New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-18
Sonnica Takes
The First Legl.
I'm Ocean Race
Schooner yagrani Six Miles
Behind Shonnard Boat in
Confess for Cape May Cup

Horatio s.. Shonnard's two-masted
schooner. yacht, sonnica. challenger for
the historic Cape May. Cup, won her
ifst leg on that trophy yesterday, when
she defeated the schooner vagrafit,1
owned by Harold s. Vanderbilt, vice.
commodore of the New York Yacht Clsb.s
The two vessels raced from AmbrnseS
lightship to the Five Fathom light yesz
sci, off Cape May, and return. When
Sonnica crossed the finish line she was<
about six miles ahead of Vagrant. ShBn
won by thirty eight minutes and ten
seconds.
The two yachts were sent away Sn
Friday morning, the line being an
imaginary one between Ambrose lighfe
ship and Captain Vincent Astors yacht
Nourmahal. Shonnard's boat had much
the better of the getaway and crossed
the line at 11:15:4S. while Vagran*.s
having to jybe around the lightshIp,
did not cross until l1:19. rot
| The wind was very light at the time
and from the northeast. The breezs,g
never very strong. prevailed from this
quarter until after the schooners had
rounded Five Fathom lightship. Ito
made the first leg reach, which was
point of sailing very favorable TO Son-r
MICA. .ror
hauled to the southeast and held from
that quarter to the finish, which pyers
cluded the possibility or any windward~
work. The distance was approxima tely
2l0 nautical miles. and it was Vander-
bits hope that at least one-third Of
the distance would be a thrash. which
is Migrants best point of sailing. TIE.
| long reaches are probably what spelled
victory for the Shonnard craft.
a Real Race for Blood aasa
While no verifcation Of the fact
! could be obtained in yachting circles
yesterday, we'll authenticated rumors
have it that the Corinthian shippers of
the two schooners, who sailed them
throughout the race, had large side
bet on the result ese-
Sonnica led from start to finish
She rounded Five Fathom Lightship at
12:22:30, while Vagrant made the turn
at 1910: 100. The time for the finish
of each yacht was:
S Sda iass: Il
The Cape May Challenge Cup was.
offered by Commodore James Gordon
Bennett in 1872 with the proviso that it.
must be won three consecutive times
in order to obtain permanent possess
sion, In 1898 leg on the trophy VAS
won by Britannia, owned by the Prince.
Of Wales, afterward King Edward VII.
The cup remained in England for sexre
eral years but was brought back by
Wilson Marshall's Atlantic. the famous.
Gardner-designed schooner that won,
the transatlantic race in 1905 for the
trophy offered by Kaiser Wilhelm h.
There has been considerable rivalry
between Vagrant and Sonnica, DUE, to-
some extent, to the fact that the Shan
nard craft took every one of the legs
sailed on the annual cruise of the New,
York Yacht Club in August. AS in the
race sailed yesterday, there was ny
windward work during the cruise and
run. The discussion as to the ability
| of each boat, following the cruise, is
said to have resulted in the challenge
for the Cape May Cup. 80
Excellent Time Made
The two schooners are the fastest
now in commission in this country, aud.
the elapsed time of yesterdays race Ia
considered excellent in view of the,
weather conditions. Sonnica me IL eao
| run down the coast in Is hours min
utes AZ seconds while Vagrant covered
the distcnce >. 10 hours q minutes.,r
The Svrnica made the run home, in,
! IL hours II minutes seconds. Fa~o
/ grants elapsed time was IL hours AL
minutes Al seconds. 80,
The total elapsed time for both
yachts was: a.t
Sonnica ......--..- ...........-. 2z:26:215
d