Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-10-20
The THIRD RACE.
Details Of an Interesting Contest Be-
tween Shamrock and Columbia.
BOATS HAVE POOR BREEZE,
The Defender Crossed the Line First
and Then Proceeded to Draw
Away From the Plucky
Challenges.

COluHDla ana the shamrock made an
other attempt to settle the question of
supremacy in their series for the Ameri.
cas- cup.
Splendid yachting conditions in the
early morning gave promise of a fine
race, and even after the boats started
The breeze held good for time. Gradu-
ally, however, it lightened, and toward
the end of the first leg of the 80 mile
| course 1t had dropped as low as three or
four knots.
The course was signaled southeast by
south, which, with the wind then blow.
ing meant run of Is miles to leeward
and return.
Five minutes before the start the
Shamrock ran up under the Columbia's
lee and tried to get to the weather of her,
but the white boat held up past the light
ship on the port tack and, having two
head sails set. easily outfooted the Sham
rock. The boats We're very close togeth-
en- however. About two minutes before
the start the Shamrock swung off, while
the Columbia came about being some
what to the westward Of the Shamrock.
Both boats stood for the line at two min
utes before gun fire. Just before reach
ing it the Shamrock stood across to the
westward on the starboard tack, but the
Columbia luffed up to the westward, SO
that the green boat could not catch her.
just before the start the Shamrock
managed to run in astern Of the Column
bia, and the latter crossed the line first.
The jockeying was very sharp, and from
Nnvesink it looked as if Captain Hogarth
had the better Of it. The Shamrock sue
ceeded In getting up on the Columbia's
weather, and both boats went over the
line with booms to port. The Shamrock
broke out her balloon jib as she crossed,
but the Columbia did not set hers until
a minute or two later.
For some five minutes after the start
the boats had little luffing match which
prevented them from setting their spin
makers, but the Shamrock did not seem
to be able to get by the Columbia. The
Columbia soon got lead Of about 100
yards. Both boats were sailing along
with mainsails, club topsails and balloon
jibs.
The first two miles of the course were
sailed in quick time, the boats covering
the distance in about ten minutes. The
Columbia kept pulling gradually away
from the Shamrock.
yachts had sailed nearly four miles of
the course. and the Columbia had still
the leading position. The Columbia ap-
peared to gain slightly on the Shamrock,
but did not increase her lead materially.
The boats ran along with balloon jib set
and had short luffing match instead Of
keeping directly before the wind.
A Change In the Breeze.
The run down before the wind by the
yachts to the half way mark, or IA
miles on the Is mile course, was made In
good time, the yachts accomplishing it in
about 40 minutes. The breeze served
them well, but it was more to the west
ward than at the lightship, so that they
kept their balloon jibs set to port and did
not set their spinnakers. The excursion
fleet kept fully mile to windward and
did not interfere with the yachts in any
way. The Shamrock was unable to over
haul the Columbia on this ~ mile run.
Persistently both sloops held on the
long starboard reach, which WAS carrying
them continually farther to the south
ward Of the course indicated by the COM
mittec boat, which was steaming off to
the southeast. 1t seemed to the thou
sands of spectators on the excursion
boats that the luffing match would never
end. Spinnaker poles were out to star
board Oh both sloops, with the great sails
in stops ready to be broken out at mo-
ment's notice. Apparently Captain Ho-
garth felt that the Shamrock could close
up the Columba's lead.
As they finally turned their prows to-
ward the outer mark it was apparent
that the Columbia had been creeping
steadily ahead for half an hour and held
She had clearly outfooted the green
yacht on the long reach, the point of
sailing on which the latter was supposed
to be particularly strong,
The wind began to subside, and while
the great sails tluttered bit they filled
fairly we'll. The Columbia's canvas set
better than that of her rival, and she
took the seas easier. The additional bal
last In the Shamrock did not seem to i'm
prove her work much. Under the heavy
weight of sail forward she went down
by the head appreciably. Her sails shook
as the breeze was spilled out of them.
Her spinnaker did not set as we'll as that
Of the Columbia, and her larger club top
sail did not seem to avail her to advan-
tage. The Columba's lead was not de-
creased as the challenger sped on in pur-
suit of the defender.
The Columbia rounded the outer mark
first amid perfect tumult from the
crowds on the excursion boats. Many
hearty cheer went up for the Shamrock
as she cleared the stakeboat, six minutes
later The wind was then very light in
deed.
Both yachts went about OH the star
board tack and stood for the finish line
The Columbia was fully quarter of a
mile ahead.
The Columbia's increase In her lead
from the start was gradual but when the
breeze lightened the Shamrock seemed to
- L.,,. Loot