The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-31
TO MEET THE VALKYRIE
And Defend the America
Cup, "the Blue Ribbon
of the Sea-"
IN THE PINK OF CONDITION.
Through a RattIing Breeze and a
Rough Sea the Herreshoff Boat
Sails to Victory.

NEW YORK, n. Y, Aug. 30.-All hail,
Defender!
The gallant white sloop won the third
trial race to-day and was formally selected
to defend the America cup-"the blue
ribbon of the seas"
In thrash to windward Of ten miles and
a run home, with spinnakers and balloons
set the Herreshoff keel boat beat the Wig
lant handsomely, and could have beaten
her minute more had she been pushed to
her utmost.
A rattling breeze and rough sea made
the test OF the abilities of the new boat one
of the best that has been afforded. Yacht
ing sharps who saw her said that she
would do. She removed ell doubts as to
her ability to go through head sea in
blow. She established a record as a
weather boat, and the heavier and stouter
rig did good service. The keelboat out
pointed the centerboarder and outfooted
her in the windward work. She showed
herself sitter in breeze and easier in
getting through rough water. She made
less fuss and left clean waKe.
AT the outer mark she had minutes and
7 seconds the best of it. On the run home
before the wind, however, the Vigilant
picked up Is seconds of the time she had
lost. The Defender won by minutes and
u seconds elapsed time) over the twenty
mile course.
After the race the following announce
ment was made by the cup committee:
1.-The America cup committee have
selected the yacht Defender of the New
York Yacht Club as against Valkyrie III
in the contest for the America cup.
"a. CAss CANFIELD, Secretary"
Lord Dunraven's Valkyrie was out for a
practice spin and to give his Lordship an
opportunity to see the race. The cup
hnnter was too late in getting under way
and arrived only in time to see the finish.
Less sail was carried by the Enghshman, a
working topsail being used instead OF the
club topsails of the American boats. but
she seemed to heel over more and to labor
harded in the sea than even the blunt
nosed Vigilant. Lord Dunraven gave the
racers a wide berth and seemed to avoid
allowing any one chance to get line on
the speed of his boat compared with the
Yankee flyers.
The two racers lay at anchor in the
Horseshoe over night. George J. Gould
passed the night on the Atalanta and
boarded the Vigilant early this morning.
She was the first to leave her moorings.
Captain Barr apparently expected wind, as
he set up working topsail. There was a
a ten-knot breeze coming in from the east
ward and whitecaps were plentiful outside.
Z
Willard, Francis NJ. Scott, Edmund Fish
and Il. NJ. Gillig.
The official time of the two boats was:
Defender, IL 1:10:0S; Vigilant, 11:10:18.
The Defender never showed to better ad-
vantage than to-day. She was in the pink
of condition and well handled. although
plainly she was not pushed to her best as
no jib topsails were carried. The wind
was a good 16-knot breeze from little
south of east, and there was considerable
sea caused by the wind blowing against the
ebb tide. The Defender rode the waves
beautifully. wetting her deck with spray,
but not dashing the waves out of her bow
and plunging and pounding as did the
Vigilant.
On the run home the yachts slipped
through the water at good pace, yet there
was less life to them than in the earlier
part of the race.
The Vigilant, with her usual cleverness,
held her rival down in the wind and one
or two puffs of wind aiding her she man
aged to make slight gain. When within
two miles of the finish the Valkyrie, which
had been beating out to meet the races,
eased off and ran home ahead of them,
waiting near the line to see the finish.
The Defender swept down to the line in
beautiful fashion, and every American
who saw her felt proud of the Yankee
creation and satisfied to trust her with the
defense of the America cup.
The official finish was: Defender, 2:02:18;
Vigilant, 2:07:49.
Elapsed time: Defender, 2:52:10; Vigil
ant, 2:57:22.
There was chorus of whistles from the
tugs, and the Defender. winner of the
Astor cup and of the two trial races out Of
three, sailed proudly up the bay to an an
chorage off Bay Ridge.
The Vigilant anchored in the horseshoe
for the night, and the Valkyrie anchored
near her.
Tomorrow the Defender will ship her
new steel boom. and will probably take
spin down the bay.
Mr.. Iselin intends sailing her in the
lower bay and off Sandy Hook every avail
able day between this and Saturday, Sep
tember 7, the date set for the first inter-
national race. 1
Lord Dunraven had Z long conference
with several of the members of the Amer.
lea cup committee at the New York Yacht
Club this evening. The conditions for the
races were discussed. at
the termination of the meeting the men,
bers of the committee declined to give any
results that had been reached. Earlier in
the day the committee announced that
the programme for the races had been
drawn and would be given out tonight |
after it had been submitted to Lord Dun |
raven. The failure to announce the condi- |
tions under which the races Will be sailed |
indicates a hitch of some kind, as Lord |