Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1901 — FIRST OF THE CUP RACES. [ARTICLE]

FIRST OF THE CUP RACES.

It la Ended by a Flaky Wind, wit the Co'ambi* Par Ahead. After having tried for five and one-ha hours to complete the first race betwee Shamrock 11. and Columbia for tt America's cup, the regatta committc fired a gun and set the signal declarin the race off. The time limit agreed upo had expired, with the lightship barely 1 sight The breeze that had promised gl< rious sport at the start had died awa; and the racers were left with their sail looking like a washday on a man o' wa: At this time Columbia, the old faithfu was something more than a mile ahea of the burnished bronze challenger. Although the first of the season's race for the America's cup could not .be fin ished within the time limit, the showin made by the Columbia was such as t strengthen confidence considerably in it ability to win. That the Shamrock 11 is a remarkably fast craft and a dangen ous competitor has been demonstrated. I A new boat embodyiug the best akll of its experienced designer, built withoul regard to cost, trimmed into perfed shape and carrying a spread of sail con siderably larger than that of the Colum bia, there was ground for the apprehen sion that the Shamrock 11. would noonly win, but win easily. The failure o the Constitution and the necessity of ra sorting to the old cup defender furthe! tended to weaken confidence. It Is whei these facts are considered that the aid nificance of the defender’s achieremenl is appreciated. In the windward worl to the outer mark it gained a ble lead and on the trip home it seeing to have held its own, if it did not acta ally make further gains. Thus the Co lumbia was about seven minutes in th< lead when the race was called off. Witl the short distance which it had to cover it undoubtedly would have crossed th, line first had the contest continued.