The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-23
A NERVE-RACKlNG RACE
For Twelve Miles the Rivals Rushed
Through the Waves Like Team
of Emulous Horses and the
Americans Breathed Fast
and Hard.
(By the Associated Press.)

New York August 22-In a splendid Is
leeward course of thirty miles, the gallant
sloop Reliance today beat Shamrock III in
commanding style by exactly nine minutes,
actual time, or seven minutes and three
seconds, after deducting the one minute
and 81 seconds, which the defender con-
cedes to Sir Thomas Lipton's third chal-
lenger on account of her sailing plan as
at present measured.
1t was a royal water fight for the an
cient trophy, which carries with it the
yachting supremacy of the world, and by
a strange coincidence the first victory in
the cup series of 1903 occurred on the
Sind anniversary of the day on which the
old schooner America captured it in her
famous race around the Isle of Wight
The Reliance beat the British boat three
minutes and 81 seconds in the thresh to
windward and five minutes and So seconds
in the run down the wind.
The nautical sharps, who had already
the Reliance could take the measure OF
the challenger in any kind of weather,
regard today's test as conclusive, although
they hardly anticipated so overwhelming
a victory. The race even dampened the
ardor of Sir Thomas, who insisted, after
Thursdays fluke, that his confidence in the
beautiful craft designed by Fife was
greater than ever. Still like a true sports
man he does not acknowledge defeat and
hopes for better luck next time The
single criticism he and his friends make of
todays race is that the only shift of the
wind which occurred, was to the advant-
age of the defending yacht. AS this shift
of the wind occurred on the windward beat
even granting that it accounted for the
Relance's lead at the turn, the time the
defender gained on the run home, was
more than ample to have given her the
race. 1t must be conceded, however, that
the Shamrock showed herself a wonderful
boat, in beating TO windward, perhaps the
ablest craft in this respect ever sent across
the western ocean on a cup hunting expe-
dition.
For twelve miles the single stickcrs
raced like a team of horses. and during
that portion of the duel the patriots made
no attempt to conceal their nervousness.
The racing conditions today were ideal
"a thin haze hung over the Jersey shore.
obstructlng the view of the spectators
gathered there, but out on the ocean race
course the sea was flooded with sunshine
from a vault of feckless blue. A long
ocean swell heaved up from the south and
twelve knot breeze, fresh and strength
enlng, blew out of the southwest. throw
ing up f1eetlng whitecaps on the sparkling
bosom of the old ocean. The marine pic
ture was superb.
The honors of the start as or Thurs
day. were captured by the American skip
per. Captain Wrlnge timed his approach
to the line with the Shamrock badly and
IN an effort to keep off until the gun
doomed he almost lost his bowsprit as he
luffed up to cross. Barr as usual went
ever In the windward berth, four seconds
behind her rival. Both were close hauled
on the starboard tack. 1t was magnifi-
cent sight as they plunged seaward in
the II flnot breeze pounding fountains of
spray from their bows and leaning to it
until the water swirled and bubbled along
their lee rails. The crews were piled up
along the weather side to hold the great
racing machines up.
The first few minutes of the thresh TO
wlndwar We're watched with intense in
terest. Both were footing like mad. They
showed yards of their underbodies and
shipped a good deal of spray and some
sclid water forward.