Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-10-10
THE OFFICIAL RECORD.
New York Oct. with

new 4OTh, OCl. o." I'LL NlCIOI-
ious flags flowing from her lowering
| mastheads and the ends of her spread
ers, in honor of her concluding tri-
umph in the cup races of 1901, the gal
liant sloop Columbia returned to her
anchorage last night under the escort
of the entire excursion fleet. She yes
| terday completed her defense of the
honored trophy in another stirring
race with the Shamrock II over lee
ward race of thirty miles, crossing the
finish line two seconds behind her an
tagonist, but winning on the time al
| lowance conceded by LiptOns boat by
40 seconds.
For the second time she has now
successfully foiled the attempt of the
Irish knight to wrest from our posses
sion the cup that means the yachting
supremacy Of the world And plucky
Sir Thomas, standing ON the bridge of
the Erin, led his guests in three hearty
huZzahs for the successful defend
err "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 Thorn
as, although defeated, will go home
with the satisfaction OF knowing his
golden yacht is the ablest foreign boat
that ever crossed the western ocean.
During both series not an untoward III
cident occurred and Upton will return
to England by far the most popular OF
all foreigners who have challenged for
Americas trophy.
Yesterdays race. on paper, was the
closest of the series, but because of
the fiukinesS Of the wind on the beat
home, as a contest of the relative mer-
its of the yachts. it is not to be com
pared with the magnificent and truly
run and royalty fought battles O. Sat
urday AM IfIiu sday. The conditions
of the race at the start yesterday were
very similar to those of Thursday The
wind was strong and from the shore,
embroidering the sea with foam and
piling up no swell-ideal conditions for
the challenger.
The contest of the yachts fleeing be-
fore the following wind was pictur
esque, not exciting. Both racers. like
gullS with Outstretched pinions. had
every inch of canvas spread and all
their light sails, including the bullying
spinnakers and balloon jib topsails
Their crews were gathered aft to keep
the heads Of the boats up and thereaf- :
ter, until the outer mark was reached, |
it was merely a question of holding |
onto all canvas and letting the wind do |
the rest. Notwithstanding the fact
that the Columbia beat the Shamrock !!
before the wind Saturday, the chaIlen-
ger yesterday gained slowly but stead |
lily all the way out and rounded 40 /
seconds before the defender. having
actually gained one minute and four :
seconds.
Immediately after the yachts turned
their nose into the wind for the beat
home the breeze moderated and
turned fiuky. The shippers split tacks,
each searching for the wind with the
result that first one would get a lift.
then the other. A mile from home the
challenger appeared to be leading by
fully half mile, but as the yachts ap-
preached the finish the Yankee skip
per by some miraculous legerdemain
showed his boat into light air, like
phantom ship, and 100 yards from
home the racers were almost on even
terms. 1t was pretty sight and one
seldom witnessed, when they crossed
rail to rail, the white yachts bowsprit
Just tapping the golden boats most.