1904 APBA Gold Cup [first running] - First Running of the APBA Gold Challenge Cup [1904]

1904 APBA Gold Cup [first running]
Hudson River, New York City NY, June 23-25, 1904

First Running of the APBA Gold Challenge Cup [1904]
Auto Boat Race Record [Day 1]
Standard Makes Fastest Time Ever Done in America
Leads for Challenge Cup
Averages 19.63 Nautical Miles Per Hour Over a 32-Mile Course on the Hudson River

A new record for power boat racing in America was established yesterday, when in a thirty-two-mile race on the Hudson River the 100 horse-power auto boat Standard, fifty-nine feet in length, covered the course at an average of 19.67 nautical miles an hour, or 22.57 statute miles. The Standard covered the entire distance in 1:37:48. Her time is barely one-third of a mile less than was done by H. H. Rogers's fast steam yacht Kanawha last Saturday when she won the Lysistrata Cup.

The victory of the Standard, owned by C.C. Riotte of the Columbia Yacht Club, gives her three points for the Challenge Cup offered by the American Power Boat Association, and of which yesterday's competition was the first of a series of three races. The second race will be held to-day over the same course, and the third and final contest will come off to-morrow.

Notwithstanding the fact that there were some eight entries for the Challenge Cup events which were expected to be productive of the best autoboat racing seen this year, only three boats appeared at the Columbia Yacht Club, foot of West Eighty-sixth Street, where the start was made. The course lay directly up the Hudson River for sixteen miles, turning a stake boat about one-eighth of a mile below Piermont. Besides the Standard the other starters were the Water Lily, owned by Frank Seaman of the Yonkers Yacht Club, and the Fiat I, owned by C.H. Tangeman of the Atlantic Yacht Club. Both were of smaller horse-power than the Standard, the Fiat having from 24 to 30 horse-power, while the Water Lily has about 40. The Fiat is thirty-nine feet long and is the most lightly constructed boat of all. The races for the Challenge Cup are run under the old ratings of the Power Boat Association, and this favored the Standard, as she was not required to allow quite so much time to her competitors as in the Columbia Club races two weeks ago. Her allowance to the Water Lily was 17 minutes 14 seconds and to the Fiat 14 minutes 26 seconds.

The latter boat unfortunately broke down after being out only ten minutes, so that only two boats finished. The Water Lily completed the thirty-two miles in 2 hours and 26 seconds actual time, the Standard therefore being 22 minutes and 28 seconds faster in the actual run, while by the corrected time the Standard won handily by 5:24. The average run per hour of the Water Lily was 15.94 nautical miles, an excellent showing and considerably better than W.K. Vanderbilt Jr.'s Hard Boiled Egg at New Rochelle last Saturday.

The fast time and the new American power boat record made by the Standard gave an enthusiastic finish to the race, which from a spectacular standpoint it lacked at the start in view of the few competitors.

The start was made at 3:05 in a light southwest wind, the boats going up the river with the tide and the finish was made just as the tide began to turn. C.H. Tangemen, at the wheel of the Fiat and carrying one mechanician, was the first over the line by the narrowest margin, for the boats were all in line. The Water Lily was second while the Standard almost leaped out of the water as the gun was fired. She was practically at rest a second before the signal; yet in a twinkling she was going at full speed, throwing the water from her sides in volumes. The two leading boats were quickly overhauled, and before the racers had passed beyond the line of steam yachts anchored in the vicinity, C.C. Riotte had a commanding lead.

The committee, yachtsmen, and autoboat enthusiasts, among whom were Commodore F.K. Bourne of the New York Yacht Club and Vice Commodore Albert C. Bostwick of the Larchmont Yacht Club, had nothing more to do for over an hour and a half. Long before the expected return of the boats some cried out: "There's the Fiat."

Everybody jumped, but another observer set at rest visions of unprecedented time by adding:

It was too true. Mr. Tangemen explained that he either hit a log or something gave way in his steering gear, for the boat suddenly swung around as if on a pivot, and was practically unmanageable after that. Frank Seaman, who managed his boat, assisted by two mechanicians, who struck a submerged obstacle slightly bending his propeller was slower than for the first sixteen miles. For the next sixteen miles up the river the Water Lily mad a magnificent race with the Standard, as the latter rounded the first boat at 3:53:40, while the Water Lily went around at 3:59:55. This was a lead of only 6:15 for the Standard, whereas, to win, were at the end of the race, the Standard would have had to be over 8:37 ahead, one-half of the time of 17:14 allowed in the thirty-two-mile run. The Water Lily averaged on her outward run 17.15 miles an hour, while her average was 15.94 miles for the entire race.

The Standard, however, was worthy of her name, for while her average over the first sixteen miles was 19.80 miles an hour, a mile in about 3:03, this rate was well maintained even on the homeward journey against the tide, for her grand average, as previously given, shows that each of the thirty-two miles was done in 3:05. C.C. Riotte steered his craft, assisted by E.A. Riotte and one mechanician. The splendid showing of the winning boat was a surprise to many of the enthusiasts. Mr. Riotte was frank to admit that he got practically all of the power out of his engines of which they are capable. According to the point system by which the Challenge Cup will be awarded, the Standard now has three points an the Water Lily two points. The summary

CHALLENGE CUP--FIRST RACE 
Course, 32 miles. Start, 3:05 
Boat and Owner             Finish  Time    Cor'd time 
Standard, C.C. Riotte      4:42:48 1:37:48 1:37:48 
Water Lily, Frank Seaman   5:05:26 2:00:26 1:43:12 
Fiat, C.H. Tangeman        Did not finish

The Standard wins by 5:24 corrected time, averaging 19.63 nautical miles an hour.