Seattle Chances for Speedboat Race Good [1950]

By Bob Sutton

Lake Site Ideal, Says Official

**LOOKED OVER BY AN EXPERT**: Stanley R. Sayres (left), of Seattle, who hopes to help defend the Harmsworth speedboat trophy with his new racer Slo-mo-shun IV, showed the boat yesterday to J. Lee Barrett of Detroit, secretary of the Yachting Association of America. Barrett also accompanied Sayres and Jerry Bryant on a cruise on Lake Washington to inspect the course Seattle sportsmen are seeking to have chosen for this year's international race. Barrett was impressed very favorably.--Times photo by Vic Condiotty.

Seattle's chances of getting the famed Harmsworth Trophy speedboat race for next summer appeared good today--if the event comes to the Pacific Coast.

J. Lee Barrett of Detroit, secretary of the Yachtsmen's Association of America, which will determine the 1950 site, arrived here yesterday and surveyed Lake Washington and thought it would be an ideal location for the event.

The size of the lake, the absence of big seas and heavy commercial traffic and the vast amount of spectator facilities all impressed Barrett, who will, upon his return east, report his findings to the Y.A.A. as the leading recommendation in determining the race site.

"The fact that Lake Washington can be 'blocked off', as you do for crew races, is a good point," Barrett said. "That always has been a problem."

Jerry Bryant and Stanley S. Sayres, who conducted Barrett on the tour of the lake, pointed out how the west shore of the lake from Madison Park to Leschi would be an ideal vantage point for thousands of shore-side spectators. They also said that a log boom could be anchored along the east shore at which spectator boats could be moored.

Bryant is the president of Seattle Salts, Inc., sponsor of Seafair week here August 11-18 and for which the Harmsworth Race is sought and Sayres is the owner of Slo-mo-shun IV, (soon to be rechristened Miss Seattle), which has been nominated as a member of the defending American team for the international trophy.

Barrett, after returning from his tour of Lake Washington, visited the boathouse where Sayres, boat is located and showed interest in the craft that has exceeded 100 miles an hour.

After meeting with other Seattle groups, including Seattle Yacht Club members at noon today, Barrett will travel to San Francisco to confer with R. Stanley Dollar, Jr., who successfully defended the international trophy last summer at Detroit.

Dollar has the option of holding the 1950 race on the Pacific Coast if the site is agreeable to the Y.A.A. San Francisco Bay and Clear Lake, Calif., also have been recommended. However, Barrett has surveyed both sites and says that Lake Washington is much more suitable.

The 1950 race was assured with the recent acceptance of a challenge by Canada. Also expected to challenge the defending American team are England, France, Italy and South Africa.

Barrett said the location will be determined within about three weeks.

(Reprinted from the Seattle Times, Thursday, January 12, 1950)