The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-07-23
Beat Shamrock at Starting
Line and Makes Big
Gain On First Leg
CHALLENGER ONCE
NEARLY CLOSED GAP
American Boat Has About 700 Yards
Lead at Last Advices Start of
Race Seriously Delayed by Heavy

Race Seriously Delayed by Heavy
Fog.
SANDY HOOK, n. j., July 23.-Reso-
lutte, defending the Americas cup, dashed
first across the line today at the start
which she must win to prevent Sir
Thomas Liptons Shamrock " from cap
turing the priceless trophy. The starting
signal was sounded at | o'clock. Reso-
Lutte crossed the line at I.0l .33, official
time, and Shamrock at l.0l.56. Then
both plunged forward on the first 10
mile leg of their 30-mile triangular
course. A beat to windward down the
Jersey shore.
It was Shamrock today that hung back
and allowed Resolute to set the pace.
Captain Burton of the challenger was
very nearly handicapped, having only
four seconds to get over the line within
the two minutes allowed after the start
ing signal Both yachts crossed on the
starboard tack and Resomte at once be-
gan to gain. Ten minutes after the start
Resolute was 200 yards ahead. At Ill
the American yacht was easily a quarter
of mile ahead The yachts at LA
were trying to get in under the Jersey
highlands, where they hoped to get a bit
more breeze. At 1.30 the wind, after
having increased to eight knots, went
back to the south-southwest
At l.3T observers ashore estimated
that Resolute was leading by only
little more than a quarter of a mile. At
l.50 Shamrock had picked up and the
preeze had dropped to six knots. At 2
o'clock the yachts had reached that point
off the coast where last Wednesday they
began the series of short tacks, but this
time Resolute had a lead barely twice as
great as that of Wednesday. AT 2.05
Shamrock came about and headed off
shore. Resolute crossed Shamroek's bow
at 2.07 and then came about on star
board tack. After this maneuver the
press boat wirelessed that Resolute was
about 700 yards ahead.
At PA it looked as if Reselute might
be about to set the first mark.
At s clock this morning an eight
knot southwesterly breeze was blowing
here and prospects for today's S Amer
lea cup race between Shamrock and
Resolute were good, an all-night rain
storm having passed out to sea. Odds
were two to one in favor of Shamrock
~, which needed but one more victory
to lift the America IS cup. At $50
Shamrock started for the starting line,
an hour earlier than usual, to test her
new top sail and main sheet traveller
with which she had some trouble dur
ing the last race
At IL 0 clock, an hour before the
time set for the start, light clouds ap-
peared in the southwest, indicating
wind later in the day.
Fog delayed the start of the fourth
race. While the two cup sloops were
lettering around the starting point at
11.30 in a four knot breeze thick
band of vapor enclosed them causing
the regatta committee at 11.45 to or
der l5 minute postponements. At noon
visibility about the lightship had been
reduced to 100 yards A course of
whistles was sweeping the spectator
knots and as it was from the south
fog was predicted for the rest of the
day
At 1910, however, the fog lifted and
as the wind still blew three knots from
the south the committee tug went into
position to the eastward of the light
ship although still flying the postpone
ment flag. The regatta committee at
1890 set signals for the following 30
miles triangular. A reach to windward
from the Ambrose channel lightship
south, southwest down the Jersey shore,
reach east by north out to sea and
another reach back to the lightship. BY
1890 the wind had increased to five
knots, giving promise to a good race.
The preparatory signal was sounded
at 12.45 for a start at / p. m. The wind
held about five knots.