ENDEAVOUR BEATEN

Evening Star, Issue 21835, 26 September 1934, Page 9

ENDEAVOUR BEATEN

SIXTH RACE TO RAINBOW AMERICA'S CUP CONTEST SETTLED MR SOPWIIII WITHDRAWS PROTEST Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. NEWPORT, September 25. (Received September 26, at 10 a.in.) Rainbow won the sixth race for the America's Cup, defeating Endeavour by a margin of 55sec. Both yachts flew protest flags when crossing the starting line. (Received Septembpr 26, at 1.30 p.m.) Mr Sopwith has withdrawn his protest. A CLOSE FINISH (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY", September 25. (Received September 26, at noon.) As the Rainbow had won three and the Endeavour two of the races for the America’s Cup, and as the trophy goes to the yacht first winning four' races, to-day’s race created especial interest. which was heightened somewhat by the controversy regarding the protest episode in the fifth race. To-day’s course was a triangular one of ten miles each leg, and there was an eleven-knot breeze at the start. The Endeavour got away first, and took the windward berth. Almost immediately Rainbow hoisted the protest flag, Mr Sopwith, mindful of .the committee’s recent ruling, at once hoisting a similar flag on the Endeavour in order to preserve his rights. The British vessel rounded the first mark 9sec ahead, but Rainbow gained on the second leg, leading at the second turn by 2min 40sec. On the last stretch Endeavour gained some of the lost ground, but Rainbow was first across the finishing line, with Endeavour about Sosec behind. THE FIFTH RACE BAD SEAMANSHIP BY ENDEAVOUR NEWPORT, September 24. In the early part of the race, with Rainbow speeding along under her spinnaker, Endeavour tried to set hers, but it fouled on the head stay. There was an agonising period of five or six minutes before it was properly adjusted. Then Mr Vanderbilt had his troubles, but a superior crew saved the situation, and Rainbow never lost her lead. Her parachute started to split at the bottom, and it tore across, soon flying in ineffectual lengths in ribbons. Without any slackening of speed, the ruined sail was lowered, and in a few minutes it was replaced with fresh canvas that carried Rainbow irresistibly to victory. In the dangerous work of changing sails a sailor was knocked overboard, but he grasped a rope and was saved. The race was irretrievably lost to Endeavour by the way she wandered off the course when going to leeward. To-day’s race was a fifteen-mile run to leeward and fifteen miles back to windward. On the leeward leg Mr Sopwith shot far off the mark, and he must have sailed at least three-quarters of a mile out of his way. The ‘ New York Times ’ expert commented that in the functioning of the men instead of the boats there was a great contrast between the contestants. “ It was an exhibition of a clever skipper outsailing a less experienced one, and a crew used to military discipline against one that was willing but not so skilled in setting sails or even trimming them. It was skill against a better boat, and skill won.” THE LUFFING INCIDENT LONDON, September 25. In the course of a message to ‘ The Times,’ its Newport correspondent says: Comment ashore is summed up in a famous American sports writer s phrase ; “ Britannia rules the waves, but America. waives the rules.”

The correspondent stales that Mr Sopwitli’s inclination after the dismissal of his protest without relerence to the alleged material point was to abandon the contest, but friends persuaded him to continue, as it was more dignified. Mr Sopwith asked Mr F. Havemeyer, the representative of the New York Yacht Club aboard Endeavour, whether there was any special time in which a protest should be made, as the Y T acht Club’s letter suggested. Mr Havemeyer replied that he thought the finishing line sufficed. LIST OF WINNERS

The cup, for winch Sir Thomas lapton alone spent £2.000.000 on_his bye green Shamrocks, is of silver, 27in high, weighs 13-toz, and cost lOOgs. It was given by the Royal Yacht Squadron in 1851 for a race round the Isle of Alight, and Colonel Stephens, commodore of the Now York Yacht Club, sailed across in ids schooner America and won it, beating seventeen British cutters and schooners. When lie arrived home be presented t lie- cup lo the New ioiK Yacht Club as a perpetual challenge trophy.

Year. Winner. C ballenger. 1851. ... America Aurora 1870 ... •Magic Cambria 1871 ... Columbia Livonia 1876 ... Madeline Countess JJufl'erin 1SS1 ... Mischief Atalanta 1885 ... Puritan Gcnesla 1886 ... Mayflower Galatea 1887 ... Volunteer Thistle 1890 ... Vigilant Valkyrie .11. 1895 ... Defender Valkyrie ill. 1899 ... Columbia Shamrock .1. 1901 ... Coin mbia Shamrock .11. 1900 ... Reliance Shamrock 111. 1020 ... Resolute Shamrock IV. 1900 ... En terprise Shamrock 5 . 1931 ... Rainbow Endeavour