Evening star., 1934-09-17
ENDEAVOUR WINS
IN FIRST CONTEST
FOR AMERICAS CUP
Continued From First Page.)

SAA0UC oRAAAAAohCA IAAASC dAVSA
Rainbow had turned the mark and
she increased her lead by a couple of
boat lengths before Sopwith followed
suit. Endeavour hoisted her Annie
Oakley pinnaker-so-called because
of the perforations in it-and it was
slow in filling, it being at least two
minutes after Rainbow's spinnaker
was drawing before Endeavors began
to do her any good.
Once it started drawing, however,
Endeavour quickly made up the gap
and at lit she blanketed Rainbow to
60 into the lead for the first time
since the series opened Saturday
morning.
The race was scheduled to start
at 10:45 am, but Endeavour fouled
set it and was granted a 10-minute
postponement.
Canvas Shows Tear.
When the British challenger finally
got the big canvas set it showed q
slight tear near the upper edge, but
it was not believed large enough to
threaten the efficiency of the sail.
Vanderbilt, successful skipper of
the 1880 defender, Enterprise, at the
helm of Rainbow, again outmaneu-
vered Sopwith and was away to q
flying start.
Both were on starboard tack 60
ing along the starting line toward
the committee boat when the signal
came, but Endeavour had been crowd
ed so close to the Wilhelmina that
Sopwith was forced to luff. losing way
while Rainbow went charging across
at full speed.
Stiff Breeze Blowing.
A stiff southeasterly breeze, kicking
up quite sea, was blowing of New
port as the two yachts prepared to
resume their rivalry for the Americas
Cup.
The weather brought cheer to
yachtsmen who long have hoped for
such conditions to give the racing
yachts real test but it made rough
going for the spectator feet, which
nevertheless appeared little II any
bNiOW Ootul udy o AuuibClos
Frequent rain squalls reduced visi-
bility to minimum.
Wind at Is Knots.
At $50 am. (E. S. To, over an
hour before the scheduled start, Block
Island reported the wind was blow
ing 18 knots and freshening.
The smaller yachts in the spectator
feet were pitching and rolling spec
tacularly with the rain squalls driv-
ing all but the most hardy below
decks.
The two racing yachts, under tow
Of their respective tenders. showed
considerable of their underbodies as
they felt the swell Of the open sea
Endeavour especially appeared to be
making heavy weather of it, frequently
poking her nose into the seas and
throwing great wells of spray.
SopWith was at helm in oilskins.
Smaller Craft Return.
At 10 o'clock the breeze seemed to
have hghtened bit but many of the
smaller craft in the spectator fee:
found the seas not to their liking and
were hurrying back to the shelter OF
the harbor.
The Race Committee, answering a
hail. said the wind was blowing 16
knots from the south-southeast.
At 1920 am. the course signals
were hoisted on the committee boat
Wilhelmina, setting the course as Is
miles uth-southeasterly against the
wind and return. This was the same
course the big boats travelled Saturday
in the first race which was declared
no contest when the time ran out with
Rainbow leading half a mile from the
finish.
Rainbow was the first to set her
sails. She had a mainsail and stay
sails up with another head sail up in
stops. Aboard Endeavour the crew
seemed to be having some trouble
with the mainsail, which was run up
halfway and then doused.
With only IL minutes to go before
the scheduled start Endeavour had
only a staysail set. Sopwith sent a
man aloft to clear whatever it was
that was keeping them from setting
the mainsail and Signaled the COM
mittee boat for a postponement.
At 1o:40 Endeavour finally set her
mainsail with a short tear showing
near the luff along the upper batten.
The tear was very slight, however,
and it did not appear to threaten the
usefulness of the sail.
Warning Signal Given.
The 10-minute warning signal was
set at 10:45. Both yachts were carry
ing mainsails and staysails with head
sails in stops.
Both also carried quadrilateral, or
great Gsrbo, jibs.
The starting signal was given at
1885 am
Vanderbilt, at the helm Of Rainbow,
again tuned his start better as he had
Saturday and was across the line at
full speed. Endeavour had to luf1 to
clear the committee boat. toward
which they both were bearing when
the starting signal was given, and
lost way.
Both went off on a starboard tack
with Rainbow in the favored position.
Vanderbilt tackled at 11:04, followed
Immediately by Endeavour.
Endeavour, pointing higher into the
wind, was working up to weather, at
11:15 and appeared to be gaining on
Rainbow.
At 11:4o Rainbow had positive