Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-07-15
FIRST AMERICAS
CUP RACE TO-DAY
Challenger Shamrock w. Must
Give the Defender, Resolute, a
Handicap of Seven Minutes
and One Second

New York. July 14.-Time allowance.
vital factor TO any yachtsman. as
| sumcd importance Tonight on the eve
| OF the first Americas cup race of 1920.
| when il was learned that, in the event
of close finish tomorrow, the winner
| might not be known before Friday.
Announcement by the race committee
that Shamrock ". Sir Thomas Lipton's
! my stery sloop," must give Resolute
the American defender, handicap OF
seven minutes and one second because
| of the cha1lengers greater spread of
canvas, was coupled with another an
noun cement that the committee had
| granted a request by the Irish yachts
mans force for re-measurcmcpt of GER
tain parts of the Shamrock's sails.
AS IL was impossible to put her can
vas under tape to-day. and the yachts
will be racing of Sandy Hook to-mor-
row, the work may not be done before
Friday. day of rest for the yachting
tars. Therefore, should the result of
morrow's contest hang on seconds.
the rival crews must remain in sus-
pense until Friday at least for any
change in sail figures would be ref ected
| in time allowance This change, how
ever, would be only a few seconds. ac-
| cording to NJ De B. Parsons. chairman
or the race committee who added that
the possibility OF a reversal in tho
Judges \deciSion was almost negligible
Io-nishts announcement of the time
allowance was made as soon as final
nsures on the measurement of the two
yachts were ported to the committee bv
off1cial surveyors. The tentative handjcan
was AN upset to experts, who had pre-
dicted that six minutes or six minutes and
half would be about the figure.
The reason for the handicap in favor OF
'he American boat is that the Shamrock
carries approximately 1000 SQUARE feet
| more canvas than her rival. which gives
| her a decided advantage.
| The Shamrock's crew was kent husv
by Captain William NJ. Burton bending
| on her original mainsail This is the
cut OF canvas that will be used in to
| morrow's race. according to Charles F.
| 4>cnoison, designer of the challenger
VINO besides having startled American
ga'htsrnen by the Shamrock's daring and
original lines has recently been experi
mcnhng with sails strange to nautical
| lore.
| The Resolute's crew, under the direc-
hon OF Captain Charles Francis Parsons
md was equally busy putting the finish.
| ing touches to the sloop that win de-
| lend the hundred guinea cup for which
the races will be resumed after a laps.
| OF u years. Mr.. Parsons today took
occasion TO deay erroneous reports ,h.,
there was something wrong with tho
| Resolute's plating"
Her bronze plates are in as fine shane
to-day as they were when they were nut
on six years ago he said
| wan three out of five races needed to
win the cup the race committee announc
ed tonight that to-morrow's Saturdov.s
ana Tuesdays races would be hold &C
scheduled. but that after that date tho
yachts would race every day. This ru,o
however viii be subject to modification
| at the request of either skipper who will
nave the privilege Of requesting a dsv Of
rest between races. Final decision will IL.
with the committee
| Although at this race five CONTACT
should be ended by Thursday of next
week, there is, of course, the possibili,v
that light winds preventing the yachts
from finishing the six hour time limit NAV
result in races being declared off
! me start OF to-morrow's contest is
scheduled to he made at noon from the
Ambrose Channel Lightship. The courae
q" miles in length. will not be announced
until Just before the start. but the rules
csIl for windUard and leeward course
'7' '"c i'Ht' tniru ana tlrtn rareS with the
second and fourth to be over a triangular
course.
At the request of Sir Thomas the race
committee to-day appointed the Corsair.
j. r. Morgan's yacht, guido boat. She win
take position half way between tho
starting and turning point moving for
Ward AT the starting signal and pausinr
sllGht distance beyond the turning mark
! The purpose of a guide boat. Mr.. Par
| sons explained. was to overcome ,ou,
visibility at a turning point in case ~
| fog.
| Although refusal Of the authoritie- to
| lift wartime regulations as to the amount
| OF life-savng apparatus to he carried hv
| ships is expected to cut attendances az
| the races there was every Indication TO-
| night that many thousand Persons would
view the International yachting events
Resorts along the Jersey and Long
| Island shores have been advertised as
| points of vantage: several excursion YES,
sells are scheduled to steam to the course.
Yachting enthusiasts from up and down
the coast are bound for Sandy Hook
aboard their own craft and last bat not
least, airplanes and dirigihles are pIan
ming to bring passengers to watch tho
racing classic from on high. Indeed n has
been found necessary to Issue special
traffic rules for this aerial gallery
Among celebrities who will watch British
seamanshp matched against American
are Franklin D. Roosevelt assistant secre-
tary of the navy and sir Auckland Geddes
British ambass sador to the United States
Mr.. Roosevelt will be aboard a DESTROYER
and Sir Auckland on the steam yacht
victoria a guest of Sir Thomas Upton.