Inspiriting racing marked the opening of the Irish fixtures at Bangor, and the Royal Ulster Regatta attracted all the big cutters. The wind was fresh from the north-north-east, slab reefs were down in mainsails and sharp-headed topsails set. A thrilling and eventful contest followed a perfectly judged start, and 'Britannia,' 'Satanita,' and 'Valkyrie' formed first flight in a plain sail round the Lough as far as the South Briggs flagboat, where the last named lost her place through one of her hands getting knocked overboard in a gybe. At the same mark in the second round 'Britannia' got the inside turn, when the main boom had to come over; but 'Satanita' at once began to luff, and with mainsheet blocks together on both they went heading out in the Lough. Foot by foot 'Satanita' came up, off Ballyholme Bay she had ranged broad on the weather-beam of her rival, and was thus able to claim room at the home flagboat, which she luffed round with 5 secs. lead, and Jay then kept her shooting almost as long as she would to keep weather berth. 'Britannia' unluckily got her mainsheet jammed, and as she could not in consequence be sprung to the wind--at once--so high as 'Satanita,' she dropped under the lee quarter, and got a severe blanketing all the way up the Lough. The pair sailed an exciting match round the rest of the course, and 'Satanita' travelling like a shooting star reached home winner with 5 secs. in hand. It may be said that the feat was accomplished in one third of the course, 16-1/2 miles, and that she beat 'Britannia' 2 mins. 29 secs. in that distance, which was a very high tribute indeed to 'Satanita's' speed. 'Calluna' finished 7 mins. 19 secs. after the winner. 'Valkyrie' never regained any of the time lost in picking up the hand who got overboard.
[Illustration: Royal Ulster Yacht Club Belfast.]
The breeze steadied down during the dark hours, and the 'Valkyrie' had a day just to her liking. 'Iverna's' well-known racing banner was missed for the first time in the season, owing to her rudder-head being twisted. Spectators were treated to a magnificent light-weather match between the 'Valkyrie' and 'Britannia.' The former took the lead directly after the flash of the starting gun, but she did not seem to ghost along in the usual peerless style. 'Britannia' was with difficulty kept pinned under the lee; in fact, it was evident that 'Valkyrie' could not allow her opponent a cross-tacking chance, or her quarry would certainly have slipped her. The breezes were paltry and patchy, with plenty of white water spots about, and the course was shortened to the extent of one third the distance, 'Valkyrie' eventually crawling home winner about three lengths ahead of 'Britannia,' although there was 1 min. 56 secs. difference between them in time. 'Calluna's' big sail-plan availed her little, and 'Satanita' never once really woke up in the prevailing zephyrs. 'Calluna' finished 16 mins. 53 secs. astern of 'Valkyrie,' and 'Satanita' struggled in against the tide 8 mins. 6 secs. after 'Calluna.'