Lyttelton Regatta.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2495, 4 January 1877, Page 2

Lyttelton Regatta.

The Secbet (Auckland) Winnee of the Champion Yacht Race. •

The following account of the champion races at the Lyttelton fiegattais supplied |by the Press Agency :— . • Champion Sailing Match for Tbading Vessels, centre-board vessels not allowed to compete. Open to all-comers. Ist prize, £100 and Shaw and Saville's Cup, value £25; 2nd, £10. Time allowed, 10 sees, per ton. X.X.X., ketch, 21 tons, Clark, Lyttelton ... ... 1 Belle Brandon, schooner, 65 tons, Olilson. Auckland ... ... 2 Transit, schooner, 88 tons, Hooper, Auckland ... ... ... ... 3 Sarah and Mary, ketch, 41 tons, Cuff and Graham, Lyttelton 0 Minnehaba, schooner, 85 tons, Smith, of Auckland ... 0 The start was effected at 12 hours, 21 ruins., 51 sees., Belle Brandon being to windward, Minnehaha next, and X.X.X. next, forging just a-head. The Sarah and Mary went away to leeward, and was

soon out of the race. The four kept well together, Transit showing fine sailing qualities, and weathering on the other boats. Minnehaha was first about, both Transit and Belle Brandon, however, weathering on her, the latter making a short tack. ? Minehaha in endeavoring to pass ito windward of ;; the Island City, fouled her,: and she was unable to get clear, and was therefore out of the race. When the vessels again hove in sight, the Transit was leading well to windward, X.X.Xv arid Belle Brandon close up. The wind, however, broke with the two latter vessels, and the Transit increased her lead, whilst X.X.X. weathered on Belle Brandon, and took second place. The Transit was the first to pass the reef, at 4 hours 55 minutes, X.X.X. at 4 hours 59 minutes, and Belle Brandon at 4 hours 59 minutes 30 seconds. The wind was very changeable, varying from N.E. to N.W. The Belle beat X X X. in running, but could not over-haul the Transit which was first round Parson's Rock coming up again to the reef. The Belle was second and the Ketch last, but being admirably handled, and tli9 ft^ind very light, she managed to round the reef before either of her opponents, and under Capt. Whitley's charge the Lyttelton boat came in a winner at 7 hours 0 minutes 35 seconds, amid loud cheers from the spectators. The Transit, which had been passed by the Belle Brandon, increased her lead when close to the winning buoy, and came in second at 7 hours 10 minutes 30 seconds, the B<4ie being 40 seconds behind her. but owing to the time allowance for tonnage, the latter took second prize.

Champion Yacht Race, open to all comers; prize, £75, and N.Z.S. Co.'s Cup, value £25. Time allowance, 15 sees, per ton. Secret, cutter, 27 tons, Nichol and Hume, Auckland... ... ... 1 Spray, cutter, 9 tons, R. Forbes, Dunedin ... ... ... 2 Annie Ogle, cutter, 17 tons, Hawkins and Cunningham ... ... ..." 3 Winona, cutter, 17 tons, C. H. Street ... ... ... ... 0 Jimmy Flynn, cutter, 25 tons, Morgan, Pigeon Bay ... ... ... 0 Fleetwing, cutter, 10 tons, L.V.C., Lyttelton ... ... • ... ... 0 . A good start was effected at 1 hour 0 mm. 20 sees. The Secret forged slightly ahead, and after a few minutes tacking

had a decided lead off Rhodes Bay. The Secret, Annie, and S* pray were well together, followed by the Fleetwing and Winooa, Jimmy Flynn last, They were a long time reaching the heads, owing to the light and changeable wind. The first to come, in sight again was the Secret, a long way ahead of the others. She passed the reef the. first time at 4 hours 20 mins. The Annie and Spraywere the-next to appear, and as it was evident that, with her great lead, the Auckland boat must prove the winner, all interest centered in the manoeuvres of the Lyttelton and Dunedin yachts, the Annie kept her lead to Rhodes Bay, but she then had to go about. The Spray laying closer to the wind gained great advantage on her opponents, and passed the reef at 4 hours 50 mins., a few seconds ahead of the Annie. When it came to running, however, the larger yacht recovered he advantage, thanks to her big square sail, passing the Spray off the Breakwater, just as the Secret was making her appearance for the second time round, v The Jimmy Flynn and Winona hove in sight, but seeing they had no chance in the race wisely decided to retire from the contest. The Fleetwing also followed their example. The Secret passed the reef the second time at sb. 20m<n. and won«midst loud cheers,Jat i'sh. 20min. 4Qsecs; The Annie rounde^Parson's rock before the Spray, and kept the lead till off Charteris Bay, when the Spray got a good lead of wind and headed her, coming round rthe reef at; 6 hours 13 minutes, the Annie being one minute behind running home. The small yacht kept her position, and in about one hundred yards ahead at 6 hours 20 minutes thus taking second prize, the Annie 3rd at 6 hours 21 minutes 30 seconds.