Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-30
CLOSEST RACE YET
Columbia Wins from Shamrock
by ! Minute, % Seconds.
Shamrock Led to Outer Mark but on
Home Stretch Defender Climbs.
Excepting 43Second Allowance Columbia
Won by 80 Seconds.

New York. Sept. eff the first at
tempt of the Columbia and the Sham
rock TO sail over the 30-mile course for
the America cup was disappointing,
the contest, Saturday, was gratifying
to corresponding degree. 1t was the
closest and most exciting race in the
history of the America cup.
Never before has the start of cup
race been so close; never before has the
finish on actual time been so close, and
never before have thousands of spec
tators watched with strained eyes the
two boats sailing for this trophy in a
race which was so evenly sailed and in
which there We're so many possibilities.
1t was the race of life time. From
the time the headsals of both boats
We're pulled out of the stops and they
We're squared away with a full head of
breeze on, it was a contest between
shippers. 1t had even become such
contest before they had reached Sandy
Hook lightship, for each skipper want
ed to be the first to get under way that
he might pick out the place from which
he should tackle his rival.
From before the start until just be-
fore the finish line was crossed. the
Which skipper would get the best of
the start was only decided after the
yachts had really started on their race,
and which yacht should finish first was
a tough problem to decide until the
very last.
over the whole course the Columbia
beat the Shamrock 31s. on actual time.
The Shamrock got the best of the start
ward mark by 39s. on actual time. On
the run before the wind to the finish
line the Columbia beat the Shamrock
I'm. les. The Columbia won on cor
lectcd time by I'm. 20s.
The weather conditions might have
been good for either boat, but it
seemed that they did equally well I'M
der all A breeze at the start of seven
knots, which increased to about 10
knots before the windward leg had
fairly started, was calculated to be
most advantageous for the Shamrock.
and certainly she did make a grand
showing But the Columbia deserves
her share Of the credit for the wind
ward leg, even though she did not get
to the mark first.
Carefully the Columbia was nursed
out to WindWard to get the best of the
bronze boat. Three times she tackled
TO cross the Shamrock's bow and each
time fell short. but twice she came so
near doing it that she threw her back
wind into the challenger's mainsail and
obliged her 10 tack.
In view of these circumstances there
is little doubt that had the Columbia
crossed tho starting line in the wind
ward position she would not have been
headed during the race. But here again
is where the Shamrock gets the credit
The start. as was the whole race, was
the handling. Ii was skipper race
rather than a race in which the indi-
vidual merits Of the yachts were con-
Cerned. Capt. Sycamore got the best
Of the start and this made il possible
for the Shamrock to hold the Columbia
on the windward leg.
While the start was Capt. Syca-
mores there was no other time during
the race that he showed any clever
ness over Capt. Barr, and just after
the Windward mark was turned Capt.
Barr tried to coax Capt. Sycamore into
breaking out the Shamrocks spnnaker
and give the Columbia a chance to huff
out across the stern. 1t was one of the
sharpest bits of play that has ever
been seen in yacht race.
If it had succeeded the Columbia
weather position and there would have
been no danger or question of the pos
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