AQUATICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 551, 11 July 1901, Page 6

AQUATICS

.By

Spinnaker .]

A cable from New York on the 2nd inst. says that the new American Cup defender Constitution met the former champion yacht Columbia in a trial race over a thirty-mile course at Newport, the old boat winning the race There seems to be a chance of a race for the sculling championship after al), as a cable from London on July sth says that Gaudaur, the present sculling champion, and Towns, of 8 dney, row for the world’s championship at Rat Portage, Ontario, in the third week of August. On May 9 Messrs Fife launched the first boat, a 52-footer, they have built to the new rule from designs of Mr Wm Fife, junr. She is said to be a good-looking boat, and has all the appearance of proving speedy. She is pretty sharp and shallow forward, broad and powerful in tho middle, deeper in the keel than any 52 footer yet built at Fairlie, and beautifully lined about the quarters Her counter is long and elegant, and her deck has as much space about it as had those of the plank-on-edge 40-tonners. She has a complete outfit of hollow spars, and has a lot of accommodation inside, bhe has been named Magdalen. Upwards of eighty members are said to have attended the annual May meeting of the Royal Yacht Squadron. The Marquis of Ormonde presided, and amongst those present were the Earl of Derby, the Marquis of Zetland, the Earl of Harrington, Lord Dimsdale, Lord Iveagh, Mr Arnold Morley, Lord Dunraven, Lord Brassey, Colonel M'Calmont, M.P., Lord Colville of Oulrosi, Sir John Burgoyne, and Sir Maurice FitzGerald. On the motion of Lord Brassey, seconded by Lord Montague, of Beaulieu, the Marquis of Ormonde was elected Commodore of the Squadron, in succession to the King, who resigned his position on his accession to the Throne. The Duke cf Leeds was elected vLecommodore in the place of the Marquis of Ormonde. The International 1-ton Championship of the Oercle de la Voile de Paris, just as the last mail to hand left the Old Country, was at an exciting stage, the British boat, Scotia 11., having won two, and the French representative also two, out of the five races to decide the winner. The first challenge for this event, which carries with it a Challenge Cup, was in 1899, when Mr Lome 0. Currie, the English challenger on this occasion, challenged with Vectis, a cent e-boara boat, which was defeated by the defender, Beluga, without much trouble. In 1900 Mr Currie, together with Mr John H. Gretton, again challenged, but was beaten for the second time. The presence of an Italian challenger this year has added considerably to the interest. Though this boat has been knocked out of the hunt, she is spoken very highly of. The first race was sailed on May 7, in a hard breeze, and was won by the English boat, Scotia 11., the Italian boat, Dai Dai 111 , being second, and the French boat, Sequana, a close third. The second event, sailed in u fluky breeze, was again won by Scotia 11., the English boat having a long lend at the finish, while Dai Dai was over 17min ahead of Sequana. In the third race the French boat turned the tables on her two rivals by winning from Scotia 11. in a hard, squally wind in very decisive fashion. No particulars are to hand of the

fourth* rase, which was also won by the French boat. The second trial of the three American yachts was sailed at Newport, New York, on Saturday last, resulted in a win for the Constitution, Columbia second, and Indendence a bad third.