1908 APBA Gold Cup
Famous Dixie II Beats the Chip III
International Champion Motorboat Wins in Gold Cup race by 19 Seconds
PLOWS THRO' ROUGH SEA
Challenger Leads All the Way and Defending Boat is Never Able to Overhaul the Swift New York Craft
ALEXANDRIA BAY, N.Y., Aug. 20--Through a rough sea with rain falling a portion of the time, the Dixie II, owned by E. J. Schroeder of New York, winner of the recent International Cup races, fought its way to victory at Chippewa Bay this afternoon, defeating Chip III, the defender of the gold cup, by 19 seconds over a 30-mile course.
When the U.S.A., representing the Riverton Yacht Club of Philadelphia struck a floating log at the fourth mile, a dangerous competitor to both boats was removed, the U.S.A. being a strong second to the Dixie II at that point. The accident to the boat's wheel is being repaired to-night and she will race to-morrow.
The first day of the three biggest motorboat races of the year opened clear and cool, with a breeze rippling the water. Toward noon the breeze freshened and became almost a gale, with whitecaps rolling. Hundreds of gayly decorated boats worked down the Chippewa Bay, carrying a crowd of thousands.
In the start at 3 o'clock the Pirate gave a mighty leap, crossing the line with the others trailing, with the Chip III next to last. After the first mile the boats strung out, the Dixie II going to the front, the U.S.A. second, and the Chip III third, the latter's gasoline pipes clogging. At the fifteen-mile buoy the boats were running in the following order: Dixie II, Chip III, Pirate, Jan, Stranger, and Pawnee. The U.S.A. and Duquesne dropped out after mishaps. The finish was in identically the same order, the Dixie II, which represents the Thousand Islands Yacht Club, doing the thirty miles in 1 hour 1 minute and 37 seconds.
Transcribed from the New York Times, Aug. 21, 1908, p. 5.
[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page — LF]