The Washington times., 1937-08-02
BRITISH CHIEFS
ATLOGGERHEAD
over HANDLING
Second Race Slated
In Triangle Today
BY LAYTON CARVER

NEWPORT, r. l., Aug. 2.-As
two super-cutters put out to sea
today for the second race in the
Americas Cup series, reports
swirled across Brenton's Cove
that discord had broken out
aboard the Endeavour II to
further handicap the British
challenger against Harold S.
vanderbilt's defending Ranger
in the international yachting
classic.
Although formally denied, ru-
mors had it that the debacle of
Saturday, when Endeavour II
was Inundated by the worst de-
feat in an Americas Cup race
during the last half century, led
to a breach between T. O. M.
Sopwith and Fred Segrist, CO.
owners Of the challenger.
According to sources close to
the situation, SegriSt unwillingly
44SASo OSSA - SAAC4AU pal O1IC4 al O1lAo
enterprise. He has been forced
by the very nature Of things
to take a back seat because he is
unknown in international yacht
ing circles. Sopwith clinched his
place in the headlines with a
challenge in 1884 and automati-
cally has held it since.
Segrist Critical
Beyond that, 1t was said Segrist
was critical Of the way En-
deavour II was handled Satur.
day in the opening race Of this
four out Of seven series.
On the latter score, SegriSt
would find that all the seafarers
from the old CATERS with salt
in their boards to the barefoot
sailors Of half-swamped apple
crates-are with him unani-
Long before Sopwith got lost
in a fog Saturday afternoon,
quick agreement was reached to
the effect that he was sailing
one Of the worst races in all the
SO years Of Americas cup COM
petition.
Up In Arms
He did everything but run his
beautiful white-winged Endeavour
sidewise, and this is what has
the seafarers up in arms. They
think his boat could do much
better If given half a chance.
They refused to believe that
Ranger, or any boat, is better
than the great, trim British
cutter by more than II minutes,
or approximately two miles, in
a 3O-mile race. On Saturday it
was a 15-mile beat against the
wind going out and is miles
before the wind coming home.
Some held that Sopwith and
Endeavour might do better to-
day over the 30-mile triangle be-
cause Endeavour revealed her.
self to be superior in some
respects.
However, virtually all agreed
that Sopwith could not win the
series under all the handicaps i'm
posed on his cutter, and the bet
ting was even that he would not
win a single race.
Charge Mistakes
Observers pointed out that not
single thing happened on Sat
lrday to recommend the chal-
lenger's skipper. Instead, Sopwith
was charged with these important
mistakes: He allowed Vanderbilt
to outmaneuver him and slip into
the weather berth at the start;
because he has failed to drill his
crew as thoroughly as Vanderbilt,
headsail sheets became entangled
in change Of sails, adding to
the martin Of his defeat; He went
far off his course coming home
and wound up in a fog bank;
Even though the race was hope
leSSly lost, he was far too late IN
shifting from staysail and reach
ing lib to a Spinnaker after start
. ing the run home; The lacking
! duel he started and carried
through 10 changes from one
hand to the other and gained him
nothing.
with that Indictment standing
against him, you would be justified
in assuming that Sopwith had
spent the weekend trying to over.
come the alleged shortcomings.
But, instead, he went into retire
ment, aboard his private yacht,
while his lonesome cutter rode it
out alone In the harbor all day.
Vanderbilt, who presumably has
the perfect defender and perfect
crew and who always sails the per-
feet race, went to sea again Sun"
day-sharpening up to a keener
edge, with knockout for him in
sight,