THE YACHT RACE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18546, 5 November 1934, Page 11

THE YACHT RACE

AMERICAN’S COMMENT A HOLLOW VICTORY NEW YORK, Sept. 27. Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt, inn., cousin of Mr. Harold S. Vanderbilt, who skippered the cup defender Rainbow, tells of the populace, of Newport going out to the race committee boa.t and giving the New York Yacht Club committee a loud and persistent “razzing” in expressing their indignation at the treatment accorded Mr. Scipwith’s protest. This journalistic Vanderbilt pays a warm tribute to the sportsmanship ol tbe English challenger and concludes that there is an evil aroma about the American vietorv.

Writing for the Hears! papers, lie says:—

“Tiffany and Company retain the grand old mug, thanks in no small measure to the race committee of the New York Yacht Club. Apparently tho yachting population of Newport did not make it unanimous. In fact most people encountered here i'epl that- the Endeavor is still the better boat. The well-known man in the street declares in no uncertain terms that Mr. Sopwitli’.s spinnaker trouble, plus the weird ruling of the race committee was just too much for tlie British challenger to overcome.

RACE COMMITTEE IS GIVEN “RAZZ”

“For hours to-day the narrow streets of this little seafaring town sounded with arguments pro and con. The amateur crew of the Endeavor, dressed in their snappy mess jackets, came ashore. They visited the higi hotels and had no hesitation in stating their opinion of the race committee. Strangely enough, perhaps, most people agreed with them. “(her at the dock of the New York Yacht Club lauding vast numbers of small water craft of all kinds passed back and forth in front of the race committee boat AVilhelinina. Horns and whistles and sirens were blown by indignant citizens. Ashore, crowds milled about for a long time uttering derisive Bronx cheers. “No member of flic austere committee showed his head on deck, however, and the crowds had to be content with the thought that they were doing the host they knew how in showing their disapproval of the decision. “TEST” FOUL IS SUGGESTED “Conservative, members of the club, whose names are household words in America, suggested that Miy Sop with had purposely fouled Mr. Vandernut, nefore the beginning of yesterday’s race. They hinted that the British challenger had no other wav of testing the fairness of the race commitee’s ruling. “It was said to be a shrewd move, on the part of Mr. Charles E. Nicholson, who was at Endeavor's wheel at the time. It was as if to say:— “ ‘Since you fouled me, Mike Vanderbilt, and tiie race committee refused to hear by protest, what will the committee do with your protest?” “But before anyone had time to speculate further, Mr. Sopwith did the spoiling thing and withdrew his protest, lie admitted he had been beaten fairly and that there was nothing more to it. lie added he would never challenge again : and he closed his remarks by thanking the American people for their very touching] reception of himself and his crew.

SOP WIT lI—GENTLE .A I-A N ANI > SPORTSMAN

■‘Throiigliout the, cup races Mr. Sopwith conducted himself as a sportsman and a gentleman. He could have made it very embarrassing indeed for the race committee if he had testified as to just why he did not raise the protest flag until he neared the finish mark m the fourth race.

“Suppose lie had gone to tho mat, as many another fellow would have done, and said: ‘Your own official observer gave me the wrong dope.’ What then? “Suppose he had gone to the mat, the ins and outs and ramifications and involvements and commitments that the American observer had plunged him into?

“No, sir, Mr. Sopwith is not that kind of a rubber sportsman.

“Well, the victory has been won. But ii is a hollow victory. It lings untrue. There is an evil aroma in the air.