Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-09-12
DEFENDERS VICTORY.
Easily Took the First of the
Great Yacht Races.
Had Lead at the Finish Line of Almost
Nine Minutes

New York, Sept. 9.-The Defender
Won the first of the series of mterna-
tional yacht races on Saturday, and in
manner. according to experts, which
assured the retention of the America S
cup in this country. The British chal-
longer, Nalkyrie Ill, was beaten S min
utes and ~ seconds, the official report
being as follows:
Start. Time. Finish Time
Defender. 12:2O:5O 3:36:29 5:21:14 4:59:5s
Valkyrie.. 12:2C:46 3:39:52 529:30 5:OS:44
When the boats got into position it
was intended TO have the course down
the Long island shore. but the wind
line east by south from Scotland light
ship, off the New Jersey course. This
made a hfteen-mile beat straight out to
sea, with a lumpy sea to contend with
and only a light wind to contend with.
The jockeying at the start was very
clever on both sides. The Defender
won the windWard berth, but Nalkyrie
led the way over the line. with the
American boat four seconds behind
Both were Oh the starboard tack and
there was great suspense with the thou
sands Oh the hundreds of excursion
steamers that crowded the harbor to see
which yacht would make the first gains.
1t was the Ealkyrie. She at once opened
gap pointing higher and footing
faster than her competitor. The lead
was increased until at 1910 both yachts
that the Defender began to pick up a lit
tie. the wind having freshened, but she
did not beat to windward as we'll as Val
kyrie. AT 1:02 the British boat went
about on the starboard tack. followed by
the Defender, and eight minutes later
took the port tack. At this point it
looked as though the Englishmen We're
fully two minutes to the good, with pros
poets of the lead being increased in
definitely. Then the Valkyrie went about
and everybody expected her to cross the
Yankees bow by at least five minutes.
But then came an astonishing revelation.
The Englishman found himself unable
to cross and had to go about under the
Defenders lee. Immediately after the
Valkyrie went about, the Defender fol-
lowed suit and split tacks. Ten min
preached each other from the distance
of about two miles. This time the De
fender crossed the Valkyrie's bows and
went about on her weather quarter,
being ahead for the first time in the
race.
1t was unaccountable to everybody how
the American boat had lost so much in
Jue HIS uOut OF HOW size HdU SlllleU so
much in the second. The wind had fresh
ened, the excursion fleet had been left
behind ard for the first time the racers
had wind room and see room, though
there was q nasty cross sea that contin-
ually smashed the bows of the yachts
around to leeward. The Defender kept
widening the gap on ten-mle run out to
sea until both shippers thought they could
turn the stakeboat They took the port
tack and on the run to the mark the De
fender increased her lead to a full mile.
She rounded the buoy at 3:36:29 and, as
the wind had shiftedt to south-southeast st,
found herself with a broad reach home.
The Valkyrie turned the buoy 3 minutes
% seconds behind.
The Valkyrie shook out her big balloon
jib topsail as she rounded and started in
pursuit of the Yankee flyer. Her bal
loon was larger and it drew beautifully
but was not able to give her the speed
that the bronze boat had. The latter
increased her lead rapidly after the turn.
The wind shifted to little west of south
and the boats could not use spinnakers.
The breeze was a good twelve-knot
breeze from the turn, and held the
strength all the way home. The De,
tenders sails drew we'll and the Yankee
beat presented a fine appearance as she
bowled along on her journey to the fin
ishing mark off Sea bright. The feet
moved over TO the leeWafu OF the yachts,
and the steamboats, raced for the finish
with each other. They gave the contest
ing yachts plenty of room.
AT 1870 the Defender led by two min
utes and half and had the race well
in hand The flagship took up a position
to the south of the stakeboat, and immedi-
ately after a general scurry on the part
of the reviewing craft followed. AS the
Defender neared the finish line occasional
whistles were blown, as if each boat was
afraid that another would be the first
to salute.
At 5:21:3O the hardly restrained en-
thusiasm broke forth with terrific force
Steamboats, of all sizes and descriptions
footed and whistled. cannons We're let off
and the sound of general jubilee could be
heard for miles around. AS the English
boat crossed the line at 5:2S:30 she, too,
received her share of applause.
Lord Dunraven and his friends admit
that the Nalkyrie III. was fairly beat
Ell in the race, although they complain
that the feet Of excursion boats and
tugs interfered with the sailing of both
yachts.
1t is claimed that the Defender won
by superiority of model, sails and han
ding