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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 30, No. 4. 1967.

Vic yachties supreme

page 11

Vic yachties supreme

Victoria again reigns supreme in University yachting. The quality of the sailing at Easter Tournament was exceptionally high, and indeed was equal to that of any NZ centreboard national championship. A series of exciting races in both the Cherub and Moth classes culminated in a splendid victory for Victoria.

The Easter Tournament yachting was held at the Wellington Harbour Championship course off Pt. Jerningham, with the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club as headquarters—VUWYC is affiliated to RPNYC—and full use was made of the excellent facilities there. The whole, contest was extremely successful, and great credit must go, to Roger Long, Yachting Controller, for his efficient and comprehensive organisation.

In the Moth class, Tony Burn of Victoria in "Bluebeat" was clearly superior. Runnerup in the NZ Moth championships last year, Burn sailed exceptionally well to record three firsts and two seconds in the five races. His was the only Moth to finish in the first race, when he sailed magnificently in high winds of up to 5lmph.

In the Cherub class, the Auckland boat "Serendipity" (Peter Walker and Lindsay Kepple) was never headed, and showed the class which enabled it to come second in the Interdominion Cherub contest on Sydney Harbour early this year. However, the new VUWYC yacht "Commotion" was never far behind, and recorded 4 second placings, John Pether (1967 National Moth Champion) and Bruce Johnson, the current Wellington representative yachtsmen, displayed great skill and perseverance in gaining second overall placing in the Cherub class.

Frequently they encountered severe handicaps with gear failures in the new boat, but oversame these time and again to defeat Canterbury, (Brett de Trier—NZ Olympic representative) and Otago ("Sirius"—which competed in the Interdominion Cherub contest), although they never quite topped the Auckland boat.

The first race in each class began in squally conditions, with increasing wind and rising seas. The Otago Cherub start, and the Massey Moth start, and the Massey Moth had to be rescued from the rocks almost at once. The wind was soon gusting up to 51mph. and chaos resulted in the vicious seas. Nine boats withdrew, or foundered, and before long four rescue boats were all working to assist exhausted yachties from the harbour.

The Cherub race developed into a duel between Auckland, Canterbury and Victoria, each boat being sailed magnificently in the conditions. Victoria's boat snapped her rudder, leaving Auckland and Canterbury to fight out a close finish. Auckland eventually won.

The Moth race was a fiasco, with only A. Burn in "Bluebeat" (VUW) finishing the race.

The second series of races saw Auckland (1st) beat Victoria (2nd) and Otago (3rd) in the Cherub class, and Massey (Glen Abbott, a former NZ Junior Moth Champion) narrowly defeat Victoria and Canterbury in the Moth class.

The third races were most, exciting. Auckland led all the way in the Cherub class, and Victoria sailed extraordinarily well after breaking the spinnaker pole, nipping the spinnaker and losing the crew overboard twice when the trapeze broke, to head off Canterbury and Otago. In the Moths, Victoria crossed the line only seconds ahead of Canterbury and Massey. to take first place.

in the fourth race. Victoria took an early lead in the Cherubs, and a fascinating tactical battle followed, with Victoria and Auckland each striving for the lead, These two boats became so engrossed in their "private" battle that the rest of the fleet almost overtook them both. However, Auckland finally managed to take line honours a few seconds ahead of Victoria. In the Moths. A. Burn of Victoria again sailed splendidly to defeat Massey and Canterbury in that order.

In the fifth race, a similar pattern emerged in the Cherub race, but once again the masterly sailing of the Auckland crew enabled them to defeat Victoria by a narrow margin. Massey won the Moth race, followed by Victoria (second) and Canterbury (third).

Victoria ran out clear winners for the second year in succession: a result which says a lot for a Club in effective existence for a little over two years. The acquisition of the sleek new Cherub "Commotion" has been a great boost to the club, although it did not arrive until two days before Tournament began. "Teething" troubles were encountered throughout the series.

The Auckland Cherub crew sailed brilliantly, but were not supported by the Auckland Moth, which never gained better than a fourth placing. Tony Burn sailed exceptionally well to gain first placing overall In the Moth Class. It was most pleasing to see Massey gain third placing for the series after Victoria (first) and Auckland (second).