AVALON WINS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 285, 22 February 1928, Page 13

AVALON WINS

SANDERS CUP SERIES PATRICK’S GREAT RACE JUDGMENT WAS UNERRING (SUX’S Special Reporter.) INVERCARGILL, Tuesday. In a strong westerly breeze and a choppy sea, Avalon, Auckland's representative, won the third race of the Sanders Cup series at Paterson’s Ivtlet to-day, beating Betty, the Canterbury boat, by 48s. It was a great race, Avalon taking the lead soon after th 4 start, and holding it to the end. At no stage of the race did she look like being beaten, and J. Patrick, her skipper, is to be congratulated on a victory of real merit. Betty was several times seriously challenged by Eileen, Otago’s representative, and got away from her only on the run home. WINDWARD AND LEEWARD The course was a windward and leeward one from the buoy off Golden Bay to a buoy south of Price’s Point, south of Kaipipi Point, and twice round, being equal to nine miles. The mark off Price’s Point was shifted half a mile further toward the centre of the inlet, so as to give the boats a true beat to windward. CREWS OF THE BOATS All the boats carried full sail and four men apiece. The crews were: Betty (Canterbury)—G. G. Andrews, skipper; R. Hampton, I. Treleavan, F. Morrison. Avalon (Auckland) —J. Patrick, skipper; F. Cloke, E. Matthews, H. Browne. Murihiku iSouthland) —C. Hansen, skipper; M. Topi, IT. Allen, H. Hansen. Eileen (Otago)—G. Kellett, skipper; A. Hill. A. Booth, A. Dawson. Wellesley (Wellington)—B. White, skipper; N. Blair, R. Berg. F. Harlen. CONDITIONS SUIT AVALON The squally conditions to-day seemed well-suited to Avalon, and J. Patrick sailed the best race he has done for a very long time. His judgment was unerring, and he got to the weather of the veteran George Andrews on every tack. Going into the lead on the first beat up to Price’s Buoy, Avalon was 51s ahead of Betty on rounding tho mark. Betty gained 5s on the run back, but on the second beat Patrick’s tractics in keepirtg to the middle of the inlet, with short tacks to the southwards for a broad lead to the buoy, gave him lm 10s in hand when he rounded Price's Buoy for the second time.

These times showed Avalon to be doing better than Betty on the wind, but the Canterbury boat again reduced Avalon’s lead on the final run back, Betty making up 22s of her deficiency before Avalon got the gun. Eileen, the third boat to finish, sailed a very good race indeed, Kellett giving Andrews plenty to think about on several occasions. Eileen was only four seconds behind Betty at Price’s Buoy on the first round, but Betty's superior speed on the run enabled her to increase her lead to lm 13s at the end of the first round. Kellett went a long way. south on the second beat up to Price’s, and, getting a good lead up to the buoy, on going about he was almost on terms with Betty at the mark; but he was on the wrong tack, and Andrews forced him to give way and beat him round by four seconds.

EILEEN A GOOD ONE That Eileen finished only 23s behind the Canterbury crack shows that the former must be reckoned with as a serious opponent in moderate to heavy weather, as well as in the light stuff. Hansen made a mistake in gambling for a draw off the land in his long tack down to/Ulva in the second sound, and would have done better to keep Murihiku on the port tack up the inlet longer than he did. He was only 45s behind Eileen at the end of the first round, but his gamble cost him an extra 45s by the time he was up to Price’s again. A few good squalls on the run home enabled him to reduce this to 37s at the finish.

Wellesley again made a very poor showing indeed, getting further behind at each mark. White’s tactics in keeping so long under the northern shore, with a long losing tack to tho southwards on each round, spoiled any chance the Wellington boat may have had of vindicating her reputation. Her spinnaker work, too, was very poor. OFFICIAL TIMES The times at the Price’s Point buoy were: Avalon 2h 8m 3s Betty 2h 8m 54s Eileen 2h 8m 58s Murihiku 21i 10m 14s Wellesley .. 2h 10m 50s The boats were a great sight as they boomed along on the run back to Golden Bay, with the water creaming under their bows. Avalon was doing better than she has done at any other time during the contest. The times at the end of the first round were:—• Avalon 2h 25m 30s Betty 2h 26m 16s Eileen 2h 27m 29s Murihiku 2h 28m 14s Wellesley 2h 30m Ss The times of rounding Price’s Buoy again were: Avalon 3h 5m 11s Betty 3h 6m 21s Eileen 3h 6m 25s Murihiku 3h 7m 55s Wellesley 3h 13m Is The finishing times were: Avalon 3h 24m 20s Betty 3h 25m 8s Eileen 3h 25m 31s Murihiku 3h 26m 8s Wellesley 3h 31m 29s The actual .sailing times were: Avalon lh 54m 20s Betty lh 55m 8s Eileen lh 55m 31s Murihiku lh 56m 8s Wellesley .. t 2h lm 29s Avalon won by 4Ss from Betty, which beat Eileen for second place by 235. Murihiku crossed the line 37s after Eileen, and Wellesley finished 7m 9s after the first boat.