Average Schneider winning speed rose from about 46 mph in 1913 to roughly 340 mph in 1931. That is an increase of about seven times in only eighteen years. Organizers had to lengthen the course as aircraft performance advanced. The scale of the change helps explain the competition's place in Supermarine's engineering identity and the high-speed aircraft knowledge later applied to wartime fighters.
Notable Point · 25:14-26:20
Schneider racing multiplied aircraft speed sevenfold
Compare the winning averages of 1913 and 1931 to see how quickly racing accelerated aviation technology.