Evening star., 1939-09-17
Best Time Made
By yEdrington's S
Lady Avon
Ia Glasses Compete
In Race; FinoIs
Slated Today
By MALCOLM LAMBORNE, Jr.

Cannon fire barking over the
sparkling Potomac River sent an
armada of the country's finest small
pleasure craft to battle for honors
in the 18th annual Presidents Cup
Regatta, which opened yesterday
afternoon off Hains Point under
ideal sailing weather.
1t was the sort of weather the
shippers prayed for but never ex-
pected to see. A 10-mile wind blow
ing true from the south through
out the three hours of competition
sent the record breaking fleet of
sailboats over the course in fast
time.
AS the leaders of the IA classes
bore down on the finish line, hard
working race committeeman aboard
the Coast Guard cutter Calypso
found it difficult to keep the many
classes straight. Winning salutes
from the bridge of the cutter fol-
lowed in quick succession.
Final Race This Afternoon.
After celebrating their first VIC
tories of the regatta at open house
at Corinthian Yacht Club last night,
shippers and crews today were pre-
pairing to settle down to the serious
business of day-long racing, which
resumes at $50 am. The third
and final race will be sailed at 2
this afternoon.
The Stars trophies will be pre-
sented to the sailors tonight at Z
o'clock.
With more than third of the
fleet coming from out of town, one
as far distant as San Juan. Puerto
Rico, small-boat yachtsmen of the
Capital captured a major share of
yesterdays events.
The outstanding performance of
the day was recorded when Judge
Prentice Darlington of Capital Yacht
Club, after overtaking four boats
in a class that started five min
utes earlier, beat across the finish
with his sloop Lady Avon to win
| the 20-foot chine class and at the
same time chalk up the latest time
Of the entire fleet.
Vanity's Time Is Second.
Edrington, one time international
star boat champion, skippered his
s-year-old sloop over the miles in
hour minutes and - sec
onds. bettering the time of Osbourn
Owings' Vanity, which finished In
the division ahead, an event for
2O-foot round bottom craft. The
Vanity, entered from the West River
| Md Sailing Club. sailed over the
two-lap circuit in / hour minutes
and q seconds.
Approximately a thousand on
lockers lining Hains Point seawall
and large spectator feet expressed
surprise at the fast time in which
the boats finished and then headed
for their moorings. Many of them
had in mind last years feet of l18
starters, which lay becalmed in a
thick fog for hours. Everything was
decided by 4:30 o'clock. with only
a few stragglers numbering across
the finish thereafter.
In the colorful comet division in
which % little sloops massed at the
starting line, Ernest Covert Of
Washington led the feet that in
cluded the class leader of Puerto
Rico. young Luis A. Santaella. and
two former international champions,
Edward K Merrill of Riverton, N. j.,
and Alton OBrien of Perth Amboy,
N. j.
Scandal Closely Pressed.
Covert's blue-hulled Scandal went
out ahead on the second lap, where
he remained until the end Phil
Somervell in his Syrocco of Bev-
erly, N. j., finished next, less than
minute astern of Scandal.
O'Brien's Aquila was third, with Will
liam Whites Frolic. Potomac River
champion, in fourth position.
Practically every type of wind
jammer equipped with sail came
out for the three handicap classes.
The first boat to finish in each was
the winner yesterday. But in to-
days races the complicated slide
rule will be brought into play in
order to figure the boats ratings,
and it will be different story.
Winners in these divisions were
Kiki, K. r. Dorries, Bryn Mawr.
Pa, Glass A; Intrepid, J. j. McDon-
aid, Fairhaven, Md, Glass B. and
Sizzle, Fred Tip, Washington, Glass
c. The downwind start gave boats
in these classes chance to break
out large billowing spinnakers. They
were much in evidence aboard the
two local sea scout catboats as we'll
as Paul Walters lightning class
sloop Vayu.
Oarsmen, Paddlers Out Today.
If it had been blowing any harder
the large collection of small fry
penguin dinghies. moths. sailing ca