1955 Mapes Mile High Gold Cup

Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City, Calif., September 10, 1955

'Deal' Gives Gold Cup to Kaiser Boat

Skippy
KICKING UP THE SPRAY — Skippy speeds through Lake Tahoe here as the craft competes in the crackerbox class of yesterday's Mile-High Gold Cup regatta. Tribune photographer Russ Reed captured the action from above In a plane piloted by Warren Boggess of Concord. The action was part of the "Mile-High" race event.

TAHOE CITY, Sept. 10— Breathless, owned by J. Philip Murphy of Piedmont, won today’s Mile High Gold Cup race for unlimited hydroplanes here.

But the Hawaii Kai, Henry J. Kaiser’s new boat, was awarded the $5,000 Mapes Gold Cup Trophy.

It all came about as a result of a gentlemen’s agreement, graciously suggested by the eventual loser, Murphy.

Before you are thrown into a complete state of confusion on the matter, here Is how it happened, chronologically speaking:

1 — Kaiser's Hawaii Kai broke off its propeller blade and twisted its propeller shaft in a trial spin Friday — meaning parts had to be flown here if the boat was to be ready for the important race.

2 — Drivers and owners of boats entered in the race agreed at a meeting Friday night there could be a maximum one-hour postponement of the race.

3 — Murphy, learning of Kaiser's plight, offered to enter into a special gentlemen’s agreement with the Hawaii Kai's owner. He agreed that, if Kaiser's boat was not ready for the first heat of the three-heat race, results of the first heat would not be used in the standings for the Mapes Trophy.

4 — Kaiser agreed, and so did the race committee. However, it was pointed out the full points (including those gained in the first heat) would be scored In the seasonal American Powerboat Association standings.

5 — The parts arrived OK for the Hawaii Kai, but when the boat was taken out for a trial run this morning the propeller blade was shot again. The shaft could be straightened out this time, however. It meant Kaiser's boat had to be held out of the first heat, even though the race was held up for an hour.

6 — In that first heat Scooter Too, another Kaiser entry, won and Murphy’s Breathless placed second.

7 — The Hawaii Kai was all set to go for heat No. 2, and Kenny St. Oegger of Los Angeles piloted it to a victory. Breathless took third behind Scooter Too.

8 — Hawaii Kai won the third heat by a half lap over Breathless. This gave Breathless 825 points for two seconds and a third and Hawaii Kai 800 for two firsts. But, subtracting the 300 points gained in the first heat, Breathless gave up the cup on an unofficial 800-525 score.

Young Roger Murphy gave Breathless the victory as he piloted the craft to second place in the final heat. Floyd Ciochon drove Breathless in the first two heats.

Two other Kaiser boats. Restless and Scooter Too, placed third and fourth. Galloping Gael, also owned by Murphy, took fifth.

Jack Regas of Piedmont drove Scooter Too, Barney Navarro of Glendale piloted Restless, and Roger Murphy drove Galloping Gael in the first two heats. It dropped out of the third.

Scooter Too won the first heat with Galloping Gael second, Breathless third and Restless fourth.

In the second heat Breathless placed second, Scooter Too third. In the final heat Breathless again was second to Hawaii Kai and Restless finished third.

Winners in other events of the regatta sponsored by the Lake Tahoe-Sierra Chamber of Commerce were:

— Oakland Tribune, September 11, 1955