The Meeker herald., 1895-09-14
THE DEFENDER WINS
THE FIRST RACE sAlLtp.
In Spite Of valkyrie Having Hs< Yasor
its weather shs Was Left hsAaaa.

New York, Sept 9.--Defender won
her name in truly American fashion
Saturday, finishing far ahead Of the
English challenger, Vaisyrie Ill, and
giving every evidence OF outclassing
the Dunraven boat IN almost any kind
Of weather.
AT o'clock the contestants began a
long reach to starboard During this
tack the wind hauled gradually to the
east. southeast by east, and finally TO
southeast. The breeze stiffened, too.
up to about eight miles IN hour, and
with that increase Defender began to
overhaul the enemy. She picked her
rival up with IL burst of s!,eed that was
remarkable as it was delightful to the
Inhabitants of tue floating city that
was looking on.
So easily did she overhaul the chal-
lenger that more than one observer
remarked to his ueighbJr something to
the effect that old Hank IIaff had only
been jollying his competitor an the
time. 1t was 2:J5 when the Defender
was on equal terms with the Vakyrie.
Then she gradually forced aheal and
at 800 1t was estimated that thejYan-
kee boat was three lengths ahea1 and
well to windward n: that DeAnder
,ras first TO come around to starb5Afd
and head for the outer mark. This was
at 3:25. 1t looked just then as though
Defender was a quarter OF mile to
the good. When valkyrie came about
fifteen seconds later. she WAS well
away on Defenders lee quarter. This
breeze continued to blow at about eight
miles an hour from southeast and they
came along at pretty lively gait to
round the buoy and square away for
home. AS may be seen by the table be
low. Defender passed first by three
minutes and twenty-three seconds,
gain of three minutes and twenty-seyen
seconds from the time of the start.
On going around they eased off
sheets on the starbOard side. set balloon
jib top sails and started for the finish
The Valkyrie took In her jib and stay
sails, while Defender hauled down on
ly her jib. Before long. however. Val
kyrie. seeing that Defenders stay sail
was drawing well, reset hers. The few
champions Of Valkyrie who were left
said that their boat would overhaul
Defender on this broad reach home.
But she did not. The same sails were
held In both ships all the way to the
finish line. while the wind gradually
decreased to its original strength of
about five miles an hour. In all the
reach Defender continually increased
her lead over Valkyrie and finished
eight minutes and sixteen seconds
ahead of her.
1t was, taken altogether, especially
the concluding part of it. after SO much
had been said about Valkyrie's great
powers In light weather, one of the
most interesting races that ever took
place. The only thing to mar the days
pleasure was the action Of the excur.
sion boats. notably the Richard Peck
and the City of Lowell, on going too
close to windward of the racing yachts.
Perhaps the blanketing of these steam
ers had little or no effect on the result,
but they showed very bad taste in
hanging to the contestants In such an
important event, and their passengers
NJ vls s.1.....v.s . As.xe. ......Asnea "A Yuttftoi
of mile or more farther away.
When Defender crossed the finish
line she was greeted by cannons. whis-
ties, tin horns and the waving Of hand
kerchiefs to an extent that entirely
fitted the victory Of yacht which all
experts agree was the fastest machine
for her purposes that the world ever
saw.
The official time table is us follows:
Defender, start 12:20:50; outer mark,
3:36:29; finish, 5:21 IA: elapsed time.
5:0O:24; corrected time. 4:59:55.
Valkyrie, 12:20:46; outer mark, 3:39:-
80; finish. 5:29:30; elapsed time, 5:08:44;
corrected time, 5:0S:44.
Valkyrie allows 30 seconds.