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Show ExpertsSay Ranger Sure To Keep Cup By TOM HOBO AN NEWPORT, R. I., Aug. 4 W Lightened of more than 5000 pounds , of lead ballast, Endeavour II, T. O. M. Sopwith's challenger for the America's cup, faced today her third sailing engagement with Harold S. Vanderbilt'a twice victorious Ranger, Ran-ger, which continued an overwhelming overwhelm-ing favorite to retain th trophy in four straight race, i Ranger weeded two more triumphs ' to turn back the 16th attempt of the British Empire to recover the cup, held in this country sine 1891. Sopwith had th greater part of three ton of inside ballast removed yesterday in the hope the big blue invader would become a mora formidable for-midable contender as a "light air" boat Gentle sephyrs and a calm sea prevailed during the first two races of the best four out of seven series. Sopwlfh ha hoped for livelier weather and, apparently despairing of it, now has tried to adapt the challenger chal-lenger to Old Boreas' parsimony. Fails to Impress The change in Endeavour II failed to Impress observers, who were in general agreement that dumping of two or three tons would have HtMe effect on the sailing qualities of the big metal hull. It did nothing to narrow odds ao prohibitive against her winning that virtually nol'hing was being wagered on the contest If Endeavour II should win one of the remaining racea it would surprise sur-prise everyone, Including Charles E. Nicholson, the man who deaigned her. Nicholson, after witnessing Ranger's first two victories, pronounced pro-nounced th defender potentially 15 minute faster on th 30-mil cup course. Sopwith, also, after weighing weigh-ing the various factors in th challenger's chal-lenger's defeats, had nothing but praise tor th victor, subscribing to Nicholson's pronouncement that Ranger la th fastest class J sloop ever built Great Equaliser A strong wind can be great equaliser of sailing vessels, almost in the sense that in the heat of battle bat-tle the timid and th daring often reach the same heights. In 19343 after Sopwith and his t rsr Endeavour won the two opening racea of that cup series. Vanderbilt added ballast to the defender Rainbow, Rain-bow, th smaller of th two, and she went on to tak four straight races. This year rhe formula has been reversed, re-versed, for 104-ton Endeavour II Is smaller than Ranger by 2 tons, and fr8m the losing boat ballast has been taken. |