The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-09-11
VALKYRTE A WINNER
A Closely Contested Race Pulled
Off by Dunraven.
DEFENDER HAS AN ACCIDENT
But Manages to Come Within Forty
seven Seconds of Winning
the Second Race.
DEFENDER HAS AN ACCIDENT

New York, Sept. 1O.-Crippled but still
| heelng far over in her strength ana
swiftness, the Defender followed the Val
kyre across the finish line today. Less
| than half a mile separated the two and
an anxious eye kept pace, second by Sec
ond, with the time indicators as they
moved around, and when it was seen
that the Defender had not only lost moth
ing in the last 20 miles of the course.
but had actually gained a great shout
went up for the gallant vessel. There
were cheers for the victor, too, but al
though the Valkyrie was the first chal-
lenger since 1871 to lead over the home
line, the honor Of her performance was
lost sight of for the time in the grand
effort of the American for the Ameri-
can heart loves a hard loser in the
fight, and loves him the more when he
loses through no fault of his own. 1t
was a grievous accident that ruined the
Yankee boats chances, an accident which
under the hairsplitting circumstances OF
jockeylng at the starting line looked
to be unavoidable.
The yachts were very close together
snap and a rendinG sound was heard
and it was seen that the Defenders
jib topsall was flying loose in the wind
The Valkyrie's main boom had swung
around and fouied the Defenders rigging
To those who had witnessed the acci-
dent and sprang forward at the omin-
Gus sound, 1t seemed as though the De-
fender trembled with the shock. They
saw her topmast bend and her topsaip
swing over as though 1t would break
away, and a groan went up as though
the brave boat which had won 50 noble
victory a few days before was wholly
debarred from even an effort to secure
second, Lightning action was necessary
to save the topmast from breaking away
completely, for 1t was already half
sprung from its fastening and Captain
Har with a master stroke, taking his
boom down to leeward, soon maneuvred
her into safe position and gave chase.
The Valkyrie, which had crossed the line
first had gained good deal by the De-
tenders disaster, but had probably little
more than half a mile advantage at the
end of the first leg in the triangular
course over which they sailed. Her gain
was something less than four minutes
in beat to windward. From that on,
however, the Defender, while not percep-
tibly closing the gap between them,
lessened the time and they crossed the
line not more than two minutes apart
The Yalkyrie according to corrected time,
however, won from the cup defender by
just AZ seconds. Such an ideal day in |
the lower bay has seldom been seen.
1t was not what American yachtsmen call
an ideal racing day, but 1t was one favor
able to the Britons.
Nicholas Kane ~..dirman of the re-
gatta committee, when asked in regard
to the alleged fouling of the Defender
by the Valkyrie, said that protest had
been entered and that the regatta COM
mttee had held conference with regard
to the matter. Commodore Kane did not
think that any conclusion in the matter
could be reached by the committee to-
night, but expected that 1t could be
definitely settled tomorrow morning.
More than one competent witness of
the days sport said, that considering
everything the Valkyrie was beaten worse
than on Saturday. The Defender gained
on her on the second and third leg. AS
a matter Of fact the only time at which
both vessels had the same sails set was
on the third leg and during that time
the Defender gained one minute and Is
seconds. The few champions of the
English boat who are left cannot tonight
find any consolation in the achievement
of the ship today.
The official time table is as follows
Vallxyrie start 11:13; first mark, 12:57:43;
second mark, 1:5S:1O; finish, 2:55:22;
elapsed time, 355:O9; corrected time,
8:55:09. Defender, 11:0115; first mark, |
0l :35; second mark, 2:01 :45 finish, 2:57:40; |
apsed time, S:56:23; corrected time,
355:56.
Thus It will be seen that the Valkyrle |
won by / minute and 16 seconds on
elapsed time and after deducting the
20 seconds which she allows the Defender,
by AZ seconds.