The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-07-23
RESOLUTE LEADS
CUP CHALLENGER
FIRST 70 MILES
Defender, Away First, Keeps
Ahead Of Shamrock in In
Creasinq Wind and Has
Chance to Hold Trophy.

SANDY HOOK. N. j., July s3.-Res-
olute, defending the Americas cup, led
Shamrock w after 90 miles had been
covered In today's international yacht
race.
Rounding the second mark at 3:a5;49,
the American sloop dashed along the
home stretch Of 10 miles striving to win
the race &nd tie the 1920 series, Sham
rock turned at 27;i6. -
After having beaten the challenger Ia
the first mark on l0-milc thrash to
windward, the defender sped away on
the second leg when the wind. increas-
ing to Is knots. drove the yachts
through the water in a shower of spray
Although the green sloop tried her
best to pass the American on the sec
ond leg she was unable TO do more than
cut down very slightly her rlvars
lead OF half mile.
The elapsed times showed for the sec
ond leg were; Resolute. 5i;02; sham
rock. 50:1s, the latter gaining ~ sec
onds for the ten miles.
The total elapsed times for moth legs
were; Resolute, 2:gil6; Shamrock,
This gave Resolute margain OF one
minute and four seconds plus her time
handicap OF six minutes and 80 sec
onds. which puts here seven minutes
and ~ seconds TO the good
The speed of the two yachts on the
second leg was remarkable, averaging
well up to ~ knots,
AS the wind piped up TO rs knots on
the third leg. the soops tore even more
rapidly through the water.
At 3:45, with blac squat making
up ahead. Shamrock took In her topsail.
A minute later Resolute hauled her Jib
topsail and also prepared to meet the
| squall
At $50 pm. Resolute was leading by
a quarter Of a mile Apparently most
Of the squat had passed. for there was
a big drop In the breeze which at 1851
came around to the northwest, forcing
Resolute to tack. Behind her came
/ Shamrock with the last Of the southerly
4 wind
Shamrock was forced about by Reso-
| lutte. Without club topsail the chai
| lenger seemed handicapped, At 1854
| Resolute set her baby jlb topsail. The
| yachts were drenched by the squat
| but the wind gradually came around
| again fair and strong. Resoute was a
| quarter OF mile to windward at this
l time.
\ A singular shift in weather condi.
| tons left both boats almost becalmec
at O'Clock four miles from the finish
but with Resolute quarter OF a mile
| ahead.
| Resolute led Shamrock % seconds ia
| crossing the starting line. The, first
leg. a 10-mole beat TO windward. car
| ried the yachts at first right under the
shadow OF the Jersey headlands, where
Il
lutte led most o fthe distance by q
| quarter to a half mile, when Shamrock
unable 70 fore reach her rival, came
about. The Herreshof sloop managed Il
cross the challenger's bows, come abou
and plant herself N the windward berth
again, which she had captured from
the start. Resolute fetched the firs
mark in ? minutes and II seconds be
fore the challenger turned
In rounding the first mark at ASIA
| on her first long STAFFORD tack. Reso.
lutte found herself with an elapsed tim,
for the first leg of 1894. Shamrock
turning at 2:365s, after having TO make
two bitches, had an elapsed time o.
1:35:02.
This gave Resolute n gain OF one min.
ute and i8 seconds on the first ter
miles. which, with her time handicap oil
minutes 40 seconds. put her min
utes % seconds to the good
With the starting signal sounded a.
| pm, Resolute crossed at 1:0i ;33. Of
fetal time, and Shamrock at l:0i:56
| Then both plunged forward with five
| knot wind on the first i0-mie leg o.
| the 30-milc triangular course, which
| calls for a beat to windward from the
| Ambrose channel lightship south south
west down the Jersey shore; a reacl
east by north out TO sea and another
reach back to the lightship,
Capt. Burton, Of the challenger, wal
! very nearly handicapped. having only
four seconIs to get over the line within
the two minutes allowed after tn,
starting signal.