9 2 6 ▁– ▁Beat ▁J ▁Mason , ▁New ▁Zealand ▁title ▁ ▁Austral as ian ▁title ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁April ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁a ▁match ▁was ▁rac ed ▁between ▁Hann an ▁and ▁Alf ▁Fel ton ▁for ▁the ▁Austral as ian ▁Championship . ▁Fel ton ▁was ▁stated ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁Australian ▁Champion ▁and ▁Hann an ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁one . ▁The ▁race ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁Nelson ▁Har bour ▁and ▁the ▁pur se ▁was ▁£ 5 0 0 . ▁Fel ton ▁crossed ▁the ▁line ▁first ▁but ▁was ▁dis qual ified ▁for ▁cutting ▁Hann an ▁off . ▁This ▁race ▁was ▁notable ▁in ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁New ▁Zealand ▁sports ▁event ▁broadcast ▁on ▁radio . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁a ▁match ▁was ▁arranged ▁between ▁William ▁( B ill ) ▁Mc Dev itt , ▁the ▁Champion ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁and ▁Hann an ▁for ▁the ▁Austral as ian ▁Championship . ▁There ▁was ▁some ▁debate ▁as ▁to ▁whether ▁this ▁was ▁a ▁genu ine ▁title ▁or ▁simply ▁an ▁exc use ▁for ▁a ▁money ▁match . ▁The ▁pur se ▁was ▁£ 5 0 0 ▁which ▁was ▁subscri bed ▁by ▁A uck land ▁residents . ▁The ▁race ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁the ▁Wa item at ā ▁Har bour , ▁A uck land ▁on ▁ 2 ▁February ▁ 1 9 2 4 . ▁Hann an ▁was ▁declared ▁the ▁winner ▁but ▁the ▁boats ▁were ▁so ▁far ▁apart ▁width ▁wise ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁course ▁there ▁was ▁some ▁discussion ▁as ▁to ▁who ▁actually ▁crossed ▁first . ▁These ▁sorts ▁of