CORNWELL CUP

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 44, 21 February 1930, Page 7

CORNWELL CUP

AUCKLAND VICTORY

SUPERIOR CREW

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post.")

DUNEDINY This Day

By scoring their third win, E. and E. Tabuteau, the Auckland defenders in the Cornwell Cup contest, easily retaiued the cup in the fourth lace of the series this afternoon. Undoubtedly the best crew won the tun test. In the final race the Auckland boys gave another faultless performance, and the course they sailed indicated a sound appreciation of the technical points of yachting. The course was a triangular'one, and beating into a strong north-easterly and on a chappy harbour, called for a real exhibition of boat handling.

While the other competitors stood: out into the harbour, Tabuteau tacked on and off the leeward shore, where the wind was steady, and the ebb tide was of most assistance. He opened out a surprisingly big margin on the wind, and when the spinnaker was up his boat left the others further behind. In the four races the Aucklanders clearly demonstrated their pronounced superiority, and their early whi capped a most' successful contest. There was a fine start, Manakau getting away first, followed by Auckland, OtagOj Lyttelton, Canterbury, and Wellington. Into a full sail breeze the fleet stood over to the starboard. ' Lyttelton, and then Christchurch. were the first to change the tack, Auckland following a minute later. Lyttellou stood to port, right over to the Peninsula, while the others made several short boards aloi)g the channel. On these beats Auckland showed better judgment, and o(V the boat harbour the northern boat had a very handy lead. Lyttelton worked down until she came along the training wall, where she received the full advantage of the ebb tide and smoother water. When they crossed the" tacks, Mauakau was to the windward of Lyttelton, which was ahead of Otago. Christchurch and Wellington were tailing the fleet. Auckland finished the beat with a Substantial lead from Manakau, but Lytjelton would have been handier-if it had not under-reached the. mark. Auckland, lost no time in getting its spinnaker out, but Canterbury's balloon jib dropped in the water, and Otago' and Christehureh drew near. Wellington was last round, and the forward hand set the spinnaker with more speed than the other hands. Christchurch quickly passed- Otago on the run in a veering wind. All but Auckland occasionally lost the use of their spinnakers. Auckland was getting the best breeze, and with less than a quarter of the full course covered was so far .in front that the cup looked certain to be handed to them. Otago lost its spinnaker, and by the time it was taken in the local boat' was at the rear of, the field. A minute later Wellington also had to haul in the spinnaker. Wellington ■ set its spinnaker a ■ little later under the hills. The wind was much lighter, but in mid-harbour a steady breeze was being experienced any of the boats would have profited by, standing in shore.' Tfce local crew lost a good chance by not using their local knowledge.' Auckland had over two minutes' lead from Manakau when the spinnaker was taken in at the Anderson's Bay buoy, and the mainsheet was hauled, in for the lead across to the Kitchener Street Wharf.

THE SECOND ROUND;

When the. sheets -were flattened entering cm-' the second round, Auckland was 2min 17sec ahead o£ Manakau. Lyttelion followed nine seconds* later. These two boats were battling it out in light weather. Wellington passed Christchurch on the lead, and turned forty seconds after Lyttelton ' and seven, seconds ahead of Chrirtchurch. Otago was another fiftyfive seconds behind. Auckland was on and off the city shore, Tvhile the other boats did not stand so far over, making boards : out into the. rougher . water; Auckland' was getting equally aal steady a wind, and, moreover, the assistance of the ebbing tide. Otago dropped further astern, its skipper standing to port, but he was unable to hold his boat close up to'the wind. Manakau also took a long board acrpas to Vauxhall and when Lyttelton stood into Windward Bay Manakau weathered it, and also passed to the weather of Wellington, which was now in third place. The -Wellington boys were keeping their boat going all -he time, and.were improving their position. Auckland-worked the lee shore, and-gam-ed on Manakau on the thresh. Beating down the channel to the windwarl mark, Lyttelton worked to the weather ol Wellington. .■ Lyttelton followed thirteen seconds later, and Wellington was only another seventeen seconds behind. Chritchurch put out its spinnaker S3 seconds after Wellington. Tabuteau set off for. the final, run at a bat. The boat was planing • beautifully.; His gain on the other boats was appreciable, and he was hauling in his spinnaker preparatory to making the Anderfion's Bay buoy, when Otago ■withdrew from the race after striking a snag close inshore.

TROUBLE FOR WELLINGTON

Wellington met with all manner of trouble with its spinnaker.. Several valuable minutes were first lost when- the big sail dropped in the waiter. The skipper sailed over. to..the training.wall, and ran into the wind till he made a clearance. Further bother in controlling the ballooner wa* experienced, and when off Vauxhall Wellington also retired. In the meantime Auckland was bounding aloDg, and the only change was that Lyttelton had headed Manakau on the run. Unchallenged Auckland ran home the easiest of winners, the finishing places and the avttial sailing times being: Auckland, lhr 9 mm aOsec, 1; Lyttelton, lhr 16mm 4«ec, 2; Manakau, lhr 16min 56sec, 3; Christy church, lhr 18min 25sec, 4.