The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-10-03
THE WIND WAS LIGHT
SECOND RACE OF THE INTERNA.
TlONAL SERIES is DE.
i CLARED OFF.
SHAMROCK HAS BEST LUCK

Columbia Leads at the Start, but the
Challenger Gets Better Breezes and
Is Half a Mile Ahead When the Con-
teot Ends-The Course Is an Equi-
lateral Triangle, With Ten Miles to
the Leg.
New York, Oct. 2.-The attempt to
sail the second of the present series
of international yacht races for the
blue ribbon of the sea proved dis
NAL failure. The wind was exceed
ingly light and variable, at times fall
ing so low that the gossamer wind
pennants, which are as light as thistle
down, hung limp against the masts
Of the big single-stickers. At the end
of four and a half hours, the two
yachts having covered less than one
half of the prescribed course of 80
of their furnishing within the time
limit, the regatta committee declared
the race off. When tie gun was fired
announcing this decision the chal-
lenger was about half a mile ahead of
the defender and to that extent the
trial was victory for Shamrock II.
But the f1uke demonstrated little as to
the question Of supremacy between
the two boats, except perhaps that
Sir Thomas new champion is more
dangerous in light airs than was sup
posed.
The course was an equilateral tri-
angle, 10 miles to the leg, the first leg
being a beat due east into the wind.
The Yankee skipper at the start out
generated his adversary in a splendid
piece of jockeying, crossing the line
in the windward berth II seconds
ahead Of the Britisher This advant-
age Columbia held for two hours,
while both yachts steered far off their
course to the southwark looking for a
streak of wind that would profit them.
Finally Barr declined longer to con-
tinue the vainless quest. He put his
helm hard down and headed inshore
on the starboard tack. The Shamrock
at this time. after both had been sail
ing in the same airs, was a beaten
boat and her Skipper coul afford to
Take Gamblers Chance
with fortune. He held doggedly on
and fortune smiled upon him. Within
five minutes he got breeze out of the
south which ruffled the crestless seas
and waited him like a ghost through
the Columbias weather. But this was
not his best piece of good fortune
After this reverse the Columbia, slip
ping through the seas at an astonish-
ing pace considering the lightnesss of
the breeze, had worked out ahead of
the Shamrock, but to leeward When
the two yachts were in this position,
about two miles from the first turn.
cant of the wind threatened to
blanket Columbia and to avoid such
a possibility Barr went under Sham
rocks stern. Just as he did so the
wind hauled around more to the south,
knocking the Columbia's head off un-
til. to the astonished spectators, she
seemed headed almost back for the
lightship at the starting line. The
golden boat. favored by the same
breeze was headed in exactly the op-
posite direction. Then the shifting
VIM backed again and Barr got the
Columbia Strengthened out again, a
third of a mile behind the Shamrock
In this position the two boats rounded
the first mark, the Shamrock three
minutes and eight seconds before the
Columbia. or gain for Shamrock in
the beat to windward, adding the Il
seconds which Columbia beat her over
the line, OF minutes and 20 seconds.
During the next hour. in a close
reach for the second mark. the yachts
were able to cover about four or four
and a half miles of the remaining 20.
and as only is minutes then remained
before the expiration of the time limit
the race was declared off.