Yves GARY Hits: 3312
Category: 1895 : CHALLENGE N°9
VALKYRIE CROSSED THE LINE, THEN TURNED BACK
Sept. 13, 1895 - The American champion yacht Defender sailed alone ...
... yesterday in the last of three races for the America's Cup. She had what is known to sporting men as a walk-over, and in all human probability no one ever saw a more disgusted set of sportsmen than those who went out yesterday in the hope of seeing a yacht race.
Although the public knew nothing on the 12th of what was going forward, there was a premonition of trouble off Sandy Hook when the excursion fleet arrived, and Valkyrie was seen coming out under jib and mainsail, without her topsail aloft, and with no preparations going on to make ready for the race.
The wind was light offshore, a gentle breeze N. by W. The course was laid S. by E. Around the starting-line the course was clearer than it had been in any previous race in years, there being a decided disposition on the part of steamer captains to accede to the request of the patrol fleet to keep away from the racers. At 10.55 a gun was fired on the committee boat indicating a postponement of the start for fifteen minutes. This gave the excursionists an impression that something indeed w as wrong, and the strongest curiosity was manifested. 
There had been hints in the press that Lord Dunraven was about "to quit," and the public could hardly believe that so plucky a challenger would retire in that way.
The preparatory gun was fired at 11.10, but none of the smart preliminary maneuvering for position follow ed it that is usual in a cup race. Valkyrie was some distance from the line, still under mainsail and jib only, and with very little headway. The starting-gun was fired at 11.20, and twenty-four seconds later Defender crossed the line. Valkyrie, still moving slowly, crossed at 11.21.59, but as soon as she was over her tiller was jammed down, she came up under the stern of the light-vessel, and headed for port, at the same time breaking out the New York Yacht Club flag at the truck. Later she picked up her tug and was towed back to Bay Ridge, leaving the field to her rival, who went over the course, followed by the excursion fleet.
Defender sailed over the course, taking two hours, six minutes and thirty-four seconds to the outer mark, and four hours, forty-three minutes and forty- three seconds (corrected time) for the whole course. As she neared the finish line Mr. Iselin hailed the Committee through a megaphone and asked if he should cross the line. The answer was "yes", so the white sloop sailed past the Committee boat, her time was taken, and the series of 1895 was over. It must be confessed that there was not much joy in the finish.
