The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-10-08

WAS FIVE MINUTES AHEAD.
One of the Most Exciting Aquatic
Contests Ever Seen.
The General Impression Now is that tn
American Boat WIN be Fully En-
titled to the Name of
Cup-Detender.

New York, Oct. 7.-Bowling along I'M
der fair wind, the American cup de-
fender Vigilant. crossed the line at Sandy
Hook Lightship at $3.50 this afternoon,
the winner in the first of the international
races for the Americas cup.
The Valkyrie arrived home almost eight
minutes later, and both were at once
taken in tow by their respective tenders
and hurried to anchorage off Bay Ridge.
1t was magnificent contest from a naval
point OF view and demonstrated for day,
at least, the superiority of the center
boarder over the cutter, as well as the
superior craftsmanship of the men who
handled the English boat. One thing
only was lacking and that was wind.
Never more than light wind prevailed,
and sometimes it was scarcely more than
a puff.
When the committee in charge of the
race decided the course should begin with
a lee run to the east-northeast, before
west-northwest wind, the signal was run
up to announce the fact. This was at II
am. The shippers in charge of the racers
having accepted the conditions of the
weather and judgment of the committee,
began to sllirmish for favorable position
above the line.
The preparatory gun was fired sharp at
HIS, and when the starting gun was
touched off there was only in question
about $50 feet between the Two yachts.
the Valkyrie having the lead. The wind
was blowing at the rate of about seven
miles an hour, and the cutter kept on in
prea sin o. the lead tho end Of lie
she was good two lengths ahead.
The Valkyrie increased the lead at
least one more length during the
first two miles. From that time up
to distance of four and a
half miles, the Vigilant held her own.
Then change came. Suddenly, the
Vigilant caught slant wind, although
the Vaikyrie was not touched by it, and
within fifteen minutes she was fully
quarter of mile in the lead. In another
quarter of an hour the American boat not
only held the lead, but increased it to q
full mile before she had sailed five
minutes. About this time the wind
hauled away round to the south south
west, necessitating some changes in the
sails.
The Valzyrie remained at her mile dis
lance and could not gain an inch. Half
an hour later, the wind shifted again and
once more the spinnakers were rugged.
The Valkyrie could not improve her con-
dition, but on the contrary rather
dropped off. The Vjgilant went on ahead,
and did not stop until the end OF the out
ward journey.
The American boat made the turn of
the outer mark amid great enthusiasm.
The wind wss now about west, and it
became question of long reach. 1t was
on the reach the cutter was supposed to
be at her best. During the reach, how
ever, with all things equal, the Vigilapt
actually gained on the cutter.
There was another shit In the wind and
the boats were both compelled to sail
close to the wind. The Valkyrie certainly
appeared to gain ground. In the distance
the Valkyrie was overhauling the Vigil
liant considerably, but all the time she
was sagging off to leeward, while the CEN
terboard was holding hers head at the
wind. The Valkyrie caught the wind and
picked up probably quarter of a mile.
Up to the end Of the course there was no
incident. The Vigilant crossed the line
on the same tack, while the Valkyrie,
having sagged away to the leeward, had
to go about before she could cross.
At the home line, the hotIlla OF excur-
sionists formed crescent. Thousands of
spectators braved immersion and clam
bered to every point of vantage. They
showed Joy in their countenance as the
Vigilant crept steadily nearer the swing
ing light-ship.
Their joy burst its bonds as the brave
little Vigilant dipped gracefully through
the waves, and long before the screaming
of the whistles told that the royal battle
was ended, hundred thousand tongues
proclaimed in true American accord. that
the queen of centreboarders and cutters
was here and has still speed and strength
to bear the name "cup-defender" in
reality.
The regatta committee OF the New
York Yacht club gave out the following
table OF figures: Start: Actual time of
the Vigilant, 1i:25.3O; Valkyrie, II :25. %;
turning to the outer marx, Vigilant,
5000; Valkyrie, LAS 56; finish, Vigil
liant, 3:3O.47; Valkyrie, 3:3S.23; elapsed
time, Vigilant, 4:05. u; Valkyrie, 4:13.23;
corrected time, Vigilant, 4:05.27; Valky-
RE, All, 80.
Thus the Vigilant won by five minutes
and forty-eight seconds on corrected and
official time. 1t will be seen the Valkyrie
gained on the stretch home, as she was
eight minutes and six seconds behind
when the outer mark was turned and
seven minutes and thirty-six seconds at
the finish in actual time.