Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1901-10-02
COLUMBIA WON FIRST RACE
BEST YACHT RACE YET RUN,
Shamrock II. Was Ahead Over Half
the COurse-EnElish Were Jubilant
columbia Took "A Squirt and Won
Out-Lipton Steam Yacht i'm Col
IIsion-Was Slightly Injured.

and most soul stirring race ever sailed
for the Americas cup, the white flyer
Columbia Saturday beat the British
challenger over windward and lee
ward course of 80 nautical miles by
the narrow, heart breaking margin
of 80 seconds. AS Lipton's latest aspi-
rant for cup honors must allow the
defender 43 seconds on account of the
extra S33 So. IT. of canvas in her sail
area, the official record, under the
rules, gives her the victory by l min
ute and % seconds.
| AS a spectacle the contest was SUI
perb. From the time the two sky
scraping racers crossed the starting
line until they fed across the finish
line. four and half hours later, the
result was in doubt and the excitement
aboard the excursion feet increased
until men became frenzied and women
almost hysterical.
| So evenly matched were these two
scientific racing machines that never
after they started were the rival skip
pers out of each others hail and more
than three quarters Of the time they
were so close that Charlie Barr, who
had the tiller aboard the Columbia
could have tossed biscuit to Captain
Sycamore on the Shamrock. For miles
as they beat their way to the outed
mark the black shadow of Shamrock s
huge topsail was painted on the big
mainsail of the Columbia and for an
hour on the run home, with the yachts
flying like scared deer before the wind
they ran almost beam to beam, as II
they had been harnessed together
The memory Of the races between the
Genesta and the Puritan In 1885 and
Lord Dunravens first Valkyrie and
the vigilant in 1898. which have been
treasured by yachtsmen up to this
time, will be forgotten after this mag
nificent duel. II will live forever In
the memory of those who witnessed
II. In the years to come yachtsmen of
two nations will recount the thrilling
story of the celebrated first race be
tween the Columbia and the Sham
rock H.. sailed off New York harbor
in the first year of the new century.
AS n result of the race, though faitf
in the Columbia still remains in the
hearts of the patriots. all the experts
admit that the British boat Is the
ablest sloop sent to these waters to
life the 100 guinea cup which the old
schooner America brought across the
Atlantic so years ago. and the superb
ority of American seamanship and
American naval architecture as repre-
sented by the defender remains to be
established. The quality OF sailing
ship Is measured by her ability to
carve her way into an adverse wind
and In the Is miles thresh to wind
ward today the golden challenger
gained 80 seconds. while on the run
home her lead was eaten up and the
Columbia crossed the finish line ex
actly 81 seconds before Shamrock. II
lenger had the weather gauge In the
beat to windward. no mean advantage,
and the nautical experts said after
the race that during the outward jour.
ney she had been sailed to absolute
perfection. while before the wind the
American not only showed a feeter
pair OF heels. but, in the opinion OF
the sharps, was better handled.
The start was thrilling. The yachts
bounded away across the line like a
couple OF runaway horses. the chal-
lenger half length ahead and to the
windward. In the maneouvering be
fore the start Captain Sycamore had
given the willy Yankee skipper a genu-
inc surprise, returning a Roland for
the Oliver he received on Thursday.
Just when Barr thought he had him
under his lee the Englishman dead
ened his headway and then luffed un'
der the Columbia's stern into the
weather berth. SThis victory for the
Shamrock at the very first Of the race
the Columbia could not overcome In
the long beat to windward.
The two big yachts were an inspir
ing sight to the spectators as they
plunged seaward, pounding great
fountains of spray from their bows
and drenching the crews lined uI
along the weather rail. They heeled
Ito the wind until their lee rails were
awash In the swirling, bubbling seas
and from the windward side they
showed yards of their bronze under
bodies. Neck and neck, tack and
tack, they raced like team Of horses
Dismay began to be written on the
faces Of the patriots as Barr tried
once. twice and finally third time to
cross the bow of the foreigner only
to be forced around each time by the
lean, golden muzzle Of the Britisher
Visions of the dear old cup that means
the yachting supremacy Of the world
vanishing across the waters danced
before their eyes. On and on they
flew. turning twin wings Of foam from
their bows, and the Columbia seem
lingly falling back rather than gaining
The hearts of the patriots sank lower
and lower. AS the yachts got further
out the swells heightened and the
white flyer seemed to labor more heav
lily in the long waves.
AS the Shamrock wore around with
her spinnaker pole to starboard. Erin
with "the bloody hand Of Ulster" In
the Royal Yacht club ensign at hel