YACHTING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 299, 16 April 1896, Page 3

YACHTING.

The Annual Cup Race, under the auspices of the Napier Sailing Club, took place in the Inner Harbour on Monday last. A full-sail breeze was blowing from the sou’-west, accompanied by a drizzling rain, which made things rather unpleasant ; but in spite of the inclement weather the following first-class yachts faced the starter, viz., Gondola, Irene, lolanthe. Darling, and Sea Bird. At the sound of the second gun, the loianthe bore away with the lead, followed by the Gondola, Darling, Irene, and Sea Bird in the order named. On the lead up to Kopuki the Gondola passed the lolanthe and rounded the buoy first, with the Sea Bird second and Irene third. These positions were maintained on rounding the Maori Head buoy. On the beat from the last-named buoy, the Irene and Sea Bird, owing to a shift of wind, managed to alter their positions somewhat, and the Irene passed the Quarantine buoy first, Sea Bird second. The Gondola, however, soon picked up what she had lost, and after this stage of the race the issue was never in doubt, the positions at the finish being Gondola first, lolanthesecond, Sea Bird third. On time allowance the Sea Bird won by 3min 40sec, Gondola second, and lolanthe third. The race from start to finish was a closely contested one, the yachts finishing within a few minutes of each other. The Sea Bird, the winner, belongs to Mr J. Northie, and was built by him last year. Messrs Canning and S. Riddell acted as starters and judges, and great praise isdue to them for facing the weather on such a day.—Hawke’s Bay Herald. -'