The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-10-11
WINS THE THIRD RACE
COLUMBIA AGAIN DEFEATS THE
SHAMROCK IN A CLOSE
CONTEST.
LEADS BY TWO SECONDS

The Challenger over the Line First,
but the Defender Gets the Victory
on Time AIIowance-Both Victor
and Loser Heartily Cheered by the
Thousands of Excursionists-Con-
test Ends With the Best of Feeling.
New York, Oct. 5.-With victory
flags floating from her towering mast
heads and the ends of her spreaders
in honor of her concluding triumph
in the cup races of 1901, the gallant
slOop Columbia returned to her an
chorage under the escort of the entire
excursion fleet. She completed her
defense of the honored trophy in an
other stirring race with the Sham
rock II over a leeward and windward
course of 80 miles, crossing the finish
line two seconds behind her antag-
onist, but winning on time allowance
conceded by Lipton's boat by Al Sec
onds.
For the second time she has sue
cessfully foiled the attempt of the
Irish knight to wrest from our pos
session the cup that means the yacht
ing supremacy of the world. And
plucky Sir Thomas Upton, standing
on the bridge of the Erin, led his
guests in three hearty huzzas for the
successful defender.
She is the better boat" he said,
"and she deserves to be cheered."
The series of races just closed will
always be memorable as the closest
ever sailed for the. cup, and Sir
Thomas, although defeated, will go
home with the satisfaction of knowing
that his golden yacht is the ablest
foreign boat that ever crossed the
Western ocean.
During both series of races not an
untoward incident has occurred and
Sir Thomas will return to England by
far the most popular Of all the for
eigners who have challenged for the
Americas trophy.
Both Yachts Handicapped.
The Columbia crossed the line firs,,
but while the Shamrock had the pride
Of position in a leeward start, she
found herself 80 seconds behind the
handicap gun. Barr, in the meantime,
had delayed breaking out his light
sails and still held the Columbia's
sheets in fiat. Thus, he, too, handi-
capped his boat in crossing, but not
so much as his rival, for it is esti-
mated that he was only Is seconds be-
hind the handicap gun. Both boats
being handicapped the handicap time
OF the start for each boat was Hop.
Hardly had the boats got over the
line before it was seen the Shamrock
was gaining on her rival. Slowly she
crept up and at 11:30 she was on even
terms. Half minute later she showed
her boWsprit ahead and from there
on led the Columbia to the outer mark.
The run down the wind was unevent-
ful after the Shamrock took the lead
except at a few moments before the
turn, when the Columbia, catching
first fresh puff of wind, ran up OH
the challenger's weather quarter. The
boats were then very near the turn
ing buoy, so that the Shamrock took
in her spinnaker and balloon lib and
set with greater speed than had yet
been shown by the British crew her
ttb and stay sail. AS soon as these
two head sails filled with wind the
British boat luffed out under the bow
OF the Columbia, took on new life and
romped ahead again. Columbia kept
her spinnaker until within two min
utes of the mark, hoping with this adj
dttional sail to pull up. But she was
unable to do so and had to turn 40
seconds behind her rival.
A Very Close Finish.
Immediately after the yachts turned
their noses into the wind for the beat
homethe breeze moderated and turned
fuky. The shippers split tacks, each
searching for wind, with the result
that first one would get a lift and then
the other. At one time Columbia
seemed mile ahead when a sudden
cant of the wind allowed the Sham
rock to point nearer the mark and a
mile from home the challenger ap-
peared to be leading by fully half a
mile. The talent began to feel nerv-
Gus, but as the yachts approached the
finish the Yankee skipper by some
miraculous legerdemain showed his
boat into the light air like a phantom
ship and 100 yards from home the two
racers were almost on even terms. 1t
was pretty sight and one seldom wit
messed when they crossed rail to rail,
the white yachts bowsprit just lap
ping the golden boats mast. The
usual pandemonium that attends the
final Yankee victory in a cup contest
followed. Whistles, sirens, bells,
bands and cheerers united in a grand
chorus Of jubilation, and ]. P. Nor.
gan's steam yacht Corsair added to
the terrific din by firing national
salute Of 81 guns.
After the Columbia had hauled down
her sails and set her victory flag the
excursion boats crowded alongside to
cheer the Yankee sailors and the
winning skipper. Nor did, they forget
either Upton or his gallant craft. In
turn the crowded steamers ran along
side the Shamrock and Erin and the
vanquished received almost as much
honor as the victor. And thus, with
Fluctuations all around, the 18th series
of races for the old cup which the
schooner America brought over SO |
years ago, ended with the best of feel |
inc