Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-23
Trial of Three Candidates For
Honor of Defending the
American Cup
WIND TOO LIGHT FOR FAST RACE
Late Start Made in Light Breeze, But
Reliance Seemed to Gsin on Its Cons
petitors- Constitution Unable to
Gain, Although Conditions Were sup-
posed to be Favorable.

down to the sound today to witness the
contest between the yachts Reliance,
Columbia and Constitution. over a
twenty-five mile triangular course. "a
steady. fine breeze from the northeast
sprang up at dawn, and continued thru
out the early morning hours, giving
every promise for splendid day, one
that will put to the test the new boats
qualities in sailing to windward.
Although the victory of the Reliance,
over Columbia Thursday is sufficient In
the minds Of many to stamp her as tha
ultimate defender OF the American Gun
against Shamrock H.. large numben
Of yachting enthusiasts came down to
the sound today to see her match 1aee
sailing ability against Columbia and
CONSTITUTION. The early arrivals on the
scene Of action appeared satisfied WITH
the early conditions for the days con-
test, for with the dawn there sprang
up fine breeze from the northeast and
1t has held steady and strong aa the
morning advanced.
1t looked. two or three hours before
the time set for the start aa sc the
yachts would have q good hnnests
chance to test their strength. Comink
diagonally across from the Connecticut
shore, the breeze had but little chancf
to kick up any sea at all SO the sound.
was comparatively smooth. and par.
ticularly favorable for the new sboat,
The Same program OF courses which
obtained Thursday held good today and
with the breeze from the northeast. 1t
looked early in the day as II the COM
mittee would select the reverse OF the
one sailed on Thursday, and send the
yachts off on the long, eleven mile beat
to windward. to Green's Lodge light.
off Stanford, with a broad reach to Eat
on's point, and free-running, almost be-
fore the wind. or at least with booms
well out to port, to finish twenty five
miles around the triangle.
The starting time Of the Reliance
was 1.50,50; Constitution 1:50,10;
Columbia, 1852. The Reliance had by
far the best position and in the first
five minutes gained a hundred yards on
the other boats. BY 2 o'clock the Re-
lance had increased the lead to 800
yards, and was going very fast. seem-
ingly catching the light air. The sup-
posed drifting ability of the Consti-
tuition did not develop, as she could not
gain on the Columbia even.
BY 10 o'clock the breeze which looked
so encouraging early this morning died
out and at HAS, the hour scheduled for
the start, it was deemed best to post
pone the start until the wind became
stronger, and more steady. At 12:4a
the yachts were lowering about the
starting line with poor prospects for g
race.
The fight for position before the starr
was in favor Of the Reliance. All thre4
boats swung round, headed for the unR.
when they were scarcely a quarter OF 9
mile from it. The Constitution was thu
first to 1(ead for it, but Captain BarS
placed the Reliance in a nice pos1tio&
on the Constitutions weather QuarteI
The Columbia was behind the other tW&
boats. Five minutes beiore the star&
the Reliance and Columbia broke our
their balloon jibs and topsails, but ting
Constitution broke out q small reaching
lib topsail. The Reliance soon began t(
gain on the Constitution and they went
across the line nine seconds apart. Th4
Columbia was handicapped about thirs
ty-fve seconds. AT no time was the
breeze of sufficient strength to blow out
the flags on any Of the boats, SO the
race started as did that Of Thursday In
q drift. The Reliance soon showed she :
was the best drifter. AT 2:25 the Reli-
ance was mile ahead Of the other two
boats, having sailed two miles to their
one.