New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-17
Cape May Race
Gets Under w y
La Light Breeze
Vanderbils's Vagrant and
Shonnard's Sonnica Start
Race for Historic Trophy
By Jack Lawrence

The first race that has been sailed
since 1916 for the Cape May Challenge
Cup, eae of the most famous yachting
trophies in the world. was started yes
terday morning off Ambrose Light
snip. The contest is duel between
the schooners Vagrant and Sonnica
The first is owned by Harold s. Van
derbilt, vlce-commod of the New
York Yacht Club, while the Sonnica,
challenger for the cup, is the property
OF Horatio s. Shonnard, New York
broker and a member of the New York
Yacht Club.
The Capt May Cup was offered by
the late James Gordon Bennett and
has been in competition since 1872.
At one time leg on the prize was won
by the Prince of Wales, afterward
King Edward VII, and for several years
it remained in England
The course of the race, which was
started yesterday, takes the yachts to
and around Five Fathom Lightship, off
Cape May and back to a finish line
between Ambrose light vessel and
Captain Vincent Astor's Nourmahal.
which is being used as a committee
boat. The distance is approx imately
210 miles.
May Finish This Afternoon
If the return journey is favored by
brisk winds the two schooners are ex-
pected to finish late this afternoon. If
there is a continuance of light airs
which prevailed at the start the yachts
may not be in until tomorrow. When
Sonnica and Vagrant crossed the line
the velocity of the breeze did not ex-
coed four knots
| The two erhnoocrr rocoJ hat e
boat in cruising trim. There was no
time allowance, as the boats are about
OF equal rating. The race committee
OF the New York Yacht Club, composed
of II. deb Parsons, Frederic O. Sped
den and Gherardi Davis, supervised the
start. The two schooners were towed
to the line shortly before 10 o'clock,
but the wind was so light at the time
that postponement was signallcd from
the committee boat. 1t was not until
Ii rs that the boats finally got away.
Sonnica had much the better of the
start. The contestants had four min
utes in which to cross the line with
out being penalized. The prevailing
WIND made the leg a broad reach to
FIVE athon lightship, a condition which
distinctly favored Sonnica. AS the two
schooners came down to the line the
Shippers broke out big balloon jibs and
nam topmast staysails, the conditions
OF the race prohibiting club topsails.
Sonnica Gets Off Well
Shonnard, at the wheel of Sonnica,
Judged the start beautifully and crossed
the line at 11:15:4s. Vice Commodore
Vanderbilt was not 80 fortunate. 1t
was necessary for him to gybe around
the llghtship and this cost him consid-
cradle time. AS result Vagrant did
not get across until 11:19:21.
The schooners were footing fairly
last as they moved off to the south
west, but they were helped appreciablv
by favorable tide There were in
dications that the breeze would shift
to the southwest, and this was what
Commodore Vanderbilt was hoping for
as Migrants best point of sailing is a
wndward beat. A southwest wind
would make the entire voyage to Five
Fathom lightshiD a thrash, and ac-
cording to yachting sharps this would
give Vagrant an advantage that would
probably spell victory If there is no
windward work the Sonnica is regarde ID
as a certain victor.
On board the Vagrant, in addition TO
Commodore Vanderbilt, were Rear
Commodore George Nichols, Butler
Duncan and Oliver Isalin ir