Matavai endurance test

French Polynesian yachtsmen, as the hosts at Papeete, turned the tables on the New Guineans—who were hosts during the only other occasion that yachting was included in the Games programme.

In Port Moresby in 1969. New Guinea got off with the gold, fol-

lowed by French Polynesia and Fiji for the silver and bronze. In Papeete, the three French Polynesian Fireball class two-man yachts, took all three medals, with Fiji fourth (after keep ing close to the leaders from about the fourth race).

New Guinea should have done better, but its boats never managed to get on top of the boisterous weather experienced in Matavai Bay.

That weather gave everybody trouble, but the French Polynesians handled it best. Day after day, many starters failed to finish the course—being towed home with broken equipment, missing sails, as wind played havoc at most unexpected times. There were usually more crews in the water at any one time than were sailing on it.

On the first day, when seven yachts failed to finish, one of the Cooks boats lost a boom and a sail at the bottom of the bay. Conditions were too strong for the Cooks, and by the end of seven days’ racing they had no boats left. Mrs. “Oily” Silk, a mother of three, from Rarotonga, crewed with lan Forbes in one of the three Cooks boats—the only woman crew member contesting.

The competition was for the best six out of seven races, in a triangular course with a loop at one end. Nil points were awarded for first place, three for a second, 5.7 for third, etc.

Fifteen boats from six territories started in the competition.

The French Polynesians thoroughly deserved their wins in what in fact turned out to be a week-long en durance test.

The Games' lone woman yachtsman, "Oily" Silk, of the Cooks.

French Polynesia's Arnould and Cogghe race for a buoy in the boisterous conditions of Matavai Bay.