THE AMERICA CUP.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 230, 7 October 1901, Page 2

THE AMERICA CUP.

THE THIRD RACE. COLUMBIA WINS THE CUP. 13y Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright New York, Oct. 4. There is another strong breeze off New New York for to-day's race, which is over a straight course to windward and back. The betting is live to one on the Columbia. The Columbia has won the Cup. Ln the third race the Shamrock finished three seconds ahead, but lost on her time allowance. Columbia having won the first three races, the remaining two will not be sailed.j CLOSE AND EXCITING CONTEST. SHAMROCK LEADS DURING THE GREATER PART OF RACE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright New York, Oct. 4. With a fifteen-mile beat to windward and home again, Columbia was first across ; tho line. Shamrock, securing the weather ; berth, killed Columbia’s wind, and after a luffing match Shamrock gained the lead, and rounded the mark first, in a 10-knot breeze. Shamrock went about simultaneously ! with Columbia on tho starboard tack. ! Columbia showed the way on the port ■ tack, Shamrock, following instinctively the 1 same tactics, soon led. She was still ; ahead when they came on the starboard tack. The wind then dropped. Shamrock had a slight lead on the port tack for half an hour, and also had the advantage on. the final tack. It was the closest race seen for the Cup. F U RTHE R DETAILS. PLENTY OF WORK FOR THE CREWS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright New York, Oct. 5.

Shamrock carried her largest club topsail. The water was smooth, an l tlie boats travelled at a terrific pace with t ■-wind, which slackened towards the outer mark. Shamrock turned 4‘Jsec ahead, and stood on the starboard tack, towards Now .Terser. Some pretty tacking and thrashing were done on tho home journey, Columbia momentarily stood on the port tack.

Shamrock then tacked ffi port, crossed Columbia’s bows, and returned to the starboard tack tor a few minutes.

Both then mado a long board on the port tack. Columbia showed superior and pointing speed.

Both heeled over beautifully. The lighter breeze was followed by a sudden puff', which catching Shamrock, laid her over. Captain Bair stole the weather berth, and took tho lead. Tho wind again fell.

Columbia tacked shorewavds, and was still ahead and well to windward. The race now became slower and the wind tlukey. Shamrock afterwards led, as cabled. Split tacks followed. Shamrock, getting to windward of Columbia towards the shore, met her and forced her to go about. Columbia then swung round, and held the weather berth towards the line, Columbia following, and finishing almost an even 2sec behind.

A New York despatch dated September 4 gives the following interesting account of a spin of Shamrock LI.: Although under sail for only two hours to-day, the Shamrock 11. astonished those who followed her by her remarkable speed and ability to lie close to the wind, says this report. The yacht again demonstrated beyond question that she cau sail when reaching with the wind abeam, so that her big jib topsail can be made to draw, at a speed varying from 1-1 to 15 knots, according to the strength of tlio wind. The yacht was all ready to make a start by 11 o’clock this morning, but there was not a breath of wind at that time. Shortly after noon there were indications of a breeze coming in from seaward, so the Shamrock mooring was made ready to slip. Soon after 10 o’clock a fresh breeze came from the south-east, and then a steam launch shot out from alongside the Erin. In it were Sir Thomas Lipton, Mr Jameson, Jlr Watson, and Commodore Hillyard. The party had hardly stopped on deck when the yacht’s mooring was slipped. Stay-sail, jib, and small jib topsail were broken out simultaneously. Her sails tilled and she gathered headway in tho freshening breeze. As soon as the point off Sandy Ilook was cleared sheets were trimmed down for tho port tack, and the yacht slipped through the smooth water at a gait that must have been between fourteen and iifteon knots, for in ten minutes sho was entering Gcdney Channel, and live minutes after sho had passed through it. Sho had travelled nearly four miles in fifteen minutes, The tide was fair, but there was enough of it to cut more than a knot oil' her speed. Saihnakcr Ratzy had remained on board the Erin, to obtain a good view of the Shamrock’s sails, but the yacht had sailed so fast on the way out that she was now obliged to heave to and wait for the Erin. At 2.55, when the steam yacht arrived, Captain Sycamore put the Shamrock on the starboard for several minutes. Then ho lot her come around, and stood along tho Jersey coast for ten minutes. When she came about she swung around from “ full to full ” in just twelve seconds. It was also seen that the yacht was lying remarkably close to the wind.

Ten minutes later the main sheet was manned and smartly rounded in, and then the great main boom swung across the deck as Captain Sycamore put the helm up and gybed her. It was thought that the spinnaker would bo set again, hut instead the bowsprit men were sent out to take in the small jib topsail. The sail was down and stowed and another one put out on the bowsprit in two minutes. In two minutes more the sail was slapped on its place and broken out. There were exclamations of turprisc and admiration from all who saw it, for it was a big reaching jib topsail of white linen, its cloths running up and down from a centre line dividing the sail from clew to luff. As soon as this now sail filled the yacht seemed to jump away with renewed speed, for the light material caught every breath of wind going, and pulled like forty horses. Travelling at a fourteen-knot clip, and leaving all steamers but the Erin in her wake, the Shamrock entered Gedney channel at 4.05. The jib topsail came down at 4.10, and sheets were trimmed down for the close reach to the point of Sandy Hook, for the wind had freshened and shifted now to the southward.