AMERICA CUP CHALLENGER

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 24 January 1914, Page 12

AMERICA CUP CHALLENGER

SIR THOMAS ,LIPTON'S BELIEF.

> - 'My own feeling is that lam going to do the trick'this time/because I am going to have a wonderful boat." ■ In these words Sir Thomas Lipton 'Confided to the Evening Standard Ms opinion of his chances in the iorth*soming race for. the America Cup. The keel of the challenger' has just been laid at Messrs-Camper and, Nicholson's yard at Gosport, and it, is hoped that within the next fiv,e months Shamrock IV,, to which the'faith*,of millions of Englishmen will fan pinned, will take the water. "The new, Shamrock," said «Sir Thomas to a Standard representative, "is being built in strict secrecy; jua fact, under lock and rkey.- 'A' treOIIS- Bhed'^iag' t be«» constructed,dealjof in -the>6idei, ,»inl; *ifck\,a Jhixzm^^m ?roof, and **«fo^ -workman caY, get into the shed .unless -he is known' to the watchman in •charge. This shed' is big enough to liold a large 6teamer. • ■ ' NOTHING LACKING -TO WIN. "It will be the* end of March before Shamrock IV. can/ be launched. Although the,beat will* measure only 75ft .on the w^ter line, it \wilT, be a very large yacht. - , Everything that modern «cience can teach us in r the way of metal will be employed in her construction, to make her' go smoothly through the water.1 The trials of the challenger with Shamrock 111. will last about six weeks.' We J hope to commence about the r middle of -May and continue them until the end of June. The yachtf will have her first tuningttp at the Royal Thames Yacht Club, and afterwards trials will be carried out at Weymouth, Torquay; and Harwich. I hope' to be able to start on the voyage -across the Atlantic about the middle of July. I don't know yet whether I shall be allowed to tow the yacht over. If I am, we should make "New York in a fortnight, but if Shamrock IV. has to cross under her own «ail the \voyage will last about three ■weeks. •

"The races Tior the Cup_ are now 'definitely fixed., The'first race will be sailed on September! 10, and thereafter there will be* an interval of a day be^ tween^ each. The'winning yacht has" to cross the line first in three .out of five races over a course of 30 miles. I understand that five boats are being built -to defend the Cup on the other side, ■and the fastest of these five • will be •chosen as defender. Bxit I don't care twonence about that. .1 have got the best man in the yachting world in 'Mr Burton, who is taking charge of Shamrock IV". He is only an amateur, but is not a professional- skipper in -,th& world to beat him. I notice by the American capers that steamers with ■accommodation for carrying / 5,000 people'have been chartered to take parties out to Sandy Hook to view the races: I myself shall cross the Atlantic with the Erin in attendance on Shamrock IV."