The contest had a fairly low-key opening race. Held at Monaco on 16 April
1913, there were only four entrants - three French and one American (although
he was born in Haiti, educated in France and flying a French aircraft). The
day of the contest was sunny and the water calm. The contestants were required
to taxy their aircraft for half a lap before taking off to complete the
remainder of the course.
There was, however, time for some controversy as the winner-elect, Maurice
Prévost, landed his aircraft on the water and taxied across the finish line.
This was in breach of the rules and after refusing to get airborne again, the
famous French pilot Roland Garros, who had dropped out with engine trouble,
returned to the air to complete his race. Prévost was stung into action and
eventually took off again to cross the line correctly and win the race at an
average speed of 45.75mph. Ironically, no French aircraft achieved this feat
in any other Schneider Trophy Race.
With the victors rested the responsibility of organising the following
race, and this was again held at Monte Carlo on the 20 April 1914. The number
of teams increased to five (France, Germany, Switzerland, the USA and Great
Britain) and a few rules were changed. Garros and Prévost again led the
French effort, but the contest was won by Howard Pixton, an Australian, flying
a Sopwith Tabloid.
Such was the pace of the nippy Tabloid, that in a vain attempt to make up
time, two French entries seized their engines and dropped out. After
completing the allotted race distance, Pixton continued for a further two laps
to set a new world seaplane speed record over 300km (186.41 miles) of 86.6mph.
For the race itself, the average speed was 86.78 mph (139.66km/h).
The next contest was held at Bournemouth in September 1919. Teams from
Great Britain, France and Italy were entered and one curious thing about all
the aircraft was that they were biplanes whereas in 1914 they were monoplanes!
The three British entrants were a Sopwith Schneider, Supermarine Sea Lion and
Fairey III.
Sopwith Schneider Biplane
The day of the race was foggy and the start delayed until evening. The fog
caused problems for the first contestant, Vincent Nicholl in the Fairey III,
who narrowly missed a boat mast and another aeroplane before he gave up. The
other British racers fared no better and it was left to Sgt Janello of the
Italian team to make the next attempt.
There was controversy when his race times exceeded the known top speed of
his aircraft. Faulty navigation had caused Janello to miss one of the race
markers and he was disqualified. Fearing a major diplomatic incident, the race
was finally awarded to the Italians some two weeks after the contest only for
the FAI, the governing body, to strip them of the victory but award them the
'honour' of hosting the next race.
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