YACHTING TRIALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26638, 8 December 1947, Page 6

YACHTING TRIALS

WIN FOR LYNETTE SATURDAY RACES ABANDONED All three yachting trials—for Sanders Cup, Idlealong, and Takapuna class boats—held at Port Chalmers on Saturday morning over a windward and leeward course were abandoned. None of the* boats completed the trial courses in the time limit of three hours. , , _ , , . _ As there was almost a flat calm during the afternoon, with little prospect of- the three trials set down for triangular courses being completed in the time limit, it was decided to abandon these races and to hold two of them —the X and Z class events—off the Dunedin wharves yesterday afternoon. The winner of the Sanders Cup class trial yesterday was Lynette (C. J. Pettit). Taioma (H. Kibblewhite) won the Takapuna class race. Yesterday’s Races The trials completed yesterday afternoon were sailed in a light and flukey south-west breeze which dwindled in the closing stages. The Sanders Cup 'class . boats completed two rounds of a windward and leeward course, and the Takapuna class one. The full X class course was about round of the Sanders Cup trial was completed in lhr. 13mm. The first boat to cross the line at the start of the second round was Elvina, followed by Nancy less than a minute later, and with Eileen, Manihi and Lynette close together a minute away, in that order. Val and Amazon were separated by seconds, then came Elfin Avenger, Rawene, Wampa and Ripple, which was 9min. lOsec. behind the leading boat. In the second round the fleet was almost becalmed at the lowerreaches of the course after turning the buoy for the home run. Pettit in Lynette chose to keep well out into the harbour to catch all the wind available, while the remainder of the fleet, almost without exception, made boards into shore, and lost the wind. Although there was some doubt in the latter stages whether any boat would make the finish, before the tune limit expired, Lynette came through on light puffs and completed the course in 2hr. 37min. 54sec. to win the first tnal. Nancy and Amazon, which finished next in order, were several minutes G The Takapuna class boats, which sailed only one round of the course, had a fairly steady breeze all the way. Taioma (H. Kibblewhite) completed the round in lhr. 22mm. 15sec., followed in by Runa (W. Camp. lhr. 24min. 16sec.), and Oakie (Lorimer, lhr. 26min. 13sec.). Abandoned Trials

Twelve boats started in the Sanders Cup trial at Port Chalmers. Four boats—Amazon, Avenger, Elvyra and Ripple—were recalled after . having passed over the starting line before the gun, and lost up to five minutes each. Lynette took the lead in the first round, closely followed by Val, and was first around the buoy on the run down the harbour in a light south-east breeze. As Amazon came around the buoy for the leg back to the wharves, the wind veered to the south-west, enabling her to make a long board right down the channel near the mud flats instead of following the leaders who had rounded the buoy on a south-east wind and had made a, lead inshore. Amazon was able to gain a long lead on Val, Eileen and Lynette as they rounded the buoy near the wharves for the start of the second round. She held it until the fleet ran into a flat calm towards the end of the final round, when Lynette had drawn level with her. Amazon had again forged into the lead when the gun was fired to indicate that the race had been abandoned. . „ T . . , . Avenger and White Wings took the lead at the start of the Idlealong trial at Port Chalmers, but Avenger had fallen back by the start of the second of foui' rounds. White Wings led Cavalier and Koneke into the start of the third round, and maintained her lead up to the abandonment of the race. The fleet numbered" 16., Runa and Oakie were leading at the start of the third round in the abandoned Takapuna trial, after having held the advantage throughout. There were only six entrahts, as other trial boats which had been entered were unable to make the' trip.. to‘. Port Chalmers in time for' a delayed start.. The X and I classes sailed four times round a two-mile windward and leeward course, and the Z class three times round.