Bigger fields in yacht races
p. 75 · Read in the full issue
Domino, of the Royal NZ Yacht Club, and Ragamuffin, (S. Fisher) of Australia, were the winners of May-June ocean yacht races. On handicap, Domino, from the Royal NZ Yacht Club, won the Tauranga-Vila race, and the Aus tralian yacht, Ragamuffin, 14.32 m, won the Sydney-Suva race. Each event was held for the second time, and attracted bigger fields than in the first races in 1976. The interest shown, and the success of the latest races, augur well for the next race, scheduled for 1980.
Line honours were taken by Tequila, from the Lake Taupo Yacht Club, in the Tauranga-Vila race and Ana conda, a huge 25.3 m yacht in the Sydney-Suva race.
Other placings were:- Tauranga-Vila International offshore rules division: Bobby Shafto, Royal Suva Yacht Club 2, Impact, Panmure (NZ) Yacht Club 3. Division A: Domino 1, Impact 2, Snow White (Panmure Yacht Club) 3. Division B: Bobby Shafto 1, Quasar, Onerahi Yacht Club, Whangarei 2, Auriga, Royal Akarana Yacht Club 3.
Sydney-Suva International offshore rules division: Vittoria 2, Jasuma 3, Cruising division: lie Ola 1, Embrace 2, Amazing Grace 3.
Several of the yachts in the Tauranga-Vila race encoun tered strong winds. There were also radio failures and other minor troubles.
Anaconda, skippered by Josko Grubic, in taking line honours, covered the distance between Sydney and Suva in eight days, nine hours, 46 minutes and seven seconds.
She took 13 hours nine minutes from the inaugural race record set by Boomerang in 1976.