Lot 267: A trial match between Endeavour and Velsheda : Racing off the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes

Richard M. Firth (British, b. 1971)
A trial match betweenEndeavourandVelsheda: Racing off the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes
signed 'Richard M Firth' (lower right)
oil on canvas
28 x 42 in. (71.1 x 106.8 cm.)

Endeavour was designed and built by Camper & Nicholson to the order of Mr. T.O.M. Sopwith for his first America's Cup Challenge in September 1934. Displacing 143 tons and measuring 129= feet in length with a 22 foot beam, she carried 7,560 square feet of sail and was considered the best 'J' boat of her day. Despite this, she narrowly failed to wrest the "Auld Mug" from the American defender Rainbow but nevertheless went on to enjoy a highly successful career and is one of the only three J-class yachts which have survived to ornament the contemporary racing scene.
Velsheda , another contemporary thoroughbred from the same yard and designer, was built for Mr. W.L. Stephenson, the Chairman of Woolworth's (U.K.) in 1933. Extremely fast, she was one of the legendary J-class yachts and even beat the King's Britannia on one celebrated occasion. Apart from her glittering career in the 1930s, during which she won many trophies for her owner, she now shares the distinction - along with Shamrock (V) and Endeavour (I) - of being one of the three remaining J-class boats which have survived until the present day and she is still racing competitively.