U.S. Yacht Columbia Wins First America’s Cup Race

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28697, 22 September 1958, Page 8

U.S. Yacht Columbia Wins First America’s Cup Race

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

NEWPORT, September 20. The American yacht Columbia crossed the finishing line well ahead of Britain’s Sceptre in the first race for the America’s Cup. The Sceptre was about threequarters of a mile behind.

The Columbia finished some seven minutes ahead of Sceptre. Her time was given as five hours 13 minutes 58 seconds.

Columbia’s time was only 46 minutes 4 seconds inside the time limit for the race. For most of the race, experts were doubtful whether she could beat the limit, because of calm weather which at one stage becalmed both Vessels.

The Columbia raced ahead from the start and proving herself to be a superior windward vessel. She quickly built up a lead of about three-quarters of a mile over the gleaming white British challenger. At the turn, the Sceptre broke out a huge green spinnaker for the six-mile leeward leg, and quickly reduced Columbia's lead to 650 yards. .The spinnaker proved to be a mixed blessing, however, because the wind

dropped almost completely, and as the yachts were left becalmed, the Sceptre’s big balloon sail sagged into the water. A westerly wind sprang up, and both yachts broke out Genoa jibs. The Columbia steadily increased her lead until rounding the last buoy, eight .minutes ahead of Sceptre. The Sceptre finished seven minutes 44 seconds behind the Columbia, according to official times. After the two boats finished, each crew gave the other a salute of “hip, hip, hooray.” There was a loud blowing of horns, and the Columbia’s crew grinned broadly at the wild congratulations. The Sceptre was no match for the trim Columbia, in light weather. The British boat, with Lieutenant-Commander Graham Mann as helmsman, had big, strong spinnakers, but they got little use.

During the calm period, the Sceptre, in a bold manoeuvre, cut the Columbia’s early lead to as little as 100 yards, but later the Columbia matched the British crew in finding the right spinnaker, and regained its early lead, American Associated Press said. For a while the crews were running up and taking down sails so fast it was difficult to keep tally.