The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 61

(ft an tt'? o) im I By BOB ROSS America's Cup skipper Jim given a friendly ultimatum by Payne. Ml 4 -1 '-t -----1'r'-T- UVJ Payne asked Hardy to arrange substantial financial backing for the proposed Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron America's Cup challenger, Matilda," before the end of January. Payne says this would leave him just enough time to design the yacht so that building could begin in August for a launching in January or February next year. There would be no lengthy preparation period in Australia. The boat would be shipped to Newport, US, soon after launching, and its whole preparation centred there with tough, preliminary racing against the proposed Swedish, French and English challengers.

But to back the challenge, the Matilda Syndicate, headed by Hardy, as chairman, Payne and the sail-maker, Peter Cole, has to raise a total The Hardy family wine-making company, Thomas Hardy and Sons, has already promised $50,000. Jim Hardy believes he has two or three other companies close to committing themselves to $50,000 contributions. The appeal for syndicate members is structured so that over a three financial year period, 15 companies contribute $50,000 each; 20 companies contribute $10,000 each and 50 companies $1,000. Another $500,000 would be raised by public appeal. Alan Bond has, I believe, commissioned some preliminary design work from Bob Miller, now living in Europe, and the young Dutch designer Jo-han Valentijn, who has joined forces with Miller, for his new America's Cup challenger.

Valcnti.in r.fler five years with Sparkman and Stephens, the New York design firm that produced the Ansett Airlines in full flight in preparation for championship. nsett, sailed by Dave Griffith, performances in Sydney club races and. in Inloldler sails today's opening heat of the 1 8-foot er is ore of the favourites after' sorre impressive. the "A uslralian championship at Brisbane. away outsiders in footers Gary Holder sailed his boar, Unsponsored, to win the Sydney Flying Squadron's handicap race on Sydney Harbour yesterday.

Holder is one of the few 18-footer yachtsmen in the world whose boat is not sponsored by commercial interests. Holder fought off a strong challenge from NSW representative Safcol, skippered by Murray Press, win by 47 sec. Peter Notley, who had been close to the leader in Bergin Abrasives for most of the race, had to be content with third place 15 sec behind Press after the flying Safcol passed him on the run to finish. International skippers preparing for today's first heat of the world championship had an outing without too much success. Former Australian title holder and world championship runner-up Rod Zemanek, who will represent Great Britain in Fielders Frrresh, finished first of the overseas contingent.

But he was never in contention for the major end of the prime mnoey. Zemanek finished a creditable fourth with Great Britain champion Bruce Long, in City Ford next, best overseas skipper. French skipper Eric Lerouge had an early battle with Zemanek. But Zemanek's greater experience on Sydney Harbour enabled him to move away from the visitor. Hardy has been designer Alan outstanding America's Cup defenders, Intrepid and Courageous, now has his own design office in New York.

So Bond's new challenger, through Yanchep Sun City Yacht Club, will not lack design expertise or experience. It is apparently proposed to tank test, the new design in Holland. There was a lull in. national and international yachting championships in Sydney this weekend. With Prince Alfred (David Forbes) beating May (Patric Fredell) 4-1 in the elimi-Challenge Cup for six American Australian nation series for the metres, the match with the US defender, St Francis VI (Tom Blackaller), beginning next Thursday, is keenly anticipated.

The protruding bulb under Prince Alfred's waterline forward has given it a decisive advantage in downwind speed through reducing the drag of the deep, heavy hull. However, Forbes and designer Paul Elvstrom, who is sailing as Forbes' tactician, are concerned at Prince Alfred's lack of pointing ability. As a result, the whole rig will be shifted aft by as much as a foot. The Prince Philip Cup Australian Championship for the Dragon is taking a two-day rest over the weekend to avoid the heavy Harbour traffic Norman Longworth, the evergreen NSW helmsman, is showing the best form of a long career in Dragon, with three wins and a third in the four heats sailed so far, on top of his NSW Championship win earlier in the season. Longworth's Tom Thumb leads with 5.7 points lost from Saracen (Steve Parker, WA) 23.4, and Rawhiti (Ted Alvert, NSW) 30.4.

but still gets par she did not require medical treatment. It is the second time in three months that tMrs Shearer has fallen victim to an errant golf ball. In Adelaide last October she was struck on the head by a ball hit by Lan Stanley during the $20,000 West Lakes Classic SA keep grip on ADELAIDE, Sat. South Australia have maintained their superiority in Australian baseball with a convincing win in the Claxton Shield, played here at Norwood Oval. have now taken the shield 14 times, followed by Victoria with 12 wins and nine to New South Wales.

NSW, who were third on the points table yesterday, had a chance to force a play-off with South Australia, if they won their last two games. However, they were thrashed 10-3 by Queensland last night and at best can now only finish equal second. The win was Queensland's fourth in the series, and it is the second time they have achieved this total since entering the shield in 1939. With only two matches to be played, South Australia lead on 10 points from Queensland 8, and West Australia, Victoria and NSW tied on six. Queensland have the bye in the final round leaving South Australia in an unbeatable position.

EASY BEIT RACE WIN Coogee surfer Peter Ga-teley scored an impressive win in the belt race at the North Steyne open surf carnival yesterday. Gately won by a big margin over a field which included current State belt champion, Alan Witchard, from Port Macquarie, and former national title holder Leigh Emery. Witchard atoned for his defeat by winning the junior belt race. Mark Stanton of North Narrabeen scored an effortless win in the cadet surf race to maintain his unbeaten record in cadet surf racing this season. ENTRIES will close tomorrow for the STC's meeting at Rosehill on Saturday, January 31.

baseball I Kelly upset capture tit IP Rank Xerox, sailed by Auckland University psychology lecturer Wayne Innes, will be one of the boats to watch in the opening heat of the world 18-. footer championship on the Harbour today. Innes topped the point-score in the Auckland selection trials and, al- though he has been here nearly a week, decided against sailing in Friday's shakedown handicap. It was said this was part of Innes's strategy -that he didn't want his crew discouraged by an ordinary performance in an unwieldly field of hah-dicappers. But that his great New Zealand rival Terry Mc-Dell, in Travelodge, was second-fastest in the handicap race was encouraging.

Nothing was between the pair at Auckland after six exciting contests, with Innes gaining the advantage because his boat went better under big sails in light air. Innes, having his first race here, will be hoping for a light breeze. Sydney's idol and world champion Dave Porter (KB) has been favourite for most of the season. But the new Australian champion, Steve Kulmar (Miles Furniture), and Dave Griffith (Ansett Airlines) are pressing Forbes closely. When the fleet goes to the line today, little is likely to separate the three with the top two New Zealanders next most fancied.

NSW Minister of Sport Mr John BarracLough is' to fire the gun to send the boats away. Golfer hits wife BRISBANE, Saturday. Queensland's Ray Kelly scored the greatest triumph of his tennis career when he crushed American Jai Di Louie in straight sets in the final of the Australian Under 19 championships at Brisbane's Milton Courts today. Kelly, only 16, upset his more experienced rival, the tournament second seed, 6-2 6-4 in a match, lasting only 55 In a semi-final yesterday, the young Queenslander: eliminated sensational Sydney left-hander Brad Dre-wett, the top seed. Kelly became the first Queenslander to win the Australian boys' champion-ship-since 1972, when Paul Kronk took out the title.

Kelly is also one of the youngest winners of the championship. The win resolved a dilemma for Kelly. He now has definitely decided to leave school to join the international circuit. lent ground strokes but Miss Fenwick relied far to heavily on her forehand and Miss Saliba, hitting powerfully to the corners, was able. to eventually wear her down.

"It's the biggest win of my career," admitted Miss Saliba, who was knocked out of the corresponding tournament in Hobart last year in only the third round. She caused a major upset yesterday when she eliminated top seed Kay Hallam in the semi-finals. SWIMMING ACTION Champion swimmer Michelle Ford and her coach Dick Calne will be Interviewed on the swimming segment of Channel Tn Sportsactton, which begins at 11 am today. He must also come into contention as Australia's second representative- for the prestigious junior Wimbledon championships in mid-year. Drewett, in spite of his defeat yesterday, will be an automatic selection to head Australia's representation, and Kelly's brilliant performances throughout this tournament must make him the logical choice for the second berth.

Victoria's Sue Saliba outlasted Jenny Fenwkk, of South Australia, in a gruelling three-set battle to win the final of the girls' under 19 singles. Miss Saliba, 18. of Melbourne, recovered from the loss of the first set to defeat the 17-year-old Adelaide girl 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Neither was prepared to take chances in the blustery conditions on centre court, and the match was confined largely to baseline duels. Both girls played excel MELBOURNE, Saturday.

Melbourne golf professional Bob Shearer hit his wife Kathy today but there Is no marital disharmony. Shearer, 28, knocked his wife to the ground with a shot beside the sixth green during the third round of the Australian PGA championship at Rosebud Country Club. -The ball bounced sideways and rolled on to the green and Shearer made par. Minutes later Mrs Shearer was involved in another mishap when she was struck on the left hand by a carry board trolley. Her hand was cut but i THE SUN-HERALD, JAN 18.

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