When the yachts came to the line for their first trial, October 5th, the challenger made a most favorable impression. Her sails set well, her low, straight hull responded quickly to a touch of her long tiller, she "stepped lively" in the light airs, and was much quicker in stays than Vigilant. The wind was northerly in the morning, and held in that quarter until about 1 o'clock, when it backed to W.S.W. The boats got away promptly at gun-fire, Vigilant crossing at 11.25.24, and Valkyrie at 11.25.53.

It was a spinnaker start, and the challenger provided a surprise by breaking out a sail of the most filmy lightness. It was thought at first to be silk, or Irish linen, but it proved to be made of unbleached muslin. The race was scarcely more than a drift to the outer mark.

Vigilant became becalmed shortly after one o'clock, and Valkyrie catching the southerly breeze first, sailed into a long lead. The outer mark was rounded by Valkyrie at 3.37.20, and by Vigilant 26 m. 20 s. later, at 4.03.40. Had the wind not flattened to a calm, Valkyrie with this lead probably would have come home a winner.

The race, however, was called off, with Valkyrie ahead, but both boats lying with idle sails on a glassy sea.