Ideal racing weather favoured the opening day of the British Motor Boat Club's annual regatta at Burnham-on-Crouch yesterday. The programme consisted of seven races, for which there were exactly 50 entries, which is a record for a motorboat meeting in Greatly Britain. The prizes included a number of challenge cups presented by Mr. A. J. Wilson, while the cabin-cruisers raced for a cup presented by the Ostend Yacht Club. Nearly all the boats entered started, and a capital day's sport was the result. Owing to one of the mark boats shifting, the first three races were declared off, and were run off again in the afternoon along with the handicaps. it was decided that the 40-footers, Daimler II and Daimler III, should re-sail their race for the Wilson challenge cup to-day (Saturday), when the first-named will be fitted with a new propeller. The cruiser race resulted in a win for Mr. Waterhouse's Leonid by the narrow margin of 2sec. from Captain Dixon's Sphinx. Details:--

Race for Cabin Cruisers. 15 1.2 sea miles. First prize, silver cup, presented by the Ostend Yacht Club; second prize, 5 pounds; third prize, silver metal.

Start 1 1:30 a.m. All the boats entered started, the order across the line being Sphinx, Leonid, Napier Major, K. L., Lethe, Istemono, Tomoye, and Halcyon, the last-named being a minute and a half late. It was a capital race, the handicap working out very fairly so far as the first four boats were concerned. Times:--

Race for Motor-boats exceeding 25ft. and not exceeding 35ft. over all. Under M.M.A. rating and time scale. Time allowance on 1 1 sea miles. First prize, Challenge cup, presented by Mr. A. J. Wilson, and gold medal; second prize, 5 pounds.

Start 4 p.m. Fairbanks was a non-starter. A good race ensued, the finishing and corrected times being :--

Race for Motor-boats not exceeding 25ft. over all. Under M.M.A. rating and time scale. First prize, Challenge cup, presented by Mr. A. J. Wilson, and gold medal; second prize, 5 pounds; third prize, silver medal.

Start 4 p.m.. Rita and Sleuthhound were absentees. The times were:--

Race for Motor-boats not exceeding 40ft. over all. Under M.M.A. rating and time scale. First prize, "Motoring Illustrated' Challenge Cup and Gold Medal; second prize, 5 pounds; third prize, Silver Medal.

Start 4 p.m. The non-starters were Rita, Daimler II and Sleuthhound. Owing to the Y.R.A. ratings of several of the boats not being known, it is impossible to give the result of the race, the finishing times of which were:--

Handicap Sweepstake for Motor-boats not exceeding 15 knots. First prize, one-half; second prize, one-third; third prize, one-sixth of entry fees, with 2 pounds added by the Club.

Handicap Sweepstake for cabin cruisers. Course same as the fourth race. First prize, one-half; second prize, one-third; third prize, one-sixth of entry fees, with 2 pounds added by the Club.

Start 4 p.m. Leonid won again, with Sphinx second. Lethe taking the third prize by l0 sec. from Napier Major. Times:--

(Transcribed from the Times of London, Sep. 14, 1907, p. 12)

[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page —LF]

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