KEY POINTS:
A newly restored classic yacht could not achieve a winning return in the most anticipated race of the Auckland Anniversary Regatta.
The completely restored Rainbow (1898), in its first Anniversary regatta for 50 years, was not without teething problems yesterday. It lost its competitive pace in the Classic Yachts A Class when its jib broke and, although quickly remedied, it finished fourth.
Rainbow skipper Hamish Ross said the race was very challenging, with "flukey changes in wind direction".
The yachts dribbled over the start line in a slight breeze, touching on 8 knots. But as the regatta wore on the wind stiffened to over 15 knots and intensified by the finish.
Rainbow's crew were not the only ones to suffer technical problems. Tawera lost its spinnaker on the homeward straight.
Ross said there was a great bond between the classic boat sailors. After the race he joined the crew of the Ariki, another Logan brothers boat, for a rum. "I feel that the win-at-all-costs attitude of some sports means you lose something. There a sense of camaraderie here, which is important in sport."
But Ariki captain Chad Thomson said that the race was still "fiercely competitive". After a "beautiful day of sailing", Ariki placed second behind clear winners Iorangi. Waitangi finished third.
Iorangi skipper John Gorter was quiet about his victory. But his crew felt that their lead was a comprehensive one. "We whipped them."
The first four boats over the line were all designed by the Logan brothers around the turn of the 20th century.
Ross said that despite decades of sailing, he was always relearning the skills of racing a classic yacht.
