Yachting

Victoria emerged overall winners of the New Zealand University's Easter Tournament yachting regatta held on the Wanganui River.

The regatta was marred by unfavourable weather and a drift-wood covered course, and featured several spectacular capsizes during the three days' racing.

The regatta reached a virtual standstill on Saturday and Sunday when driftwood carried away marker buoys.

In the first race on Saturday Victoria was disqualified in the moths which was a triumph for 'Canterbury's C. Poulton, who had been headed nearly all the way by G. Abbott of Massey. Auckland's P. Robertson was third.

R. Harvey and M. Leahy, of Massey, made the most of reduced competition to win from Otago's D. Thompson and A. Atkinson.

After vain attempts to race on Sunday, it was not until Monday morning that the second race could be held, and even then three cherubs and two moths were claimed by capsizes in a 40 m.p.h. wind.

C. Boulton of Canterbury was again victorious in the moths, relishing in the gusty wind. Victoria's B. Johnston was second, closely followed by M. Robertson of Auckland.

Victoria (M. Pether, H. Anderson) won the cherubs and Auckland and Massey were next across the finish.

The third and fourth races of the series were also run on Monday, in exhausting and wet conditions.

The third race of the Easter tournament regatta began a bare half hour after the second had finished. First casualty was Otago who ran on to an island in the river at full speed and split the bottom of their yacht.

Capsizes were the order of the day. as were terrific speeds in both classes. Auckland had the edge in the cherubs with crewman P. A. McNaughton using his 6 ft. 2 in. and 14 stones to advantage.

However. Victoria with a little more finesse, swept in for first.

Victoria continued to pile up the points with their third win of the day in the moths' third race.

B. Johnston overcame his earlier defeats by C. Boulton (Canterbury) and thoroughly deserved his victory in this race.

A terrific tussle developed between Auckland and Victoria in the cherubs, but then Victoria capsized and Auckland took the lead fo ran exciting finish. Only Auckland and Victoria finished the race.

In the moths' fourth race Glenn Abbott of Massey had his mast collapse on the last leg, and only two crews finished — Canterbury comfortably ahead of Victoria.

Over all in the cherubs Auckland and Victoria were superior in the rough conditions. with Victoria winning on points.

In the moths. Canterbury's C. Boulton stole the limelight for a meritorious win in the series, followed by Victoria's B. Johnston and G. Abbott of Massey.

Overall winners of the tournament were Victoria with 4371 points. Auckland second with 3116 points and Massey third with 2940 points.