1964 Presidents Cup
Bill Cantrell 1st; Musson Cuts Buoy
WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 — (Special) — Ron Musson, piloting Seattle’s Miss Bardahl, missed a buoy during the final 15-mile heat of the 33rd Annual President’s Cup today and was forced to go an extra lap, setting the stage for victory for Miss Smirnoff of Detroit.
The Bardahl finished fifth in the final heat and fourth overall with a total of 752 points compared to 1,100 for the Smirnoff, driven by veteran Detroit pilot Bill Cantrell.
At the final point reckoning, Smirnoff was trailed by Miss Madison from Madison, Ind., 1,000; Tahoe Miss of Stateline, Nev., 800; the Bardahl, Gale V, Detroit, 638; and Miss U.S. 5, Detroit, 619.
Going into the final heat, with two elimination heat victories, Tahoe, with Chuck Thompson of Detroit driving, stood as the boat to beat.
While Smirnoff led coming out of the first turn of the final, Thompson and Tahoe had to battle their way through the pack.
Tahoe sped from fourth to second place and when Thompson started after Cantrell, Tahoe started smoking and conked out on the last turn with supercharger trouble.
Miss Bardahl, the defending national champion, was in good position to take the race with Tahoe trailing, but driver Musson missed the buoy and Smirnoff swept to victory.
Finishing behind Smirnoff in the final 15-mile heat were Miss Madison, Miss U.S. 5, Gale V and the Bardahl.
Despite her overall finish of fourth in the race Miss Bardahl still holds, the national high point lead with 2,284 points. Miss Madison is second with 2,094.