LADIES' YACHT RACE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 450, 8 March 1909, Page 4

LADIES' YACHT RACE.

From a spectacular point of view, as well as from the yachtsman's, the ladies' yacht race oil Saturday afternoon was a great success. This, by the way, was the first race of the kind that has been held on this harbour, and it says something for the growing interest women are taking in yachting that there were eleven entries. Each yacht might be manned by men, but it had to bo sailed by a woman, tiio "woman" in ono case being about nine years old. One boat, tho one with the infant skipper, had a number of feminine folk on board, and there were two girls oil tho Mahina, but on each of the others there was only one woman to fulfil, tho conditions of tho race. Tho yachts racing were tho Mahina, sailed by Miss Fell, Janet (Miss Lane), Taiparo (Miss Highet), White Heather (Miss Hoggard), Tuna (Mrs. Petherick), Waitangi (.Miss M'Lean), the most youthful skipper), l'atronus (Miss Duncan), Nanoya (Miss Holmes), and Warehou, Tho Viking, and Siren. It was a perfect ladies' day, bright and fair, with just enough wind to keep the yachts going, and nothing prettier could have been imagined than the start of tho whitewinged fleet. They started beautifully from tho minute, in a line extending from To Aro Baths to the end of the Glasgow Wharf. Just at first they wero bunched together, and then they spread out and went speeding doivn tho harbour. Their adventures thereafter, as described by people on board, sound pleasantly interesting. They sailed first to Point Halswell, then across to Korokoro, and back to Point Halswell again, a sail that took from three to threo and a half hours. Across- to 1 Somes Island the wind was tricky, and the run across to tho buoy at ICorokoro was harrowing for thoso steering. The dying wind came in most tantalising puffs, extremely puzzling for the inoxperisnccd. The Janet and Mahina from the iirst ran close, together, with tho others far behind, the Janet rounding the ICorokoro buoy just a minute after the Mahina, and following as closely to the line again. As for the Waitangi, her cruising sails were not much use to her, and she soon gave up and went home. Tho Janet and Mahina finished in beautiful style, but they had the best of the wind to bring them home, and those left behind came in in a slow procession, with just en6ugh wind to carry them. The Janet was second' in time, but tho Taipare, sailed by Miss Highet, was second. Altogether it was a very good race, the girls having been coached for weeks past, proved themselves to be accomplished vachtswoinen; notably Miss Fell, Miss Highet, * Miss Hoggard, and Miss Duncan. These ladies have for long been accustomed to tho wiles and wavs of the Wellington Harbour winds, but the others wore much less experienced. It is hoped that next-year will see another and an even better race.