Avalon for Akaroa

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 565, 18 January 1929, Page 1

Avalon for Akaroa

SANDERS CUP CHALLENGER

Val’s Skipper Protests in Vain

FOLLOWING the announcement last evening by the committee which is responsible for the selection of Auckland's challenger for the Sanders Cup contest to be sailed at Akaroa next month that Avalon, last year’s representative, had again been chosen, Mr. A. Matthews, skipper of the new boat Val. made a statement to The Sun protesting against the decision. The committee decided, at a meeting this morning, that the selection is to stand.

I FAIL to see how the selectors can have come to their conclusion on the races so far held,” Mr. Matthews states. “In the first race Val defeated Avalon board for board and beat her off the wind. In the second trial Val was the leading boat when the wind varied—she lost the breeze for over two minutes—and I do not see how that can be counted as a race. Kona did better than either Val or Avalon in that test.

“In last evening’s race Val sailed under a serious handicap for half of the course on the wind. She had trouble with her plate, which was fouled by kelp. It is impossible for the selectors to say Avalon is the best boat on the trials so far conducted. “I consider it would be a fair thing to carry on the tests until five races have been decided, a fid to hold the two races originally set down for Saturday.”

Asked his views, a prominent yachtsman remarked that even granting last evening’s race was a definite win for Avalon, every consideration should be shown to the new ■ boat. It was no encouragement to sportsmen to have new boats built if they were to be treated in the off-hand manner indicated by the action of the committee. “It might be argued that the owner of Val could claim the races arranged and not sailed owing to the refusal of Avalon’s owner to turn out on the occasion of the three trials which lapsed through the default of Avalon. Explaining the decision of the selectors, Mr. H. J. C. George said all three were satisfied Avalon was the best boat, although not outstandingly superior to either of the others. They had no doubt that Avalon lost the first test because she had a new skipper at the tiller. He had had no opportunity of sizing iij) the boat, the occasion being the first in which he had handled a Jellicoe Class craft. In the two subsequent trials, Mr. F. Oloke, owner, and a member of Avalon’s regular crew, acted as for’ard hand, although he had no part in the control of the tiller. Mr. Oloke’s advice regarding the trimming of Avalon doubtless gave the boat the winning advantage. With regard to Mr. Matthews’s difficulty with the fouling of the centreboard, the selectors point out that even when the obstruction was cleared before the final run to the finish, Val could not hold her own with Rona, despite the fact that, generally speaking, Val’s best sailing was achieved off tl.e wind. While acknowledging that Tuesday's race was not as successful a trial as was hoped for, careful recordings showed that when the boats were moving it was found in the main Avalon’s performance was more convincing than that of either of her rivals. A meeting of the committee was held this morning to consider the question of further tests in view of Mr. Matthews’s protest. After a careful review of the racing it was agreed that the position called for no additional trials. The selectors wished to make it clear that at no time had they in mind the conduct of five trials. It was not even necessary to run three, and had.the racing been decisive at the conclusion of two tests, it was probable that the boats would not have been called out to contest a thi~d.

DECISIVE WIN VICTORY FOR AVALON The third trial was sailed last evening under ideal corftlitions, a steady prevailing throughout. Avalon defeated Rona by 3m 265. Val was 27s behind Rona. c The course was from starting line off the compass dolphin in Judge’s Bay, round the Bastion beacon, thence out to the white light buoy in Rangitoto Chan-

nel, returning: the same way. This gave, the boats a lead to the Bastion, a beat to the white light, a flat run oack to the Bastion, then a lead to the finishing line.

Yal was first away when the last flag fell at 5.47. However, Val luffed up, and Avalon sailed through her lee. iSlie slowly increased her lead, and at the Orakei Wharf was HO yards to the good. Rona was then about 50 yards astern of Val.

At the Bastion at the romniencemen: of the beat to the channel the times were: Avalon, 6.6.22; Val, 0.6.32; Rona, 6.6.45.

Rona and Avalon remained on x*ort after clearing the Bastion, but Yal made the fatal error of throwing round on starboard. The two former boats were going well, and after a little Val came back on port. In the interim Rona had worked into second place. Avalon was first to break tacks at 6.14. and Rona and Val did likewise 30s later All were now on starboard, the wind to about nor’-east from the north.

Avalon again broke tack<, and after sailing on port for 2m she came back on starboard. Rona did not follow the leader.

At 6.28 Val went round, and was then a long way astern of Avalon and Rona. A the outer mark was reached the boat = worked shorter boards. Rounding ih> white light the times were: Avalon. 6.35.39; Rona, 6.38.49: Val. 6.39.3.

The boats now had a run to the Bastion, and the leg saw’ Val pass Rona. which was having trouble with her spinnaker. At the Bastion the times were: Avalon, 6.52.29; Val, 6.55.35; Rona. 6.55.51 Soon after rounding Val and Rona set spinnakers, but Avalon did not do so until six minutes later. At this time the two following boats were making a great raoe of it, and near tlie Hinemoa Rona again secured second place. Finishing times w T ere:— Avalon. 7.11.27 1 Rona. 7.14.53 2 Val, 7.15.20 3 DETAILS OF TESTS

In the first test sailed on Saturday. Val. which is a new’ boat, defeated Rona by 11s. Avalon was third, 3s later. In Tuesday’s trial, which w?_i, sai'cd in light and •variable airs at times falling away practically to a calm, went to Avalon by 19s from Rona, which defeated Val by 1.20. The skippers were: Avalon, Mr. A. Willetts. sailing on behalf of the owner, Mr. F. Cloke; Rona, Mr. V. Lidgard. for Mi. C. G. Macindoe: Val, Mr. A. Matthews, for Mr. Macindoe also. The selection committee comprises: M-T-T. J. C. George, Mr. E. B. Webster and Mr. H. Kirkham. WELLINGTON’S CHOICE Press Association WELLINGTON, To-day. After a race meeting of the Wellington Provincial Yacht and Motor-boat Association. Mr. W. Duncan, sole selector, announced he had chosen Clyde as the Sanders Cup representative for Wellington, to be sailed by her usual skipper, Mr. N. Rowntree.