The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-07-14

races. Livonia won a single race owing
to the steering gear of the defender
Columbia breaking down. Only twice
since that day, October 10, 1871, has a
challenging Yacht crossed the finish
line ahead Of the defending boat. On
September 10, 1895, Valkyrie Ill, att
err following the defender, finished one
minute and 10 seconds ahead OF the
American boat and on October 4, 1901,
Shamrock III. finished two seconds
ahead of Columbia but lost to the de-
fender by virtue of conceding AZ Sec
onds time allowance.
In the races Of 1873, 1881, 1885,
1886 and 1887, the contests were de.
cided on the basis Of the best two out OF
three races. From 1893 to the last race
in 1908 the agreement was for the best
three .out of five races.
On only three occasions has one OF
the competing yachts for the Ameri-
cas- cup failed to finish. In the last
race of the 1895 contest, Valkyrie Ill.
withdrew Immediately after crossing
the starting line. On October IL, 1899,
Shamrock lost her topmast and with
drew in the second race of that year
and one September 3, 1908, Shamrock
III. did not finish in the final race OF
the series as she was already beaten
and had nothing to gain by continu-
ing.
Just once in the history of the cup
races has a competing yacht been dis
qualified. This was in the second race
Of the series of 1893 when Lord Dun
ravens valkyrie III. was disqualified
S. fo,,1;n, AafanIar
The fastest time ever made in a race
for the Americas cup is credited to the
old schooner Columbia. On October Is,
1871, the day before she was defeat
ed by Livonia, she sailed 20 miles lee
ward and windward, 40 miles in all,
in three hours, one minute and 80 sec
onds. II must not be inferred, however,
that the Columbia was the fastest
Yacht that ever sailed for the cup.
There is no method of determining the
relative speed of two or more boats
other than by the results Of a race in
which they sail together. When Co
lumbia made the fast time referred to
undoubtedly the conditions of wind,
weather and sea were most favorable.
The fastest time ever made on a Is
mile course straight away and return,
30 miles in all, is credited to the de-
fender Vilgiant. In a race on October
II, 1898, she covered the course IN
three hours, "a minutes and 20 sec
onds.
The fastest time in a triangular race
for the cup was made by Columbia on
October 8, 1891. the time for the dis
lance, 80 miles, being 3:30:ls.
- IA. 49, -N.snaNo fNr thu
cup the challenging boats were schoon.
ers and the defenders for the second
and third also were schooners. In all
contests, however, the yachts have
been sloops or cutters.
The smallest challenger in the his
tory of the cup race was Atlanta,
which was built at Bellville, Ontario,
Canada, in 1881. She measured "a feet
on the water line and was the first
sloop to appear in a contest.
The first Yacht ever built especially
to defend the trophy was Pocahontas.
This was in 1881. Prior to that year
the New York Yacht club had selected
from its feet the yacht considered to
be best suited for the purpose. Poca-
hontas did not come up to expectations
and was rejected in favor of Mischief,
one Of the finest sloops of the feet.
Since that year, however, new defend
ers have been built for every contest.
There were two candidates for the
honor of defending the cup in 1885, two
in 1885 and four in 1898, and in every
contest, excepting one, since the race
between Atlanta and Mischief the cup
has been defended by a yacht built
for that particular race. The one exeep-
ton was in 1901 when Constitution,
built for the race of that year, was dis
earded in favor of Columbia, which sue
cessfulIy defended the trophy in 1899.