The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-07-20


Sandy Hook, July 20.--Sir Thomas
Lptons challenger, Shamrock ~,
sailed over the starting line of the
American defender Resolute in today's
race for the Americas cup and breez-
ed away on the first ten mile race OF
thirty mile triangular race, reach
out 10 sea
The starting signal was blown at
1915. Shamrock crossed at 12:l5:4S,
official time, and Resolute at 1216:25.
At 1890 Resolute had increased her
lead to 200 yards.
Although Resolute was second across
the line, the ballooner on the Irish
sloop would not break out and was
hauled partly down Five minutes
after the start Resolute had nearly
caught Shamrock.
When Shamrock dropped her moor
ings at 945 a. m. and headed sea-
ward, it was apparent that there
was not as much wind off shore as
that which came over the top of he
Jersey highlands.
Maybe I'll disguise Shamrock rs
O flivver and see what she can do
said Sir Thomas. II asked Henry Ford
the other day when he visited me
If he could not put an invisible moto,
in my boat"
The preliminary signal was sounded
at noon for start at 1915 p. m.
over a triangular course leading out
to sea, back to the Jersey shore at
Point Shrewsbury Rock, then back
10 the Ambrose Channel lightship.
. The breeze had dropped to three
knots, giving the yachts just steeragc
way.
The committee set signals for to-
days triangular course.
First, reach southsoutheast, sec
ond, a beat to west by north and
third. reach to the finish northeast
by north.
Nearly catching Shamrock minutes
after the start. Resolute sailed past
her to leeward at 1922. Having
cleared the foul jib top sail. the crew
Of the Shamrock set their spinaker.
II did not draw well. 1t was evi.
dent to observers that sail handling
Of the challenger had been bungled,
Ten minutes after the start Reso-
Lutte was leading by SO yards.
AT 1890 her lead was 200 yards.
She was slipping along smoothly and
fast under mainsail, club topsail
and big ballooner.
Shamrock was steadily dropped be-
hind because of her head sail failed to
fill and It looked as If her skipper
was in trouble again.
AT 1888 Shamrock lowered her four
stay sail and jb and set an English
bow split spinaker or balloon fore
stay sail She still clung to her No !
reaching jib topsail. By this time
Resolute was 300 yards ahead.
Shamrock turned the first mark at
2:2s:2s, saluted by the excursion fleet
which blew great blasts on their
whistles. Resolute was 600 yards
Gstern.
Shamrock's elapsed time TO the first
mark was 2:l2:40 and Resolutes s
2:l615.
Shamrock's lead at the first mark
in that time was 3 minutes. 35 sec
onds, without taking into considera-
ton the time allowance Of seven min
utes and one second which she must
give Resolute on the entire course.
Resolute turned the first mark al
2:32:4l.
Three quarters of an hour after the
start. the yachts started beating when
the wind hauled her south. Resolute,
ahead half mile hit q soft spot and
Shamrock later forged ahead as much
as half a mile. This was cut down
half however, when the yachts tackled
and the wind favored the defender,
The feature Of the first leg was the
manner in which Shamrock scooted
ahead Of the defender, chiefly be
cause Of her baby forestay sail, which
served better than Resolute's bis
balloon.
Both yachts had worked to the
windward of the course TO the first
mark. and at 1880 Shamrock bore
away from 1t with Resolute more
than 900 yards astern. In shore a
southwester seemed TO be working
out toward the yachts.
Shamrock picked up the first breath
Of the Southwestern at las and in
creased her lead to nearly half q
mile. the first mark being at that
time about four miles to leeward
The race, however, appeared from
shore a little more than a good drift
as on Saturday, the sloop getting the