers up ran down to the Imlay buoy where the wind was barely strong enough after the turn to stem the force of the out-going tide. Rosalie managed to make enough head way and was the only boat to finish the course in the allowed three hours. Viking struck trouble when only a few minutes from home when she was washed over the wall, and bv the time she was got back onto the course the wind had dropped and she could not make headway against the tide. Santos experienced tide trouble also and was forced to retire.

Championship of the River, Cedric; (scr.) were the only starters in the Henley Sheild race, the former reaching home 12imin. ahead of Cedric. As in the other race these two boats experienced difficulty in sailing up river against the tide. TROPHY WINNERS

The following is a list of the various sailing trophies competed for each season and the winners:—

Championship of the River. Cedric; Henley Shield, Cedric; Colleen Shield, Rosalie: Mercantile Cup, Rosalie; Studholm Cup, Rosalie; Braithwaite Cup, North Wind; Kutu Cup, Avalon; Motor Boat Cup, Jeanette; Hewat Rowe Cup, White Wings; Kiely Cup Rosalie.

There are also two trophies competed for by individual yachtsmen, one for the Skipper's Premiership and the other for the winning for’ard hand. Both these competitions are for solo racing and were won by M. Wall and S. Wall respectively in the Rosalie. REPRESENTATIVES AT PARAMATA

Cedric and the Wanganui champion Z class yacht Rosalie were railea to Paramata this week to take part in the Easter Regatta there. Cedric will make a bid for the Wellington province Rona-Jellicoe class premiership. Cedric’s, reputation as a flyer is such that she has been placed on the scratch mark for the race, but with Brian Armit at the tiller and an experienced crew up, she will certainly give a good account of herself.

Rosalie will be sailed in the big Z class event this week-end—the Duncan Cup—which is also for the province championship. She is a particularly fast little boat and with the Wall brothers handling her she also should not disgrace Wanganui.