Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-09-11
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 interna-
tional yacht races on Saturday, and in
a manner, according to experts, which
assured the retention of the America S
cup in this country. The British chal-
longer, Valkyrie Ill, was beaten min
utes and 40 seconds, the official report
being as follows:
Corrected
Start, Time, Finish. Time,
Defender. 12:20:50 3:36:29 5:21:14 4:59:55
Valkyrie.. 12:2O:46 1882 5000 5:OS:44
When the boats got into position it
was intended to have the course down
the Long island shore. but the wind
shifted and it was decided to make the
line east by south from Scotland light
ship, off the New Jersey course. This
made a ffteen-mile beat straight out to
sea; with a !umpy sea to contend with
and only light wind to contend with
The jockeying at the start was very
clever on both sides. The Defender
won the windward berth. but Valkyrie
led the way over the line, with the
American boat four seconds behind
Both were on the starboard tack and
there was great suspense with the thou
sands on the hundreds of excursion
steamers that crowded the harbor to see
which yacht would make the first gains
1t was the Valkyrie. She at once opened
Il gap, pointing higher and footing
faster than her competitor. The lead
was increased until at 1910 both yachts
went about on the port tack. After
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:O2 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 were
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
utes later they tackled again and APP
preached each other from the distance
fender crossed the Valkyrie's bows and
went about on her weather quarter,
being ahead for the first time in the
race.
1t was unaccountabe to everybody how
the American boat had lost so much in
the first hour or how she had gained so
much in the second. The wind had fresh
behind and for the first time the racers
had wind room and see room, though
there was a nasty cross sea that contin-
ually smashed the bows of the yachts
around TO leeward. The Defender kept
widening the gap on ten-mile 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,
found herself with a broad reach home
The Valkyrie turned the buoy minutes
% seconds behind
The Nalkyrie shook out her big balloon
Jlb topSall 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 well and the Yankee
boat presented fine appearance as she
boWled along on her journey to the fin
ishing mark off Seabright. The fleet
and the steamboats, raced for the finish
with each other. They gave the contest
ing yachts plenty of room.
At 4:30 the Defender led by two min
utes and a half and had the race well
in hand. The flagship took up 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 80 the hardly restrained en-
thusiasm broke forth with terrific force
Steamboats, of all sizes and descriptions
footed and whistled cannons were 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 Valkyrie III. was fairly beat
en- 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.