Conference unifix::sailing

Associated Press Mon 06-OCT-1986 03:44                          America's Cup

                           By PETER O'LOUGHLIN
                        Associated Press Writer
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - If the first day of racing is any
indication, the America's Cup challenger elimination series won't be
a walkover for the six-boat American fleet.
   Three American boats, including one skippered by Dennis Conner,
won their races Sunday as the challenger series began in the choppy
waters off this Western Australian port city. But one of those
victories was by a slim margin over a crippled foe.
   And two American boats were beaten, one by a fiberglass yacht
from New Zealand and the other by a boat from Britain, the country
whose challenge began the sport's premier series 135 years ago.
   Conner, generally acknowledged as the best sailor among the
American flotilla, was the losing skipper in 1983 when Australia
broke the New York Yacht Club's 132-year hold on the cup by winning
the finals at Newport, R.I. Conner's Liberty came up short in the
battle with Australia II and its famed winged keel.
   This time around, Conner is sailing Stars and Stripes under the
colors of his hometown San Diego Yacht Club. That boat got off to a
stirring start in the 234-race round-robin challenger series by
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Associated Press Mon 06-OCT-1986 03:44                 America's Cup (cont'd)

beating the Italian entry Italia by 5 minutes, 49 seconds.
   Thanks in large part to Australia's victory - and Conner's defeat
- in 1983, the current America's Cup field is the largest in
history. Thirteen foreign boats representing six countries will
battle over the next four months for the right to challenge
Australia in the cup finals. Meanwhile, five Australian yachts will
be vying for the honor of defending the cup in the finals, a
best-of-seven series slated to begin on Jan. 31.
   Sunday's races, worth one point to the victors, were staged in
18-knot winds and four-foot seas.
   The American contingent received a jolt when Chris Dickson, at 24
the youngest skipper in the series, guided New Zealand to victory by
a healthy 6:29 over the Chicago Yacht Club's Heart of America. The
Chicago-backed boat is captained by 51-year-old Buddy Melges, the
oldest skipper in the competition.
   The 11-second victory by Britain's Crusader over USA,
representing San Francisco's St. Francis Yacht Club, came despite
the collapse of a mainsail. The crew of British skipper Harold
Cudmore quickly changed a broken masthead fitting and overtook Tom
Blackaller's radical yacht, which was plagued by steering problems.
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Associated Press Mon 06-OCT-1986 03:44                 America's Cup (cont'd)

   ``I made a mistake at the leeward mark and tacked before my crew
was ready, which allowed Harold to take the lead,'' Blackaller said.
``I wish the race had lasted an extra mile and a half.''
   The New York Yacht Club opened its bid to regain the cup when its
captain, John Kolius, guided America II to victory over Canada II,
which lost by only 1:06 even though it had a badly torn mainsail.
   The other American victory was produced by Rod Davis and Eagle,
the Newport, Calif., Harbor Yacht Club's entry. The victim, a
distant 9:21 in arrears, was Challenge France, one of two French
boats.
   In the other race Sunday, French Kiss and skipper Marc Pajot
defeated the other Italian boat, Azzurra, skippered by Mario
Pelaschier, by 3:09.
   Although America II beat its Canadian challenger, Kolius warned
that Canada II ``is going to surprise a lot of people.'' Kolius,
whose has spent two years practicing in these waters, got his yacht
in front only on the final windward leg, as Canadian skipper Terry
Nielson, making his first competitive start in keeled vessel, tried
to overcome the effects of a 10-foot hole in his mainsail.
Associated Press Sun 05-OCT-1986 18:58                 America's Cup (cont'd)

when caught in the rigging.
   ``I have never sailed with a 10-foot hole in the mainsail
before,'' Nielson said.
   The first round attracted about 150 spectator boats but few
shoreside visitors to the port city where more than $50 million has
been spent to prepare for the four-month cup series.
Associated Press Mon 06-OCT-1986 10:00                          America's Cup

   Eds: Updates with Monday's races.
                          By PETER O'LOUGHLIN
                        Associated Press Writer
`FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Dennis Conner took an another step in
his campaign to regain the America's Cup as Stars and Stripes
defeated Azzurra today in a preliminary round race of the challenger
elimination series.
   The series will decide who will face Australia in the America's
Cup which begins off this Indian Ocean port city Jan. 31.
   Two other U.S. boats, San Francisco's USA, skippered by Tom
Blackaller, and Heart of America of Chicago, skippered by veteran
Buddy Melges, scored victories. USA defeated the venerable
Courageous IV of the United States, helmed by Dave Vietor, while
Heat of America trounced Challenge France.
   Light winds delayed the races nearly one hour, and during the
early stages of the race the winds varied from 7 to 10 knots, but
picked up later to 10 to 11 knots.
   England's White Crusader also became a two-time winner in the
long elimination series as it defeated Canada II, while New Zealand
handed Italia its second straight setback, and French Kiss edged
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Associated Press Mon 06-OCT-1986 10:00                 America's Cup (cont'd)

another U.S. boat, Newport Harbor Yacht Club's Eagle.
   America II, the New York Yacht Club entry, and one of the
favorites to win the challenge had the day off.
   There are 13 challengers seeking the right to face Australia's
defender, still to be selected. They will compete in three
round-robin series in which each boat will meet the other once
during each series. A victory in the first round-robin is worth one
point. Five points is granted for each victory in the second
round-robin and 12 to each winner in the third series.
   For the second straight day conner, considered the world's top
match race skipper, lost the start as Azzura crossed the line four
seconds ahead of the San Diego boat. But Stars and Stripes took the
lead on the first windward leg and never never headed.
   Stars and Stripes finished 3 minutes and 19 seconds ahead of the
Italian boat. It was Conner's second straight victory over an
Italian boat. In Sunday's opener, he easily defeated italia.
   The day's closest race was between French Kiss, skippered by Marc
Pajot, and Eagle, sailed by Rod Davis. Kiss had a slight edge by
crossing the starting line two seconds ahead. Davis sailed Eagle to
a 24-second lead at the end of the first mark, but lost it to the
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Associated Press Mon 06-OCT-1986 10:00                 America's Cup (cont'd)

slick French 12-meter at the leeward mark. French Kiss crossed the
finish line 27 seconds ahead of the California boat.
   The most lopsided victory was scored by Blackaller and USA. The
San Francisco boat finished 8:04 ahead of Courageous.
   White Crusader, sailed by Harold Cudmore, again was impressive in
defeating Canada II. Crusader led from start to finish, winning by
l:18 in defeating a boat which had surprised observers by its close
defeat against America II Sunday.
   New Zealand continued to impress with its speed as it easily
defeated Italia. Melges, who was badly trounced in his opening race
by New Zealand, was l:44 ahead of Challenge France at the finish.
Associated Press Sun 05-OCT-1986 18:58                 America's Cup (cont'd)

when caught in the rigging.
   ``I have never sailed with a 10-foot hole in the mainsail
before,'' Nielson said.
   The first round attracted about 150 spectator boats but few
shoreside visitors to the port city where more than $50 million has
been spent to prepare for the four-month cup series.
    

Associated Press Mon 06-OCT-1986 10:00                          America's Cup

                          By PETER O'LOUGHLIN
                        Associated Press Writer
`FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Dennis Conner took an another step in
his campaign to regain the America's Cup as Stars and Stripes
defeated Azzurra today in a preliminary round race of the challenger
elimination series.
   The series will decide who will face Australia in the America's
Cup which begins off this Indian Ocean port city Jan. 31.
   Two other U.S. boats, San Francisco's USA, skippered by Tom
Blackaller, and Heart of America of Chicago, skippered by veteran
Buddy Melges, scored victories. USA defeated the venerable
Courageous IV of the United States, helmed by Dave Vietor, while
Heat of America trounced Challenge France.
   Light winds delayed the races nearly one hour, and during the
early stages of the race the winds varied from 7 to 10 knots, but
picked up later to 10 to 11 knots.
   England's White Crusader also became a two-time winner in the
long elimination series as it defeated Canada II, while New Zealand
handed Italia its second straight setback, and French Kiss edged
another U.S. boat, Newport Harbor Yacht Club's Eagle.
   America II, the New York Yacht Club entry, and one of the
favorites to win the challenge had the day off.
   There are 13 challengers seeking the right to face Australia's
defender, still to be selected. They will compete in three
round-robin series in which each boat will meet the other once
during each series. A victory in the first round-robin is worth one
point. Five points is granted for each victory in the second
round-robin and 12 to each winner in the third series.
   For the second straight day conner, considered the world's top
match race skipper, lost the start as Azzura crossed the line four
seconds ahead of the San Diego boat. But Stars and Stripes took the
lead on the first windward leg and never never headed.
   Stars and Stripes finished 3 minutes and 19 seconds ahead of the
Italian boat. It was Conner's second straight victory over an
Italian boat. In Sunday's opener, he easily defeated italia.
   The day's closest race was between French Kiss, skippered by Marc
Pajot, and Eagle, sailed by Rod Davis. Kiss had a slight edge by
crossing the starting line two seconds ahead. Davis sailed Eagle to
a 24-second lead at the end of the first mark, but lost it to the
slick French 12-meter at the leeward mark. French Kiss crossed the
finish line 27 seconds ahead of the California boat.
   The most lopsided victory was scored by Blackaller and USA. The
San Francisco boat finished 8:04 ahead of Courageous.
   White Crusader, sailed by Harold Cudmore, again was impressive in
defeating Canada II. Crusader led from start to finish, winning by
l:18 in defeating a boat which had surprised observers by its close
defeat against America II Sunday.
   New Zealand continued to impress with its speed as it easily
defeated Italia. Melges, who was badly trounced in his opening race
by New Zealand, was l:44 ahead of Challenge France at the finish.

Associated Press Tue 07-OCT-1986 08:11                          America's Cup
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Dennis Conner is not looking forward
to being home for the holidays.
   ``You'd better be fast in December or you'll be home for
Christmas,'' Conner said today after piloting Stars & Stripes to its
third straight victory on the third day of the first round-robin of
the America's Cup challenger elimination series.
   But Conner indicated that the first of three round robins to
select the semifinalists for the cup was relatively unimportant.
   ``You win only one point for each first round victory,'' he said,
``while the third round gives 12 points for each win.
   ``There's still a long way to go,'' Conner, the losing skipper in
1983 when Australia ended America's 132-year hold on the Cup, added.
``The jury is still out. We'll have to wait and see. I'm thrilled to
be here.''
   The 13 boats are competing in three round-robin series in which
each will meet the other once during each series. Each victory in
the first series is worth one point. Five points are given for each
victory in the second and 12 for each in the third.
   The points are cumulative, with the four highest scorers
advancing to the semifinals.
   Stars & Stripes' victory over Eagle, another American entry
skippered by Rod Davis, kept it tied with New Zealand and French
Kiss on top of the standings among the challengers. New Zealand
defeated USA and French Kiss defeated Courageous IV.
   Another undefeated challenger, John Kolius and America II,
dominated England's White Crusader, skippered by Harold Cudmore, to
win its second race. White Crusader's defeat was its first in three
races, while Eagle lost for the second time in three races.
   Chris Dickson, the 24-year-old skipper of New Zealand, outdueled
USA's 12-meter veteran Tom Blackaller at the starting line, and was
never in trouble after that, winning by one minute, 42 seconds.
   French Kiss scored its third victory when Courageous IV, the Yale
Corinthian entry, had headstay problems after the second leeward
mark and was forced to withdraw.
   Canada II, the hard-luck boat that lost to America II after its
mainsail tore in the opening race and then was thumped by Crusader
on Monday, earned its first win with a victory over Heart of America.
   In the battle for Italian supremacy, Italia easily defeated
Azzurra by 5:10. Both boats lost their first two races.
   Challenge France, 0-2 under Yves Pajot, drew a bye.
   Conner, who had lost his two previous battles to be over the
starting line first, broke even today with Eagle, but then pulled
away to win by an impressive 3:00 margin.
   White Crusader had a one-second edge over America II at the
start, but then fell behind and was unable to catch up. America II
wound up with a 1:27 edge.
   Terry Neilson, the 28-year-old skipper of Canada II, edged Heart
of America's veteran skipper Buddy Melges by two seconds at the
start and was never in trouble, winning by 2:36.
   Dickson, the New Zealand skipper, gained the favorable position
at USA's stern. Seconds before the gun, Dickson headed for the
starting line, crossing it five seconds after the gun, while USA was
over 10 seconds too early and was forced to cross again, 50 seconds
late. The outcome was never in doubt.
   The famed ``Fremantle Doctor,'' the breeze which cools this
Indian Ocean port city, was barely felt, as, for the second straight
day, winds were light. The six races were started in six knots of
wind, which built steadily to 14 knots by the time the yachts
finished.

    You want it sooner ?  You want to TOUCH some of Australia ?  (well
    the VAX anyway !)  Refer to note 411.3 this conference.
    
    Regards,
    Larry

Associated Press Wed 08-OCT-1986 08:04                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Both Chris Dickson of New Zealand and
Marc Pajot, skipper of French Kiss, agreed that big wind shifts
played a key role in New Zealand's comeback victory today in the
first round of the America's Cup challenger elimination series.
   Dickson, the youngest skipper among the 13 America's Cup
challengers, admitted he blew the start. Previously unbeaten French
Kiss led by 59 seconds at the second mark, but New Zealand began to
nibble away at the lead, gaining ground at every mark - including 21
seconds during the final downhill run.
   New Zealand got away to windward while rounding the final mark,
and a fierce tacking duel ensued, as New Zealand put a hard cover on
the French boat and won by 40 seconds for its fourth straight
victory, handing French Kiss its first loss after three wins.
   Pajot said the wind shifts did not allow him to keep a tight
cover on New Zealand and, as a result, it got away.
   New Zealand will face America II, another undefeated boat, in
Thursday's race. Dickson shrugged off the problems of racing two
undefeated boats in two days, saying, ``another day, another race.
They're all tough.''
   America II, sailed by John Kolius, and another top U.S.
challenger, Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes, also remained
undefeated.
   Stars & Stripes is tied with New Zealand at 4-0, while America II
is 3-0.
   America II defeated USA, skippered by Tom Blackaller, by 1:34
while Conner beat England's White Crusader, piloted by Harold
Cudmore, by 1:16. White Crusader lost for the second straight defeat
after two wins. USA is 1-3.
   In the other three races, Buddy Melges and Heart of America
evened its record at 2-2 by coming from behind in the final leg to
defeat Italy's Azzura, 0-4, by 18 seconds. Another U.S. entry,
Eagle, skippered by Rod Davis, humbled winless Courageous IV,
piloted by Dave Vietor, by 10:45 to even its record at 2-2.
   Canada II, 2-2 under Terry Nielson, dominated winless Challenge
France, skippered by Yves Pajot, winning by 5:15. Italia had a bye.
   The winds remained light, ranging from six knots at the start and
building slowly to 13 to 15 knots before dropping to 12 knots at the
finish.
   Heavier winds are forecasts for Thursday and Friday's racing.

       First-round race results are not considered too significant. The
boats earn only one point for each victory. Victories will count for
five points in the second series and 12 in the final series.
   Skippers seek victory in this opening series, but they also
concentrate on fine tuning their 12-meter boats and seek to learn
the tactics employed by their opponents.
finished.
   The round-robin will continue through Dec. 19. The semifinals are
set from Dec. 28 to Jan. 7. The finals run from Jan. 13 to Jan. 23
with the best-of-seven America's Cup match scheduled Jan. 31 to Feb.
15.
    

Associated Press Thu 09-OCT-1986 06:52                          America's Cup

       Eds: Updates with Thursday's races.   
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - New Zealand, skippered by Chris
Dickson, continued its winning ways today with a wind-shortened
victory over previously unbeaten America II on the fifth day of the
first round of the America's Cup challenger series.
   Another American entry, Stars & Stripes, matched New Zealand with
its fifth straight win by sneaking past USA near the finish line for
a six-second victory, the closest finish to date in the series.
   Light winds forced the race committee to shorten the course from
the standard 24.5 nautical miles to a course of 18 nautical miles.
   Earlier, it was learned that Dennis Conner of the Stars & Stripes
syndicate had filed a letter asking for core samples to be taken of
the fiberglass New Zealand boat. But under racing rules, no protest
can be filed until the boats meet on the race course. Stars &
Stripes and New Zealand are scheduled to square off on Wednesday.
   New Zealand's victory over America II, skippered by John Kolius,
knocked the New York Yacht Club entry out of the unbeaten ranks.
   Dickson, at 24 the youngest skipper among the challengers, was
over the starting line ahead of Kolius by one second. It appeared,
however, that America II had the better tack until a major wind
shift lifted New Zealand, which led throughout the race and won by
one minute, five seconds.
   Conner received a gift from USA's Tom Blackaller, who led
throughout the race, but failed to cover Stars & Stripes near the
finish line, allowing Conner to sneak his boat ahead for the narrow
victory.
   The winds were again shifty and light, with breezes between 4 to
8 knots at the start, building to between 11-13 knots at the finish.
The big shifts were credited with giving not only Dickson his
victory, but providing Canada II with its win over French Kiss.
   In the other races: Azzurra won its first victory, defeating
winless Courageous IV. England's White Crusader, skippered by Harold
Cudmore, beat another winless boat, Challenge France, for its third
win in five races.
   Italia also trounced Heart of America. Italia is now 2-2, while
Heart of America is 2-3.
   Canada II, a dark horse in this series, is known to have
excellent speed and Terry Neilsen's boat showed it today, zipping to
a 1:42 victory over French Kiss. Both boats are now 3-2.
   New Zealand will have a a day of rest Friday after defeating
French Kiss and America II on successive days.
   Friday's top race will pit White Crusader against French Kiss,
skippered by Marc Pajot. USA will have a chance to redeem itself
against Heart of America. Canada II draws Italia, Eagle meets
Azzurra and America II will race winless Courageous IV.
   The boats are competing in three round-robin series, in which
each will meet the other once during each series. Each victory in
the first series is worth one point. Five points are given for each
in the second and 12 for each in the third.
   The points are cumulative, with the four highest scorers
advancing to the semifinals.
   The round-robin will continue through Dec. 19. The semifinals are
scheduled from Dec. 28 to Jan. 7. The finals run from Jan. 13 to
Jan. 23, with the winner designated as the challenger in the
best-of-seven America's Cup match against an Australian defender.
That series is scheduled to start Jan. 31.
    

.... Earlier, it was learned that Dennis Conner of the Stars & Stripes
syndicate had filed a letter asking for core samples to be taken of
the fiberglass New Zealand boat ....

Once again Mr Conner's 'sportsmanship' is apparent .... If you can't 
outsail your opponent, PROTEST!

AP News hasn't ben updated since THursday night so here LIVE and in
    VIBRANT COLOR, STRAIGHT FROM THE LAND DOWN UNDER, WE PRESENT THE NIMBLE
    FINGERS OF LARRY CZARNIK!!!!! 
    
              <<< SNO78C::SYS$SYSUTILS:[NOTES$LIBRARY]AUSTRALIA.NOTE;1 >>>
                         -< 20/21st Century Australia >-
================================================================================
Note 119.15     America's Cup in OZ - Scoreboard and Commentary         15 of 15
SNOV17::CZARNIK "Larry Czarnik, Sydney Australia, 6" 56 lines  11-OCT-1986 00:31
                        -< Round Robin Race 6 results >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

		America's Cup Challenger Elimination Series
			      Round Robin 1
				  Race 6

      White Crusader beat French Kiss by 1 min 28 sec

      USA beat Heart of America by 1 min 32 sec

      Italia beat Canada II by 1 min 7 sec

      Eagle beat Azzurra by 2 min 3 sec 

      America II beat Courageous IV by 11 min 33

      Stars & Stripes  beat Challenge France by 4 min 42 sec

      giving New Zealand the bye


      This makes the provisional standings - 

      	Round Robin 1 after race 6 (1 point per race) 

      	Stars & Stripes 	6	(US55, Dennis Conner)
      	New Zealand		5	(KZ7,  Chris Dickson)
      	America II		4	(US46, John Kolius)
      	White Crusader		4	(K24,  Harold Cudmore)
      	French Kiss		3	(F7,   Marc Pajot)
      	Canada II		3	(KC2,  Terry Neilson)
      	Eagle			3	(US60, Rod Davis)
      	Italia			3	(I7,   Aldo Migliaccio)
      	Heart of America	2	(      Buddy Melges)
      	USA			2	(US61, Tom Blackaller)
      	Azzurra			1	(I10,  Mauro Pelaschier)
      	Challenge France	0	(F5,   Yves Pajot)
      	Courageous IV		0	(US26, Dave Vietor)


      Schedule of races for Day 7 -

	Day 7 is a rest day for all yachts.

      
      Some notes - 

      Winds today - 10 to 14 knot sousouwester.

      Thanks to TCN (Channel 9) for the results.  For some reason the Cup 
      Update was not telecast.  TCN helped out by providing the results
      over the phone. 

      Local (Sydney) Daily Newspapers only provide current days activities 
      and schedule for next day only.  Contact in Royal Perth Yacht Club 
      will check to see if the schedules for the next couple of days can be
      made public.  Sees no reason why not.
    
    

Associated Press Mon 13-OCT-1986 06:19                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - John Kolius and America II sailed to
victory today over Dennis Conner and Stars & Stripes in the
America's Cup trials.
   The defeat knocked Conner out of the unbeaten ranks and moves
America II even with the San Diego 12-meter boat. Both boats now
have identical 6-1 records in the elimination series to select a
challenger to meet the Australian defender.
   Kolius was forced to come from behind on the final downwind leg
to nip Conner, who led most of the way for 24.5 nautical-mile race.
   Conner, who many consider the premier 12-meter sailor in the
world, allowed himself to be outfoxed on the downwind leg.
   He led going into the leg by 14 seconds. The two boats dueled
downwind with numerous course changes, but as they neared the mark,
Kolius veered away from Conner and crossed in front of Stars &
Stripes to gain a 35-second edge.
   After rounding the mark the two boats tacked twiced and then
started a long port tack to the finish line. As the two boats neared
the finish line they staged a furious tacking duel, but Conner was
unable to gain enough to overtake his New York Yacht Club rival.
   America II finished the race 23 seconds ahead.
   New Zealand led Italy's Azzura from start to finish in scoring
its seventh victory in the 12-race first round series. In an earlier
trial, New Zealand beat America II.
   There are three round robin series with the top four boats out of
13 challenges going into the semifinals. The first round counts one
point, the second five for each victory, while the third round
provides 12 points for each win.
   England's White Crusader made it a three-way tie for second
position as it defeated Heart of America.
   Winds up to 40 mph created dangerous swells and forced
postponement of Sunday's trial races. It was the first cancellation
since the trials started a week ago.
   It means that the final day of racing in the first round-robin
will be next Saturday. Three round-robins are scheduled, with the
top four boats going into the semifinals.
Kiss' claim and disqualified the Italian boat. Italia, which took
8:55 to cross the starting line, appeared to be more severely
damaged, but both entrants continued racing.
   Meanwhile, the syndicate for Stars and Stripes didn't appear to
be making headway in its request for an inquiry into the
construction of the all-fiberglass hulled New Zealand, undefeated
after six races.
   The American group, headed by Stars and Stripes captain Dennis
Conner, was concerned that the New Zealand hull might be lighter in
the bow and stern, thus making the boat more maneuverable in heavy
weather.
   Courageous IV, a two-time successful America's Cup defender, was
beaten by New Zealand on Saturday and is now 0-6. In other races
Saturday, England's White Crusader beat Azzurra of Italy; Eagle,
4-2, defeated Heart of America; and USA beat Canada II.
   The trials will select a challenger to face Australia's defender
for the America's Cup, starting Jan. 31. Each victory in the first
round-robin counts one point. Second-round race winners get five
points, and in the third round, the winners receive 12 points. The
top four yachts advance to the semifinals.
   ``The plans and construction specifications drawn up for New
Zealand 12 meter yachts complied with the rules and were fully
approved before construction,'' Lloyd's Register said.
   Lloyd's said one of its surveyors was on hand for up to 16 hours
a day monitoring the construction throughout the building stages.
   ``Accordingly, Lloyd's Register can see no reason for further
confirmatory action such as core sampling of the hull of this
contender.''

    re. -1
    There seems to be a problem with this AP article. It references what
    appears to have been a collision, protest and disqualification.
    Does anyone know anything about this. I've just checked the Australia
    conference and they haven't updated note 119 yet
    Ed

    Sorry about the delay, but I have a surprise that I think will make
    it worth the wait.  BTW, all up to date now.
    
    Regards,
    Larry

Re .10

What you are seeing is a known problem in the AP news application. When the AP
videotex database is updated, the assumption is made that a new article with
the same name as an existing article (eg. AMERICA'S CUP, AMERICA'S CUP GLANCE)
is an updated or corrected version of the article. Unfortunately the
assumption is often false. The older article is overwritten but any trailer
pages from a longer older article are not cleaned up and remain visible. What
happened here was that this morning's article overwrote an article recevied
over the weekend. It can even happen that two articles received during the
same AP update collide. The problem is recognized by a missing "--> more" line
in the output file from the save/all command. 

Now as far as the collision goes Italia and French Kiss did collide during 
their prestart maneuvers. At the time French Kiss was on starboard and Italia 
on port. Both boats flew protest flags with Italia claiming that French Kiss 
was sailing above close-hauled and French Kiss claiming the obvious (starboard 
over port). French Kiss won the race and the protest.

- bob

Associated Press Tue 14-OCT-1986 06:02                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Unbeaten New Zealand, skippererd by
Chris Dickson, raced past England's White Crusader today for its
eighth straight victory in the first round-robin of the America's
Cup challenger elimination series.
   Despite losing a man overboard prior to the race, New Zealand
stayed in front all the way, running its record to 8-0 with four
races left in the first round.
   White Crusader won the start against Dickson, but that was all.
The English boat was over the line three seconds ahead of New
Zealand and on the favored left side of the course. But by the first
mark, Dickson had helmed his sleek boat to a 49-second lead and was
never headed.
   Should he defeat Stars & Stripes Thursday, Dickson should have
clear sailing during the remainder of the first round robin of the
elimination series. New Zealand meets Eagle Wednesday, Canada II
Friday and ends the series Saturday against winless Challenge
France. None of his future opponents, except Stars & Stripes, have
raced consistently well.
   White Crusader, skippered by Harold Cudmore, was 6-2 entering the
race and was expected to provide a good test for New Zealand. But
the race was no contest, as New Zealand won by four minutes in
moderate weather conditions.
   Stars & Stripes renewed its demand that Yacht Club Costa
Smeralda, the club in charge of the series, have the New Zealand
resurveyed by Lloyd's Register. Lloyd's, which oversaw the
specifications and construction of the boat, has denied the need for
a resurvey.
   The controversy has to do with the weight of the fiberglass used
in the New Zealand. Should it be lighter in the bow and stern, the
boat would sail better in heavy seas.
   Malin Burnham, syndicate chief for Stars & Stripes, did not rule
out a protest when the two boats meet Thursday.
   He also said if Costa Smeralda did not call a meeting of the
Challenger's Committee, it might be possible for a two-thirds
majority to bring the group together. Burnham indicated 10 of the 13
syndicates were sympathetic to Stars & Stripes' position.
   In other races, Marc Pajot routed his brother, Yves Pajot, as
French Kiss defeated Challenge France. Both boats flew protest flags
after the start. French Kiss won by 17 minutes, 40 seconds, the
biggest difference in any race in the series
   In a minor surprise, Italia defeated Eagle, skippered by Rod
Davis. Italia led throughout the race.
   Stars & Stripes picked up an easy point as Courageous IV was
unable to start the race. The still-winless Courageous broke its
boom 11 minutes before the start and was forced to withdraw.
   John Kolius and America II kept within shooting distance of the
New Zealanders with an easy victory over Heart of America. America
II now has seven victories and one defeat going into the ninth day
of the series. It is tied with Stars & Stripes for second place
behind New Zealand.
   Azzurra was unable to finish the race against Canada II. It
suffered gear problems midway through the race.
   The elimination series to select a challenger consists of three
rounds, with the first round carrying one point for each victory,
five points for each second round win and 12 points for winners in
the third and final round. The four top boats move into the
semifinals.
   Gary Sheard, who had been the designated skipper of Steak 'n
Kidney, the Eastern Australian Defense Syndicate entry in the
defender series, was released today by syndicate chief Syd Fischer.
   He has been replaced by Fred Neill who, according to syndicate
spokesmen, has been steering the yacht extensively since its
launching in Sydney and in its trials off Fremantle.
   No reason was given for the change.
    

Associated Press Wed 15-OCT-1986 07:05                          America's Cup

       Eds: Updates with Canada II protest dropped.   
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Stars & Stripes and New Zealand set
the stage for their showdown grudge match with victories in today's
America's Cup challenger elimination series.
   Stars & Stripes, skippered by Dennis Conner, came from behind
after a bad start to beat Canada II, while unbeaten New Zealand,
piloted by 24-year-old Chris Dickson, pounded another U.S. entry,
Eagle. The two are scheduled to meet Thursday.
   New Zealand has now won nine straight races without a loss, while
Stars & Stripes is 8-1, losing only to John Kolius and America II.
America II is also 8-1, losing only to New Zealand.
   Canada II had protested its loss to Stars & Stripes, contending
that Conner had tacked too close at the first mark. But Canada II
dropped the protest because it found after discussing the incident
that it lacked enough evidence, accoding to a spokesman for skipper
Terry Neilsen.
   Feelings between the New Zealand camp and Conner's syndicate has
been running high since the U.S. group has demanded the New Zealand
boat be resurveyed.
   Stars & Stripes fears the New Zealand, the only fiberglass boats
among the challengers for the America's Cup, may be too light in the
bow and stern. This would provide them with an advantage in heavy
seas.
   America II kept its first-round hopes alive with a close win over
French Kiss. The French boat, skippered by Marc Pajot, stayed close
to America II throughout the race and lost by only 33 seconds.
   Stars & Stripes is the last major barrier between New Zealand and
an unbeaten record in first-round competition. If Conner is unable
to stop New Zealand's undefeated streak, Dickson and his crew will
have momentum on their side when the second round starts on Nov. 2.
   First-round wins are worth one point, while victories in the
second round are worth five points and third-round victories are
worth 12 points.
   Two other protests were filed after today's races. Heart of
America defeated Courageous IV, but both boats filed protests over a
collision prior to the start that caused minor damage to each.
   Azzurra was forced to drop out of its race against Challenge
France because of steering gear problems. It was the second day in a
row the Italian boat has had steering problems. Azzurra lodged a
protest over an incident prior to the start.

   In the other race, USA continued to show improvement as it
defeated Italia by 3:52. The San Francisco-based boat, skippered by
Tom Blackaller, is the most radical boat in the challenger series.
It features a different underbody with rudders fore and aft.
   USA started slowly, but has shown improvement in each race and is
now considered a dark horse in the challenger series.

    Too much wind. No races. No protest.
    
    Stay tuned.
    
    Ed

		America's Cup Challenger Elimination Series
			      Round Robin 1
				  Race 11

      America II beat Azzurra by 6 min 34 sec

      White Crusader beat Eagle by 4 min 43 sec

      Italia beat Courageous IV (retired with broken boom, again !)

      Stars & Stripes beat New Zealand by 49 sec

      USA beat Challenge France (retired)

      French Kiss beat Heart of America by 3 min 40 sec

      giving Canada II the bye


      This makes the provisional standings - 

      	Round Robin 1 after race 11 (1 point per race) 

      	New Zealand		9	(KZ7,  Chris Dickson)
      	Stars & Stripes 	9	(US55, Dennis Conner, San Diego YC)
      	America II		9	(US46, John Kolius, New York YC)
      	White Crusader		7	(K24,  Harold Cudmore)
      	French Kiss		6	(F7,   Marc Pajot)
      	Italia			6	(I7,   Aldo Migliaccio)
      	USA			6	(US61, Tom Blackaller)
      	Canada II		5	(KC2,  Terry Neilson)
      	Eagle			4	(US60, Rod Davis)
      	Heart of America	3	(US51, Buddy Melges)
      	Azzurra			1	(I10,  Mauro Pelaschier)
      	Challenge France	1	(F5,   Yves Pajot)
      	Courageous IV		0	(US26, Dave Vietor)

      
      Schedule drawn for Race 12 - 
					Course 
      	Courageous IV vs Challenge France  1
      	Canada II vs New Zealand	   2
      	Eagle vs America II		   1
      	French Kiss vs Stars & Stripes 	   2
      	Italia vs White Crusader	   1
        USA vs Azzurra			   2
      	giving Heart of America the bye

      
      Some notes - 
    
      Winds today were 14 to 17 knots souwester, with morning showers
      clearing by race time (1pm).  Seas slight to moderate with low
      swells. 

      Stars & Stripes appears not to have protested.  Reports this morning 
      that a meeting of many of the syndicates will take place soon to 
      discuss the New Zealand "light ends to the boat" issue.

      Stars & Stripes led the whole race, with New Zealand never getting 
      closer than 18 secs.
    
    In the interest of getting the results of the highly publicized race
    between the New Zealand and Stars & Stripes, the schedule for all the
    Defenders' Races which is now available, will be in the following reply
    later. 

Associated Press Sat 18-OCT-1986 06:00                          America's Cup

   EDS: Updates with race results; No pickup.
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Stars & Stripes, America II and New
Zealand, the three leading contenders in the America's Cup
challenger elimination series, all scored easy victories today in
the next-to-last day of the first round-robin.
   New Zealand, which lost Friday to Dennis Conner and Stars &
Stripes, bounced back to beat Canada II. Stars & Stripes defeated
French Kiss and America II whipped Eagle, another American contender.
   The three boats have identical records of 10-1 with one race left
in the first series. The final first-round races, scheduled for
Sunday, pit New Zealand against Challenge France, America II vs.
Italia and Stars & Stripes against Heart of America.
   It would be considered a major upset if any of the three leaders
were defeated Sunday.
   The opening-round wins are worth one point each. Second-round
victories are worth five points and third-round triumphs worth 12
points. The top four boats will go to the semifinals.
   The sentimental favorite among the challengers, Courageous IV,
skippered by Dave Vietor, won its first victory after 10 losses,
defeating Challenge France by one minute, seven seconds.
   The fate of Courageous IV, which twice successfully defended the
America's Cup for the U.S. but lacks the speed to keep up with the
newer boats, is in doubt. A spokesman for the Yale Corinthian Yacht
Club has said it will either completely revamp Courageous IV,
purchase a new boat or drop out of the series.
   In the other two challenger races, USA thumped Italy's Azzurra by
five minutes, 22 seconds, and England's White Crusader came from
behind on the final leg to defeat Italia.
   It was the seventh victory for the USA, the San Francisco-based
boat skippered by Tom Blackaller.
   USA is considered the most radical boat among the 19 racing to be
in the America's Cup, which begins Jan. 31, 1987. It has two
rudders, one forward of the keel. Blackaller said early there were
problems with the steering system, but USA has improved day-by-day
and is considered a top challenger to make the semi-finals.
   Italia and White Crusader both protested their race, but the
reason for the protests was not known.
   The six Australian boats seeking to defend the Cup also began the
first round of their elimination series.
   Kookaburra II and III made impressive starts, defeating Australia
III and Steak'n Kidney, respectively. Australia III won the World
12-meter Championship held off this Indian Ocean port city earlier
this year.
   Alan Bond's new Australia IV fared better, beating South
Australia.
   Skipper Iain Murray, also who helped design Kookaburra III, won
handily from Steak'n Kidney by 4 minutes, 3 seconds. Australia IV
finished 2:39 ahead of South Australia, while Kookaburra II was 1:56
ahead of Australia III.
   The first round of the defender series carries one point for each
victory. Second-round winners get two points, while third-round wins
are worth three points. The top four boats move into the semifinals.
   Sunday's defender series finds Kookaburra III against Australia
IV, Kookaburra II vs. South Australia and Australia III will face
Steak'n Kidney.

Associated Press Sat 18-OCT-1986 08:19                          America's Cup

Optional
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - While the battle for the right to
challenge for the America's Cup continues, Courageous IV, which
twice successfully defended the Cup for the United States, is
preparing to sail off into the sunset.
   Jeff Foster, a spokesman for the the Yale Corinthian Yacht Club,
the Courageous IV syndicate sponsor, said today the boat will sail
its final race Sunday, when the first round-robin challenger series
ends.
   Foster said his group is attempting to purchase another 12-meter
to continue in the elimination series, but added that if the
syndicate is unable to purchase another boat, it will drop out.
   Only two of the other five U.S. syndicates have boats available.
America II has two other boats, while Stars & Stripes has one. The
America II syndicate reportedly has rejected offers to purchase
either of its extra boats.
   America's Cup rules state that the boat must be built in the
country it represents, ruling out purchase of the extra boats from
foreign syndicates.
   Ironically, Courageous won its first race after 10 losses in the
opening round-robin today, beating Challenge France.
   Meanwhile, Stars & Stripes, America II and New Zealand, the three
leading contenders in the America's Cup challenger elimination
series, all scored easy victories in the next-to-last day of the
first round-robin.
   New Zealand, which lost Friday to Dennis Conner and Stars &
Stripes, bounced back to beat Canada II by 22 minutes, 37 seconds.
Stars & Stripes defeated French Kiss by 3:40 and America II whipped
Eagle, another American contender, by 1:35..
   The three boats have identical records of 10-1 with one race left
in the first series. The final opening-round races, scheduled for
Sunday, pit New Zealand against Challenge France, America II vs.
Italia and Stars & Stripes against Heart of America.
   It would be considered a major upset if any of the three leaders
were defeated Sunday.
   In the other two challenger races, USA, now 7-4, thumped Italy's
Azzurra by five minutes, 22 seconds, and England's White Crusader,
8-3, came from behind on the final leg to defeat Italia in a race
that was protested by both boats.
   The opening-round wins are worth one point each. Second-round
victories are worth five points and third-round triumphs worth 12
points. The top four boats will go to the semifinals.
   The defender series also began today, with two of the favorites
among the six boats, Australia IV and Kookaburra III, winning
easily. Kookaburra II was the other winner.
   A showdown match between Australia IV and Kookaburra III is
scheduled Sunday. Iain Murray, Kookaburra's skipper, and Australia
IV's Colin Beashel refused to make a prediction on the outcome of
the race. Both believed it would be close.
   Peter Gilmore, who piloted Kookaburra II to victory over
Australia III, said big wind shifts provided him with the margin of
victory.
   ``The changes came our way,'' he said, ``and they provided the
margin of victory.'
   Asked to pick their favorites among the foreign challengers, the
Australians agreed that Stars & Stripes, America II and New Zealand
appeared to be the top boats, with England's White Crusader close
behind.

Associated Press Mon 20-OCT-1986 05:37                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Kookaburra III easily outdistanced
Australia III today in the third day of the series to select a
12-meter yacht to defend for Australia in the America's Cup.
   Kookaburra III chalked up its third victory in as many days as it
trounced Australia III by four minutes, 30 seconds. It was an
impressive victory for skipper Iain Murray, the boat's designer.
Australia III won the 12-meter world championships here earlier in
the year.
   Kookaburra III took Gordon Lucas and Australia III by nine
seconds at the start and was 1:18 ahead at the first windward mark.
Lucas was able to gain 15 seconds on the downwind leg, but from that
point it was all Murray's race.
   Alan Bond's syndicate received a little compensation as Australia
IV defeated Kookaburra II by 20 seconds. But it was little
consolation as the new Ben Lexcon-designed boat trailed at the fifth
mark by 10 seconds, and only a bad spinnaker set allowed Colin
Beashel and Australia IV to regain the lead.
   Kookaburra II was flying a protest flag from its transom as the
race ended. The protest will not be heard until Tuesday.

       The exact cause of Kookaburra's spinnaker problems is unknown,
but the giant balloon sail appeared to be snagged on the spinnaker
pole. When the crew finally got the sail up gallons of water poured
from it.
   In the other race, South Australia broke into the victory column
with a victory over Steak'n Kidney by 1:12. It was the third
straight defeat for the Sydney boat skippered by Fred Neil.
   Lexcon, who designed Australia II, the boat which won the
America's Cup from the New York Yacht Club, must be puzzled at the
performance of his latest boat. It was designed for heavy weather,
and the race was held in winds of 15 to 18 at the start building to
24 knots later in the day.
   Tuesday the two Kookaburra boats meet each other, while Australia
IV meets Steak'n Kidney and Australia III battles South Australia.

Associated Press Thu 23-OCT-1986 02:33                           Americas Cup

      FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - The closeness of the America's Cup
defender trials, led surprisingly by Kookaburra III, will strengthen
Australia's effort to retain sailing's most coveted prize, the
executive director of a rival syndicate says.
   ``I think we have four, but maybe six, very competitive boats,
and it's going to be one heck of a fight for anyone to get in the
final,'' Warren Jones said Wednesday.
   Jones directs the efforts of the Perth-based Alan Bond syndicate,
which won the Cup in 1983 with Australia II. Both current Bond
boats, Australia III and Australia IV, lost first-round races to
undefeated Kookaburra III.
   With Iain Murray at the helm, Kookaburra III, finished the first
round of sailing with a 5-0 record. It begins the second round on
the Indian Ocean on Friday against Australia IV, the top Bond boat.
   Colin Beashel, skipper of Australia IV, will try to avenge a
43-second setback at the hands of Kookaburra III. The loss was the
only one inflicted on Australia IV in the five races in the opening
round.
   Despite the loss to Kookaburra III, Jones maintains Australia IV
is the fastest 12-meter afloat when sailing in its designed ``upper
range'' winds. But the defeat by Kookaburra III and a near setback
against Kookaburra II, also of the Taskforce Syndicate, has proved
Australia IV will at least be tested.
   The syndicates agree, however, that neither has established
superiority based on the early results.
   Each victory in the opening round was worth one point. The points
double in the second round, and each victory in the third is worth
three.
   The top four scorers in the six-boat competition advance to the
semifinals. The eventual winner will meet the survivor of a 13-boat
challenger field in the best-of-seven America's Cup series starting
in late January.
   In other races Friday, South Australia, 1-4 under John Savage,
meets Kookaburra II, 3-2 under Peter Gilmour, and Australia III, 2-3
under Gordon Lucas, takes on winless Steak'n Kidney, with Fred Neill
at the helm.
   In the final first-round races on Wednesday, Kookaburra III
routed South Australia by 6 minutes, 43 seconds; Kookaburra II
topped Steak'n Kidney by 4:11, and Australia IV beat Australia III
by 3:07.

Associated Press Mon 27-OCT-1986 04:26                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Kookaburra III, vying to defend the
America's Cup for Australia, seems to win no matter who's at the
helm.
   Syndicate skippers Iain Murray and Peter Gilmour switched boats
Sunday, and Kookaburra III, Murray's regular boat, won by six
seconds with Gilmour in command. Kookaburra III, with Murray at the
helm, beat Kookaburra II by only two seconds in their first meeting.
   The Perth-based boat, a winner in seven of eight races, held a
one-point lead over Australia IV after eight first-round races in
the six-boat competition being staged on the Indian Ocean. Its
opponent today, South Australia, was 2-6. In other races Australia
IV, 6-2, met Australia III, 4-4, and Kookaburra II, 5-3, took on
Steak'n Kidney, 0-8.
   In other races Sunday, Australia III, with Gordon Lucas at the
helm, defeated South Australia, skippered by John Savage, by 2
minutes, 17 seconds, and Australia IV, with Colin Beashel the
helmsman, beat Steak'n Kidney, which experienced problems under Fred
Neill and did not finish.
   Unless South Australia and Steak'n Kidney can produce surprising
victories in the next two rounds, the two Kookaburra boats and the
two Alan Bond syndicate boats, Australia III and Australia IV, will
be in the defender semifinals, which begin Dec. 27.
   First series races provide one point for each victory. This is
doubled in the second series, which is a triple round-robin. The
third series, also a triple round-robin, provides three points for
each victory.
   Despite its four victories, the Bond syndicate is disappointed in
the performance of Australia III and is hinting major changes in the
boat will be made when the series ends.
   Australia III won the world championship for 12-meter yachts
earlier this year.
   A protest by Australia IV was dismissed after a long hearing
Sunday night. Beashel had protested against Kookaburra II over an
incident in Saturday's race, won by Gilmour. Gilmour, in turn,
lodged a double protest against Beashel.
   The dismissal of the protest allowed Kookaburra II to retain its
victory. The two Kookaburra II protests against Australia IV also
were dismissed.

Associated Press Tue 28-OCT-1986 05:29                          America's Cup

       Eds: Updates with today's races.     
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Kookaburra III clinched first place
in the opening round of the defender trials for the America's Cup
today, sailing unopposed to victory as winless Steak n' Kidney
withdrew before the race.
   While Steak n' Kidney was pulled out in preparation for major
keel surgery, Gerry Driscoll, the General Manager of the Eagle
Syndicate, one of the 12 remaining entrants in the challenger
trials, resigned today.
   On the final day of the first round of the defender's trials,
Kookaburra III earned its ninth win in 10 races as it sailed the
course without opposition from Steak'n Kidney.
   Kookaburra II, skippered by Peter Gilmour, defeated Gordon Lucas
and Australia III by two minutes, nine seconds and finished the
first round at 7-3. Australia IV, with Colin Beashel at the helm,
won by 2:08 over Phil Thompson and South Australia to finish 8-2.
   While the challengers resume racing Sunday, the second round of
defenders' trials does not begin until Nov. 9.
   The withdrawal of Steak'n Kidney was followed by a terse
statement which said that ``modifications need to be made to the
yacht, including its keel and its wings.''
   Syndicate chief Syd Fischer was not available for comment.
   Driscoll indicated crew performance as the basic cause for what
he said was ``philsophical differences'' that lead to his
resignation. Driscoll refused to be specific at an impromptu news
conference.
   Driscoll denied the syndicate faced any serious financial
problems, despite word from the United States that Stars & Stripes
skipper Dennis Conner said Eagle had been unable to raise additional
funds and was finished.
   Eagle has been known more for its beautiful graphic paintwork
than its racing ability.
   The boat, designed by Johan Valentijn, has a beautiful painted
eagle on each side of its hull, its claws reaching down to the
winged keel.
   Eagle is skippered by Rod Davis, the 1984 Olympic soling gold
medallist. But it went 4-8 in the first round, finishing with six
straight losses and ending up ninth.
   There has been some minor work on removing ballast and increasing
sail area, but no major changes were made.
   There had been rumors that Eagle would follow Courageous IV and
pull out of the series. But Valentijn denied the rumor and said
Eagle would definitely take part in the second round of the
challenger trials, which start Sunday.
   Driscoll said he ``feels his resignation will allow the sailing
program to continue with management continuity.''
   Two other members of Driscoll's staff, Public Relations officer
Dolores Virtue and Shore Manager Robin Feuger, also resigned.
   Both said they were leaving for similar reasons. Virtue said she
was leaving, ``because we don't think management is facing up to the
weakensses.''
   Driscoll told reporters that morale in the syndicate was
``fine,'' and that he was not asked to resigne, nor pressured to do
so. Driscoll also said he had strong faith in the design of the
yacht.
   ``I don't think the boat is being sailed to its full potential
right now,'' he said.
   Driscoll also said he did not believe the syndicate's financial
problems were as critical as that of the boat's racing performance.
   ``I don't want to go into details,'' he said. But Virtue said the
    three departing members felt changes needed to be made on the boat.
   She denied any dispute with Davis, whom she described as ``a
super guy and a wonderful helmsman.''
    

Associated Press Mon 03-NOV-1986 07:12                          America'sCup  
     FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - New Zealand gained a measure revenge
today by defeating skipper Dennis Conner and Stars & Stripes in
weather marked by wild wind shifts.
   It was some of the heaviest weather encountered by the 12 boats
seeking to challenge Australia for the America's Cup.
   The victory, along with America II's triumph over French Kiss,
kept the New Zealanders and John Kolius' New York Yacht Club entry,
atop of the fleet standings in the second day of the second round
robin.
   USA, which beat Conner Sunday, ran into headsail problems and
turned what appeared to be a sure victory into defeat by Eagle, the
Newport Harbor 12-meter yacht.
   The victory was sweet revenge for Chris Dickson, the 24-year-old
skipper of New Zealand. New Zealand's crew remains bitter over
Conner's attempts to force remeasurement of their fiberglass boat,
plus the fact that Stars & Stripes handed the New Zealanders their
only defeat during the first round.
   The winds, accompanied by heavy rain squalls, battered the fleets
    in early going, but became lighter toward the end of the day. The
winds ranged from 20 to 25 knots.
   The giant wind shifts forced postponement of the final race of
the day between France and Heart of America for two hours. The race
for the two boats was shortened to 10.15 miles instead of the 24.5
miles sailed by the other 10 boats.
   Dickson's victory over his older opponents did not come easy. He
had to overcome a beautiful start by the 44-year-old Conner and
mainsail problems which twice saw the sail come tumbling down.
Brilliant crew work saved the day.
   Conner's boat beat New Zealand over the start line by three
seconds and the American's maneuvering put him on the favorable
tack. At the first crossing he was 1 1/2 boat-lengths ahead.
   Then mother nature took over and a giant windshift of 75 degrees
on the first windward beat put New Zealand ahead, a lead they never
lost. The wind shift was so big that both boats went from a beat to
a spinnaker reach. A reach is when the wind comes over the side of
the hull.
   The New Zealanders led by eight seconds at the first mark and
held a close edge until the final beat to the finish line when they
    stretched their lead to 58 seconds.
   New Zealand had its mainsail problems, but Stars & Stripes lost a
headsail over the side at one mark, and the bowman had trouble
raising the spinnaker pole on another run.
   In the other races, White Crusader defeated Italia by 2:04, Eagle
defeated USA by 3:22, Canada II defeated Azzurra by 2:17, America II
beat French Kiss by 53 seconds and Heart of America defeated
Challenge France by 1:40.
   America II and New Zealand now have 21 points after two
consecutive victories in the five-point second round robin. They are
three points ahead of White Crusader. USA with 13 points remains one
point ahead of Italia, while Stars and Stripes and Canada II are
tied with 11 points.
   USA faces another tough race Tuesday when it meets French Kiss.
Kiss proved in its narrow loss to America II that it is fast in
heavy weather conditions.
   New Zealand takes on the improved Eagle, while America II meets
Azzurra, who has only one point. Stars & Stripes could get back in
the win column with a victory over Challenge France, which has only
two points.
    hite Crusader faces a tougher task in Canada II, while Italia
will attempt to regain its winning form against Heart of America.
    

Associated Press Thu 06-NOV-1986 06:45                          America's Cup

   Eds: Updates with today's races.
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - America II and New Zealand survived
heavy winds to maintain their hold on first place today in the
second round of the America's Cup challenger trials.
   America II, the New York Yacht Club entry skippered by John
Kolius, easily defeated Canada II, while New Zealand, piloted by
Chris Dickson, downed Italy's Azzurra, currently last among the 12
challengers. Both now have 36 points.
   The heavy Indian Ocean winds, gusting to more than 25 miles an
hour, caused one crewman to be swept off French Kiss and caused two
other boats to retire.
   French Kiss lost 1 minute, 35 seconds when its tender had to
recover the crewman and return him to the boat. Despite the lost
time, French Kiss still beat Challenge France.
   England's White Crusader was leading USA when its mast bent and
it was forced to withdraw. Heart of America was trailing Eagle when
a backstay winch broke, also forcing a withdrawal.
   It was the second straight day of bad breaks for White Crusader,
the English boat skippered by Harold Cudmore. It had to sail with
only 10 men Wednesday against America II after a freak accident
injured grinder Paul Rushent, then had problems with the spinnaker.
   Heart of America, with Buddy Melges at the helm, was trailing Rod
Davis and Eagle by only 22 seconds when the winch broke.
   Stars & Stripes, skippered by Dennis Conner, jumped into third
place as it defeated Italia by 5:15, knocking the Italian boat from
fourth to sixth in the standings.
   Conner's boat now has 26 points. USA moved into a tie with White
Crusader for fourth with 23 points.
   America II, which has won 14 straight races, lost the start to
Canada II but wound up winning by 3:41.
   New Zealand was ahead throughout its race against Azzurra,
winning the start by five seconds and finishing 5:19 in front.
   French Kiss, despite its problems, won by 4:01, giving Marc Pajot
a victory over his brother, Yves.
   Second-round wins are worth five points each, while third-round
wins will be worth 12 points. Opening-round victories were worth one
point each.
   The top four boats will move into the best-of-seven semifinals.

Associated Press Fri 07-NOV-1986 07:50                          America's Cup

   Eds: Updates with protest dropped; new information on meeting.
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Co-leader America II sailed past
Italia today for its 15th straight victory in the America's Cup
challenger trials.
   New Zealand, skippered by Chris Dickson, remained tied for the
lead with America II by knocking off England's White Crusader. Both
boats have 41 points at the midpoint of the second round.
   Stars & Stripes remained third, 10 points behind the leaders, by
beating Eagle, while USA moved into fourth with a victory over
Canada II.
   In other races, Italy's Azzurra beat Challenge France and French
Kiss defeated Heart of America.
   There are no races scheduled for Saturday, but it was learned
today that the 12 challengers will meet on the off-day to decide
whether to change the racing format midway in the series.
   Bruno Trouble, a spokesman for the challenger series, confirmed
that a meeting was scheduled. But Trouble said he did not believe
any changes will be forthcoming.
   ``Meetings were held all over the world prior to the event to
decide on the format,'' he said, ``and it is unlikely it will be
changed at this late date.''
   Veteran America's Cup racer Gary Jobson said he believes the
changes were favored by at least four syndicates - USA, Heart of
America, New Zealand and White Crusader.
   Four proposals reportedly are being studied by the challengers.
   One would split the 12 challengers into two divisions, A and B,
with the top six boats in Division A. At the end of the third
series, the top three boats in Division A and the leader in Division
B would be included in the semifinals.
   A variation of this proposal would place six boats in the
semifinals instead of the scheduled four.
   Another proposal would add another round-robin series to the
format. This would be held during the lay days between the current
second and third series.
   The fourth proposal would make the semifinals and finals
best-of-nine series instead of bestof-seven.
   Reportdly, the changes are being considered in order to provide
the top boats with more competitive racing and a chance to meet the
other leading challengers more often.
   It's believed this would make the challengers more competitive in
    the America's Cup finals against the Australian defender.
   New Zealand and America II were both impressive in their
victories, though White Crusader flew a protest flag midway in the
race. However, after viewing tapes of the race, skipper Harold
Cudmore decided not to file the protest, according to helmsman Chris
Law.
   Despite a blown-out spinnaker, New Zealand pulled away on the
final three legs for a 1 minute, 28-second victory.
   America II, skippered by John Kolius, also survived a blown
spinnaker to win by 1:32.
   Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes, rallying after losing its first
two second-round races, hammered Eagle, skippered by Rod Davis, by
6:29.
   Tom Blackaller's double-ruddered USA downed Canada II by 4:06 to
move into fourth place with 28 points. French Kiss moved into fifth
with 25, while White Crusader has 23.
   First-round wins were worth one point, while second-round wins
are worth five points and 12 points will be awarded for a
third-round win.
    

Associated Press Tue 11-NOV-1986 06:55                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Armed with a new generation of
light-weather sails, England's White Crusader defeated Stars &
Stripes in light breezes today in the second round of the America's
Cup challenger trials.
   Harold Cudmore, skipper of White Crusader, said his crew ``felt
confident of beating Stars & Stripes in the light air. We have the
speed and sailed with our new sails.''
   All six challengers' races were pushed back two hours and 15
minutes due to lack of wind, a decision Cudmore called
``justified,'' adding that ``by the time the race started, we had 10
knots of breeze.''
   The delay forced the Race Committee to cut the course from 24.5
to 10.15 miles, but Cudmore said the abbreviated circuit didn't both
his boat. ``A shortened course meant we won by a smaller margin,''
he said.
   The loss was the third second-round setback for Dennis Conner and
Stars & stripes, dropping it further behind the top two boats, New
Zealand and America II, which both won their races. White Crusader
now trails third-place Stars & Stripes by only three points, 41-38.
   Conner has said that if the winds remain light, his boat could be
back in the U.S. before Thanksgiving.
   New Zealand remained five points ahead of America II by beating
USA, the San Francisco-based boat skippered by Tom Blackaller, by
one minute, 25 seconds. America II, skippered by John Kolius,
defeated Challenge France by 3:16. New Zealand now has 56 points,
while America II has 51.
   In the other races, French Kiss defeated Italia, Eagle edged
Azzurra and Canada II trounced Heart of America.
   French Kiss' victory moved it into fifth place, ahead of USA and
three points behind White Crusader.
   Each second round victory is worth five points to the winner.
First-round wins were worth one point and in the third round, which
begind Dec. 2, winners will get 12 points.
   The top four boats move into the semifinals, which will begin
Dec. 28.
   Stars & Stripes' loss changes the pitcure for the semifinals. It
had been thought that Stars & Stripes, America II and New Zealand
would fill three of the four semifinal berths. America II and New
Zealand still seem to be the fastest boats among the 12 challengers.
   But the battle for the other two semifinal spots is now a
wide-open race between Stars & Stripes, White Crusader, USA and
French Kiss. There is only an eight-point spread between the four
boats.
   Stars & Stripes lost to USA and New Zealand earlier in the second
round.
   If the winds remain light, Stars & Stripes may be in trouble
again Wednesday when it faces Canada II, which showed good speed in
beating Heart of America today. Stars & Stripes faces America II in
on the final day of second-round racing Thursday.
   There was one surprise in the second round of the defender
trials. South Australia defeated Australia III to move into a tie
for fourth place with the second of the two Alan Bond syndicate
boats.
   Kookaburra III defeated stablemate Kookaburra II, as skippers
Peter Gilmour and Iain Murray switched boats - with Gilmour
defeating Murray, the man who co-designed both boats and regularly
skippers Kookaburra III - by 1:34.
   Australia IV, one point behind Kookaburra III, hammered Steak'n
Kidney, the winless Sydney-based boat.
   The six Australian boats seeking to defend the Cup also raced
under the light winds. But their course had slight higher wind
speeds and two of the races went the full 24.5 miles, while the race
between Australia IV and Steak'n Kidney was run on a modified course
over 18 miles.
   The defenders get two points for a victory in the second double
round robin. First-round wins were worth one point, while
third-round wins will be worth three points.
    

Associated Press Mon 17-NOV-1986 04:45                  Americas Cup (cont'd)

   Australia IV, which is the top boat in the Alan Bond syndicate,
could find itself in third place should it lose Tuesday to
Kookaburra II. Kookaburra II, currently in third place, one point
behind Australia IV, has two wins in the three meetings between the
two boats.
   The top four boats will advance to the semifinals, which begin
Dec. 2. The two top semifinalists will meet in a best-of-seven
series to decide who will face the challenger in the America's Cup,
beginning Jan. 31, 1987.
   Beashel and Murray face each other before a protest committee
late tonight in a hearing over a collision in the battle between the
two skippers on Sunday. The hearing could prove crucial to Australia
IV's hopes to defend the Cup.
   Should Beashel lose the protest he will lose not only the two
points he picked up in his two-second victory over Murray on Sunday,
but Kookaburra III will be declared the winner of the race. This
would put Kookaburra III seven points ahead and leave Australia IV
trailing Kookaburra II.
   In the collision, Australia IV ripped the backstay of Kookaburra
III, damaging the mast and the electronic gear at its top, but
                                                            More -->
Associated Press Mon 17-NOV-1986 04:45                  Americas Cup (cont'd)

causing no injuries.
   The collision occurred as Kookaburra III reportedly was on port
tack. Australia IV tacked onto starboard and its bow clipped
Kookaburra III's backstay.

Associated Press Mon 24-NOV-1986 02:31                  America's Cup-Dickson

   Eds: Moved for weekend editions; now available for use at will.
                           By ARNOLD WECHTER
                       For The Associated Press
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Chris Dickson is brash and arrogant
one moment, modest the next. At times he acts like a child, and
like a child, he can be charming if he wants.
   Dickson is the helmsman of upstart little New Zealand, the top
challenger after two rounds in the America's Cup trials. At 25, he
is the youngest skipper among the 12-meter sailors competing for
yachting's top prize.
   Even when he's on his best behavior, the curly-haired, blue-eyed
skipper radiates a confidence that is often mistaken for cockiness.
   Take his answer to a question about his youth possibly hindering
him in competition:
   ``I look at those old guys and think, `It's tough on me out
there. It must be murder on them.' I'd say my youth is an
advantage.''
   He may be right: The New Zealanders are 10 points ahead of the
other 12 challengers.
   Dickson led his crew to 11 straight victories to sweep the
                                                            More -->
Associated Press Mon 24-NOV-1986 02:31         America's Cup-Dickson (cont'd)

second series. The only boat to defeat the Kiwis was Dennis
Conner's Stars & Stripes in the first round.
   For that and other reasons, Conner, who lost the 1983 Cup to
Australia, is not popular with the Dickson contingent and his name
is usually invoked when Dickson acts up.
   At a recent press conference, the New Zealander castigated the
Conner camp on the subject of wind.
   Conner had said Stars & Stripes was built for heavy winds, the
kind that usually swirl off the Western Australia coast. But when a
Conner spokesman said the boat wasn't prepared for the light winds
that predominated the second round, Dickson snapped: ``For those of
us that have been here quite some time, the weather is doing
exactly what it should be doing.''
   New Zealand's dislike of Conner also stems from the challenge by
Conner's syndicate, which questioned the legality of the fiberglass
New Zealand boat.
   Ever since the challenge failed, Dickson hasn't missed an
opportunity to take pot shots at the man believed by many to be the
world's best sailor.
   ``Dennis is own worst enemy. He likes to go into a race with the
                                                            More -->
Associated Press Mon 24-NOV-1986 02:31         America's Cup-Dickson (cont'd)

odds in his favor, but this time he doesn't have them,'' Dickson
said.
   ``If you put him in a duel with pistols and one bullet apiece,
he'd want two bullets. If he got two, he'd shoot true with the
first one. But if he only had one, he'd miss.
   ``My point is, unfortunately for him, this time he's only got
half or three-quarters of a bullet. Against our plastic boat, the
odds aren't with him. He doesn't have the edge, and I don't mind
reminding him.''
   Dickson's track record in sailing is as impressive as Conner's.
His experience ranges from dinghies to offshore racing and now 12
meters. His successes include both fleet racing and match racing.
   In 1978, he won the World Youth Championships and regained the
title in 1979 and '80. Three years later he turned his attention to
ocean racing, and in 1984 he served as tactician on Scaramouce, the
top scoring American yacht in the Sardinia Cup.
   Dickson also has had many successes in match racing, twice
winning New Zealand's prestigious citizen match-race series. He
first sailed a 12-meter yacht in 1984, and in 1986 skippered a new,
untried fiberglass 12 to second place in the 1986 world
                                                            More -->
Associated Press Mon 24-NOV-1986 02:31         America's Cup-Dickson (cont'd)

championships off Fremantle.
   Though he has a reputation of being a tyrant, Dickson denies he
is a Captain Bligh with his crew. He admits, however, that in the
past he has had problems with them.
   ``In the early days, I had trouble accepting and working with
crews, but I've worked it out. It's called growing up.''
   His crew says he isn't one of the boys, but a disciplined,
distant taskmaster.
   Tony Rae, the mainsail trimmer aboard New Zealand, called
Dickson a perfectionist, saying, ``He doesn't yell. He just gives
an order and that's it.''
   That Dickson is tough is unquestioned; he fired his father, Roy,
as New Zealand's tactician early on and called in Brad Butterworth.
The senior Dickson is now the syndicate's sailing coach.
   Dickson is a private person. The New Zealand syndicate refuses
to allow one-on-one interviews. It promises to allow Dickson to
talk to the press again, but only after the third round-robin ends,
and only at a news conference.
   One observer said he believes Michael Fay, the suave banker who
heads the syndicate, fears that if goaded too hard, Dickson might
                                                            More -->
Associated Press Mon 24-NOV-1986 02:31         America's Cup-Dickson (cont'd)

make remarks that would hurt the group's overall effort.
   Asked if he had a girl friend, Dickson replies: ``Yes.''
   Pressed for more details, he will only say, ``She's a nice
girl.''
   Asked about Stars & Stripes and his answers have more bite.
   Is it fast?
   ``She's fast, but not the fastest boat out there.''
   Which boat is faster?
   ``New Zealand.''
   And Dickson was in his modesty mode.
    

	re: .27

>  The top four boats will advance to the semifinals, which begin
>  Dec. 2. The two top semifinalists will meet in a best-of-seven
>  series to decide who will face the challenger in the America's Cup,
>  beginning Jan. 31, 1987.
    
    Don't believe everything you read in the papers.  Seems AP want
    the races to be over quicker than the RPYC do.  The semifinals do
    not start until 28th Dec.  2nd Dec marks the third of the Challenger
    Round Robin series and all 11 yachts continue to partake.
    
    The top two challengers meet in the finals commencing the 13th January.
    The America's Cup Match Races themselves commence on 31 Jan.
    
    Maybe I should get the AP reporter access to VAXnotes on
    SNO78C::AUSTRALIA, in particular note 119.  (All due respect to
    Ed for his time in getting the feed from AP to insert here.)
    
    Regards,
    Larry
                                
    P.S.  Although correct at the time .28 refers to Chris Dickson (NZ
    skipper) as the youngest skipper, he now has to yield this "title"
    to Aldo Migliaccio's (Italia's skipper) replacement.  Aldo was involved
    in an automobile accident which fortunately did not injure him too
    seriously, but forced him to be replaced.  Name of the new skipper
    escapes me at the moment, but they made a big fuss about the fact
    that he was younger than Chris Dickson.

    re .29
    
    Guilty of sloppy (read "not") editing!!
    THanks for picking that up Larry, I'll try to be more attentive.
    
    Thomas Tidbits...
    
    Globe correspondent was talking with the head guy at the Dutch Tank
    and it seems that the Kookaburra syndicate did half of all the 12
    meter testing done there for the Cup. Based on this, the correspondent
    picks the Kookaburras to retain the Cup. Interesting because the
    US syndicates had to test in this country and neither of these
    gentlemen knows the quantity, quality, or results of testing done
    here. 
    
    
    Dave Whitten sent me a New Zealand sailing rag that had as its magic
    article a story about a new resin developed for Kiwi Magic. This new
    resin supposedly yields a stiffer, stronger plastic and by extension a
    stronger, less flexible Twelve. What a let down! They're human after
    all and really do have a better boat.
    
    Ed
    boat.

Associated Press Sat 29-NOV-1986 02:38                          America's Cup

      FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - The top America's Cup syndicates
have ridiculed suggestions to hold body searches in an effort to
halt the use of illegal electronic weather pagers on the boats.
   Vern Reid, a spokesman for the Alan Bond Syndicate, one of the
top groups competing to be Australian defenders, said, ``This has
always been a sport where people's words count for a lot of things.
   ``We brought the matter up at a defenders' meeting last week,
but it was purely a potential scenario aimed at making the Royal
Perth Yacht Club Cup Committee aware of the dozens of ways
available for syndicates to gain an unfair advantage.
   ``No allegations were made by us or anybody else to our
knowledge, and the prospect of asking grown men to shake down their
drawers for a search is ridiculous.''
   The pagers provide weather reports on the America's Cup course.
International racing rules make it illegal for yachts to receive
any information after the start.
   The suggestion about body searches had been made by Admiral Sir
Ian Easton, a committeeman of the Royal Thames Yacht Club's
challenging 12-meter, White Crusader.
   The Parry Defense Syndicate showed equal disdain to Easton's
    
proposal.
   ``The first we heard of it was at the defenders' meeting, but
there were no allegations made or evidence given of cheating,''
said Kookaburras' spokesman Grant Donovan.
   ``To carry a pager for a bit of weather information which a good
yachtsman should be able to see up the course anyway, is not worth
disqualification in a &200 million competition,'' he said.
   ``The point is that Royal Perth does have to look at the whole
setup and that includes examining a number of sophisticated ways
boats can pick up information illegally.
   ``But body searches, well, I don't see anyone agreeing to that.
   ``I think it's like jockeys carry switches. Sometimes you catch
them and sometimes you don't.''
   H. Dyer Jones, America II official and vice commodore of the New
York Yacht Club, said today he had heard of no evidence supporting
any allegation relating to the weather pagers.
   ``Anyway, what's to stop someone shoving it into an unused
spinnaker or dropping it overboard. A body search won't guarantee
anything.
   ``Ultimately, we have to depend on sportsmanship,'' he said.

       Michael Fay, the head of the New Zealand syndicate, said he did
not expect yachtsmen to take too kindly to appearing on television
in their underpants while searches were conducted.
   
    

Associated Press Tue 02-DEC-1986 07:33                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Skipper Buddy Melges says Heart of
America isn't giving up hope of making the semifinals in the
America's Cup challenger series.
   ``If we can only win eight or nine more races, we might make it
to the semifinals,'' Melges said after piloting the Chicago Yacht
Club's entry to an upset win today over America II on the opening
day of the third round-robin series.
   Buddy, an Olympic gold medalist and soling world champion,
praised his crew for its fine work in defeating the New York Yacht
Club's entry, which entered the day second in the 12-boat field.
   ``I just steer the boat and peer into a `tunnel of love,''' he
said. ``(Tactician David) Dellenbaugh tells me what to do and I do
it.''
   The turning point in the 56-second victory, according to both
Melges and America II skipper John Kolius, was when Heart of
America got an inside overlap about four boat lengths from the
first leeward mark.
   ``After that, Buddy just sailed a perfect race,'' Kolius said
   Kolius said he believed Heart of America, which added a new,
winged keel after winning only five of 23 races in the first two
rounds, is a much-improved boat, but added that ``we did not reach
our optimum speed.''
   He also said America II was using the wrong mainsail, but added,
``that's no excuse. We should be adaptable.''
   The top four boats after the third round move into the
semifinals, which will begin Dec. 28.
   Melges' victory moved Heart of America from 10th to ninth place
- still a long way from fourth, the last semifinal berth. Heart of
America now has 25 points and faces New Zealand Wednesday.
   Each third-round victory is worth 12 points as compared with the
five points given in the second round and one point in the opening
series.
   There were no other major surprises in the day's racing, which
saw the favorites all winning with the exception of USA, the San
Francisco-based entry which fell to Italia after losing a spinnaker
overboard and having jib problems. Both boats were flying protest
flags at the finish.
   America II dropped from second to fourth place in the standings
with 56 points. New Zealand, which won a lopsided victory over
Challenge France, now has 78 points, 20 more than Dennis Conner and
Stars & Stripes, the San Diego Yacht Club's entry.
   Conner gained revenge against Canada II, which upset Stars &
Stripes in the second round, as he won by 3:46.
   Stars & Stripes meets America II Wednesday, and when asked about
the matchup, Kolius said only that he ``enjoys sailing against
Dennis (Conner).''
   In other races, French Kiss moved from fourth to third place
with an easy 2:42 victory over Italy's Azzurra, and England's White
Crusader moved closer to fourth place with a surprisingly easy
victory over Eagle, the Newport Beach, Calif., boat. Harold Cudmore
skippered the English boat to a one-sided 5:40 victory. White
Crusader now has 55 points, one behind America II, and faces French
Kiss Wednesday.
   Heart of America lost the start by one second and was ten
seconds behind at the first windward mark. Melges then went to the
left side of the course and by the time his boat reached the
leeward mark, it held a nine-second lead.
   Melges increased the lead to 34 seconds at the second windward
mark, then lost seven seconds at the wing mark and eight seconds at
the second leeward mark. But from there on, Heart of America pulled
away from its highly-favored opponent and went on to record the
biggest upset of the series to date.
   The weather and sea conditions were ideal. The starts were held
in breezes of 14 to 15 knots and the wind then built to 20 knots.
   There was one surprise in the defender series, as previously
winless Steak'n Kidney, sporting a new winged keel, raced past
fourth-place South Australia, winning by 5:54.
   Syd Fischer, chairman of Steak'n Kidney's syndicate, acted as
tactician and was delighted with his yacht's victory
   ``It has given us fresh heart and certainly lifted the morale of
the crew, but today's win is only one victory and we have to be
cautious in our comments until we see how Steak'n Kidney performs
against the other defenders,'' Fischer said.
   ``We used a new winged keel today which seemed to suit the
conditions, and we used new and altered sails,'' said Fischer.
   Kookaburra III added three points to its lead, defeating
stablemate Kookaburra II by 32 seconds. Kookaburra III now has 32
points, nine more than second-place Australia IV, which had a bye
but received three points anyway. The defender trials are down to
five boats after the withdrawal of Australia III following the
second round.
    

Associated Press Thu 20-NOV-1986 05:29                          America's Cup

   Eds: Tops with new information, first seven grafs, and edits to
conform.
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - The Alan Bond syndicate today
labeled rumors that Australia III will be withdrawn from the
America's Cup defenders' trials as ``merely speculation.''
   Australia III won the world's 12-meter championship off this
Indian Ocean port city in February, and was believed to be a strong
contender to defend the America's Cup. But it has won only seven of
20 races in the first two rounds and is fourth behind Kookaburra
III and II and stablemate Australia IV.
   Vern Reid, a spokesman for the Bond Syndicate, said a directors'
meeting Friday would review the recently completed second series.
He said this was the usual procedure and added that a statement by
the Bond Syndicate would be made if there was any change in plans.
   The Bond Syndicate won the America's Cup with Australia II in
1983, ending a 132-year hold on the Cup by the New York Yacht Club.
   There is also speculation that Steak'n Kidney, the Sydney-based
entry, might retire. Steak'n Kidney did not win a race in either
series.
   South Australia, the other boat in the defenders' trials, has
                                                            More -->
Associated Press Thu 20-NOV-1986 05:29                 America's Cup (cont'd)

been sold to a European syndicate, reportedly in Sweden, but will
continue to race during the upcoming third-round series, which
begins Dec. 2.
   The Adelaide-based 12-meter yacht came away with a shocking
upset Wednesday, winning for only fifth time in 20 races when it
beat favored Australia IV.
   Graham Spurling, the South Australian challenge chairman, said
one of the conditions of the sale is that the his group continue in
the third round of the defender trials.
   South Australia, skippered by Phil Thompson, beat Australia IV,
under Colin Beashel, by 1 minute, 36 seconds.
   Leader Kookaburra III whipped winless Steak'n Kidney by 3:18,
and, Kookaburra II moved into second place in the six-boat field
when it edged Australia III by 24 seconds.
   South Australia prospered in light air, which varied from eight
to 12 knots. The winner led by 27 seconds at the first mark, then
lost 17 on the first run. But from there it never was in danger,
and gained 1:07 in the second windward leg.
   The victory, coupled with Kookaburra III's easy victory over
Steak'n Kidney, left Australia IV nine points behind Kookaburra III
                                                            More -->
Associated Press Thu 20-NOV-1986 05:29                 America's Cup (cont'd)

and one point behind Kookaburra II.
   John Savage, the regular skipper of South Australia, was not on
board for the second straight day. He left Thompson in charge.
   Savage said following the race that he was attempting to look
over the boat and see what changes could be made to make it more
competitive in the third round.
   The third round of the challenger trials also begin Dec. 2.
Associated Press Wed 19-NOV-1986 19:11                 America's Cup (cont'd)

camp, denied that panic had set in on the group.
   ``The panic should be in the challengers' camps,'' he said.
``When they view the tight competition among the defenders, they
must know we are superior and they are in deep trouble.''
   Murray, Kookaburra III's skipper, said a protest between
Kookaburra II against Australia IV had been dropped.
Associated Press Thu 04-DEC-1986 07:36                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Chris Dickson, skipper of
front-running New Zealand, has some bad news for the other 11
entrants in the America's Cup challenger trials.
   He thinks his boat hasn't reached its potential yet.
   Dickson said there was still room for improvement after New
Zealand defeated Dennis Conner and Stars & Stripes today for its
25th win in 26 races - and second in three tries over Conner,
considered by many to be the finest 12-meter skipper in the world.
   New Zealand won today's race by 32 seconds after losing in the
first round by 49 seconds and winning their second-round meeting by
58 seconds.
   Asked if he was worried whether the New Zealand syndicate might
fall prey to overconfidence, Dickson said, ``we are aware of
overconfidence, but you don't become overconfident when you win by
small margins as we did today.''
   Dickson gave full credit to his crew for today's victory. ``Our
crew pulled us through,'' he said.
   Both boats had small problems during the race, and they played
an important role in the final outcome.
   Conner said he may have maneuvered too fast after the first
downwind run. ``It slowed our ability to get our chute (spinnaker)
down,'' he said at a post-race news conference. The problem allowed
New Zealand to escape after it fell behind.
   Conner also praised Dickson and his crew. ``He protected his
lead well,'' Conner said.
   Dickson said he was unable to take advantage of a good start, in
which he crossed the line 15 seconds in front, because one of his
trimmer became tangled in the line during a tack. He said the other
problem for New Zealand occurred when a spinnaker halyard broke.
``We hope that it doesn't happen again,'' he said.
   Both Conner and Dickson agreed the boats appear to be close in
speed and maneuvers, crew work and luck play a factor in the
outcome.
   Conner gained the lead for the first and only time on the
downwind leg when New Zealand ran into spinnaker problems. But on
the reach to the wing mark, it appeared as if Conner overstood the
mark, allowing Dickson to get inside. New Zealand rounded the mark
30 seconds ahead.
   Stars & Stripes cut 17 seconds off the lead on the final
downhill run, and trailed by only 12 seconds going into the final
run. A furious tacking duel ensued, but Dickson refused to allow
Conner to get between New Zealand and the finishing mark.
   Stars & Stripes' defeat, coupled with French Kiss' win over
Canada II, dropped the San Diego Yacht Club's entry from second to
third in the standings. French Kiss picked up 12 points for its
victory to move 11 ahead of Stars & Stripes, 81 to 70. New Zealand
is first with 102.
   In other races, America II, the New York Yacht Club entry,
rebounded from two straight losses to whip Eagle, representing the
Newport Beach, Calif. Yacht Club. The victory left America II in
fourth place, only two points behind Stars & Stripes.
   Buddy Melges kept alive Heart of America's slim hopes with an
easy victory of eight minutes over hapless Challenge France. The
victory moved the Chicago Yacht Club boat from tenth to ninth place
with 37 points.
   England's White Crusader and USA, the double-keeled San
Francisco-based baot, remained tied for fifth place with victories
over Italia and Azzurra, respectively.
   French Kiss and America II tangle in Friday's top challengers'
match. The other races match Stars & Stripes against Challenge
France, New Zealand against Eagle, White Crusader against Azzurra,
Canada II against Italia and USA against Heart of America.
   With 12 points for a third-round win, as opposed to one for
first-round victories and five for wins in the second round,
experts say it will take a minimum of 120 points to be among the
four boats to make the semifinals, which begin Dec. 28.
   In the defender trials, Australia IV downed front-running
Kookaburra III by 50 seconds and Kookaburra II beat Steak'n Kidney.
South Australia had a bye.
   Kookaburra III still leads Australia IV by six points, with
Kookaburra II in third place. Third-round wins and byes are worth
three points in the defender trials.
   The defenders get three points for each victory and bye in the
third round. Two points were awarded in the second series and one
point in the opening double round robin.
    

Associated Press Fri 05-DEC-1986 07:45                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - America II skipper John Kolius isn't
ready to quit after a few untimely losses.
   ``We're digging a pretty deep hole for ourselves, but nobody is
throwing dirt on us yet. Nobody has told us we're eliminated yet,''
Kolius said after the New York Yacht Club entry lost to French Kiss
by seven seconds today in the third round of the America's Cup
challenger trials.
   But Kolius admitted that America II could be in trouble after
its seven-second loss, its third in four third-round races.
   The defeat dropped America II out of fourth place in the
standings. The top four boats at the end of the series will move
into the semifinals, while the remainder will head home for
Christmas.
   America II had gear problems throughout the race, Kolius said.
``We broke my favorite jib on the first beat, and then the
spinnaker pole end fitting broke.After that, we made lots of
`monkey motion' work trying to fix it, but we only made it worse.''
   Kolius said if America II is going to get into the top four it
would have to put together a winning streak to compensate for the
losses. Third-round wins are worth 12 points apiece, meaning that
America II has seen 36 potential points sail away in the three
losses
   Both Kolius and French Kiss skipper Marc Pajot said they did not
plan to protest the race. Both boats carried protest flags during
the race, but Kolius described the incident as a ``non-event.''
   Pajot, who now has won eight straight races to take over second
place, gave credit for the victory to his crew.
   ``They are good under pressure,'' he said in praise of the other
10 men aboard his boat.
   French Kiss has 93 points, 11 more than third-place Stars &
Stripes, which beat last-place Challenge France by 10 minutes, 48
seconds.
   America II dropped from fourth to fifth place in the standings.
White Crusader, the English boat skippered by Harold Cudmore,
picked up 12 points by defeating Italy's Azzurra to move into
fourth. The top four boats in the three round-robin series advance
to the best-of-seven semifinals.
   Heart of America, skippered by Buddy Melges, pulled off its
second upset in four days by beating USA, the San Francisco-based
boat skippered by Tom Blackaller.
   The Chicago Yacht Club entry beat America II on the first day of
the third round after losing 18 of its first 23 races. Heart of
America is still ninth, but has made up ground in the race to get
into the semifinals.
   Italia, which has suffered numerous misfortunes during the
trials, was forced to withdraw from its race against Canada II
after pitman Stefano Maida was washed overboard and its spinnaker
was blown out.
   The victory kept Terry Neilsen and the Canadians alive in the
series as they moved from eighth to seventh place with 55 points.
Italia dropped back to eighth with 51 points.
   Italia had led during the first two marks and was only 35
seconds behind when the mishaps occurred.
   New Zealand scored its 17th straight victory and 26th in 27
starts with an easy win over Eagle, the Newport Beach, Calif. Yacht
Club entry.
   America II made a gallant effort to win against French Kiss on
the final leg, as Kolius staged a brilliant tacking duel with Pajot.
   French Kiss went into the final beat with a 22-second lead, but
time and distance ran out on America II.
   The French boat won the start by three seconds on a brilliant
tactical move by Pajot, who forced Kolius to tack to port, giving
the favored left side of the course to French Kiss.
   French Kiss was 12 seconds ahead at the first mark, but America
II, despite problems with a spinnaker pole fitting, managed to take
the lead at the leeward mark by 10 seconds. The lead increased to
17 seconds at the end of the second windward mark. Two seconds were
lost on the downhill run, and then pole problems resurfaced on the
reaching leg, allowing French Kiss to grab a 6-second lead that it
never gave up.
   After a lay day Saturday, French Kiss faces its toughest test
Sunday when it comes up against New Zealand. In other leading
Sunday races, Stars & Stripes faces rejuvenated Heart of America,
while White Crusader races USA. America II will meet Italia.
   There were no surprises in the defenders' trials as Kookaburra
III and Australia IV, the top two boats, scored easy victories.
   Kookaburra III defeated Steak'n Kidney by 1:52, while Australia
IV bashed South Australia by 7:31. Kookaburra II had a bye.
   South Australia's syndicate declined to comment on rumors that
it planned to pull out of the series. Should South Australia quit,
it means the remainder of the third round-robin will find only four
boats competing, each of which will enter the semifinals.
   Saturday's schedule finds Kookaburra III meeting South Australia
and Australia IV facing Kookaburra II. Steak'n Kidney has a bye.

    

Associated Press Mon 08-DEC-1986 05:19                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - USA, skippered by Tom Blackaller,
easily defeated Stars & Stripes and Dennis Conner today by a
42-second margin in the America's Cup to keep alive its semifinal
hopes.
   It was the second time that the San Francisco boat has defeated
Conner, who has a heated rivalry with Blackaller.
   The victory by USA kept it tied with Britain's White Crusader in
fifth place, one point behind fourth-place America II. White
Crusader defeated Canada II.
   Stars & Stripes fell from second to third place behind French
Kiss. Kiss skippered by Marc Pajot, defeated Challenge France,
sailed by Brother Yves.
   Challenge France was unable to finish the race when it lost its
mast. It was the first mast lost in either the Challenger or
Defender series.
   Powerful New Zealand kept far in front of the pack with another
victory. Italia became its 28th victim - including 19 straight.
   With only five days of racing left in the third round-robin
series it is now certain that New Zealand will make the semifinals
and French Kiss and Stars & Stripes are in good position to
advance. Either America II, White Crusader or USA wil fill the
fourth - and final- spot when the semifinals start on Dec. 28.
   New Zealand gained another 12 points in beating Italia to bring
its total to 138, while French Kiss has 105, Stars & Stripes 94,
America II 92 and Crusader and USA are tied with 91.
   The days are growing shorter for the other six contenders and
only a miracle can save them from behing home for Christmas.
Challenge France, Azzurra and Eagle have been eliminated from the
semifinals. The other 12-meter yachts, Canada II, Italia and Heart
of America have only a slim chance.
   Tuesday will be a day of reckoning for America II and White
Crusader as they meet in the day's top match. French Kiss will also
have a tough test as it faces the fast-improving Heart of America
out of Chicago with Buddy Melges at the helm.
   New Zealand, Stars & Stripes and USA face easier tasks. The
Kiwis meet oft-beaten Azzurra; Stars & Stripes faces Eagle; while
USA has a slightly tougher race against Canada II.
   Two big wind shifts aided Blackaller against Stars & Stripes.
USA beat the San Diego boat at the start by two seconds, and the
first shift, a 20-degree change, put it ahead at the first windward
mark by 19 seconds. USA managed to increase its margin to 30
seconds by the time the two boats rounded the second windward buoy.
   Stars & Stripes cut the lead to 13 seconds at the wing mark and
at the next leeward mark, but another 20 degree shift in the winds
put USA out in front by 54 seconds at the next-to-last beat. Conner
managed to pick up six seconds on the next two legs of the
24.5-mile Indian Ocean course, but it didn't matter.
   None of the other races were close.
   The winds were above 20 knots at the start, dropped to around 15
at the midway point and then built to 22-23 knots at the finish.
   The four remaining Australian boats seeking to defend the cup
had an off day. They return to action Tuesday with Kookaburra III
battling Australia IV, while Kookaburra II meets Steak'n Kidney
   Iain Murray and his two Kookaburras boats seemed to have a hex
on Colin Beashel and Australia IV until last week, but the Bond
syndicate boat drubbed Kookaburra III first and then followed with
a victory over Kookaburra II. Both times Murray was at the helm.

Associated Press Wed 10-DEC-1986 08:27                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Kookaburra II and Kookaburra III
gave Kevin Parry's Taskforce '87 Syndicate a double victory today
in the America's Cup defender trials.
   Kookaburra II knocked off Australia IV, the Alan Bond
Syndicate's remaining entry, by 5 minutes, 11 seconds, while
first-place Kookaburra III beat fast-improving Steak'n Kidney by 26
seconds.
   Meanwhile, White Crusader has filed a protest against USA which,
if upheld, would give the English entry new life in the challenger
trials.
   The protest, filed Wednesday, accuses USA, the San
Francisco-based, double-ruddered entry, of making changes to the
boat which would affect measurements on its certificate of rating.
Details of the accusation will not be known until after the protest
committee meets Thursday.
   USA nipped White Crusader by three seconds - less than a boat
length - in their race Sunday, earning 12 points for the victory.
   White Crusader is in sixth place with 91 points to USA's 103,
but a successful protest would reverse the positions and scores.
USA trails fourth-place America II by one point and third-place
Stars & Stripes by three points with four days of racing remaining
in the third round-robin series.
   Bruno Trouble, a spokesman for the comittee running the
challenger trials, said if the protest is upheld, USA would lose
all the races following the indicent.
   Trouble said he had learned from the chairman of the protest
committee that the incident had to do with changing the plates or
wings of one of USA's two rudders.
   Today's winds were a far cry from the 34-knot blasts which
ripped spinnakers, wrecked gear and threw one-man overboard
Tuesday. Breezes ranged from 10-20 knots.
   Australia IV, which apparently doesn't like light winds, had
trouble at the starting line, was 33 seconds behind at the
beginning and was never able to make a race out of it.
   Steak'n Kidney, sailed by Fred Neill, was even at the start with
Kookaburra III, but Iain Murray soon had his boat in front by 13
seconds and the lead never changed hands.
   Kookaburra III now leads Australia IV by 12 points, 50-38, with
third-place Kookaburra II another seven points back. Steak'n Kidney
is last with nine points.
   The challengers did not race today, but return to action
Thursday when Stars & Stripes, the San Diego Yacht Club entry,
meets second-place French Kiss. First-place New Zealand, winner of
20 straight and with 29 victories in 30 starts, faces White
Crusader. America II, the New York Yacht Club's entry, meets Canada
II, USA tangles with Eagle, the Newport Harbor Yacht Club entry,
and Chicago's Heart of America faces Italia.
   Last-place Azzurra only has to sail around the course. Its
scheduled opponent, Challenge France, dropped out of the trials
Monday after losing a mast.

Associated Press Thu 11-DEC-1986 06:57                  America's Cup Protest

      FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - A protest by White Crusader against
USA was dismissed today by an international protest jury.
   The British boat had accused USA of replacing its front rudder
in the middle of a series, which is a violation of the rules.
   USA contended it had approval of the official measurer.
   The decision means that USA retains its fifth position in the
standings, one point behind America II, 104-103, and three points
behind French Kiss.
   If USA had lost the protest the standings would have been
radically changed with White Crusader moving into fifth spot and
Stars & Stripes taking over second place from French Kiss.
   ``There are six or eight lawyers from the British who are
hammering the committee,'' USA skipper Tom Blackaller said before
the jury's decision was announce. ``Paul (Cayard, his helmsman) and
I, are arguing our case.
   ``I think the British have us all pretty well confused.''
   He added that he was confident that USA has done nothing against
the rules.
   USA had damaged its rudder in a winning race against Challenge
France on Dec. 3.
   Blackaller asked the official measurer for approval to change
rudders (or plates) and it was granted, sources said.
   The same sources, who were not identified, said the new forward
rudder was a different configuration and weighed 17 pounds more
than the damaged canard.
   White Crusader's handlers claimed that the different
configuration and added weight changes the official certificate of
measurement.
    

Associated Press Fri 12-DEC-1986 05:56                           Americas Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - The 12-meter yacht New Zealand came
from behind on the final leg of the race to edge Britain's White
Crusader by six seconds today and its record in the America's Cup
challenger trials to 30-1 pending the outcome of a protest.
   The British were flying a protest flag as the boats crossed the
finish line following the 24.3-mile race on the Indian Ocean. The
reason for the protest, which must be resolved by at a hearing of
the challenger race committee, was not immediately known.
   U.S. entry Stars & Stripes took over second place in the
standings, 45 points behind New Zealand, by beating French Kiss by
two minutes, seven seconds. The victory left Dennis Conner's San
Diego-based boat a point ahead of Frech Kiss, 118-117.
   America II kept its slim edge (116-115) over USA by coming from
behind to defeat Canada II by 1:16. USA routed annother American
boat, Eagle, by 5:51 to hold fifth position.
   The battle for fourth place could be decided Saturday when San
Francisco-based USA and America II, the New York Yacht Club's boat,
meet in a showdown. The loser will be hard put to come back because
only two races would remain on the schedule. Each victory is worth
12 points.
   The four highest-scoring boats will advance to the semifinals
Dec. 28.
   With three days of racing remaining, only USA and White
Crusader, with 91 points, have a shot at displacing one of the top
four.
   Harold Cudmore sailed White Crusader to an eight-second lead at
the start over Chris Dickson, led throughout the race and rounded
the final mark still eight seconds in front. But the when the two
boats tacked for the first time after passing the mark, the Kiwis
were about ten feet ahead.
   At the second leeward mark, the British held a 41-second lead,
but the figerglass New Zealand cut 19 seconds off that time when
the boats beat to the third windward mark.
   The Kiwis lost a spinnaker pole on the first reach.
   John Kolius and America II also had a tough battle until the
final beat. The NYYC boat won the start, but trailed the next six
marks.
   America II got the inside position at the third leeward mark to
go around the buoy nine seconds in front and then raced home an
easy winner.
   It was the second consecutive day the famed Fremantle winds
failed to live up to expectations. The winds at the start of the
race were only 10 knots and never went over 15 during the event.
   USA coasted to its victory over Eagle, of Newport Harbor, Calif.
The San Francisco Yacht Club's boat had a one-second margin at the
start, but quickly built a 1:18 cushion. It was no contest the rest
of the way.
   Also-rans Italia and Heart of America staged a stirring race
from start to finish. There was never more than 29 seconds
separating them. But the Italian boat led at every mark and
finished 22 seconds in front of the Chicago Yacht Club entry
steered by Buddy Melges.
   Azzurra picked up 12 points from Challenge France, which
withdrew from the competition last week.
   Australia IV picked up three points in its chase of Kookaburra
III as it defeated Steak'n Kidney in the defender trials. Colin
Beashel kept the Bond syndicate boat in front all the way to win by
1:08.
   Kookaburra II, skippered by Peter Gilmour, surprised
syndicate mate Kookaburra III, sailed by Iain Murray, to take the
lead on the sixth windward mark and hang on to record a 36-second
victory.
   Murray's boat leads the series with 50 points to Australia IV's
44. Another 10 points behind is Kookaburra II.
   Six days of racing remain for the defenders.
    

Associated Press Fri 12-DEC-1986 08:15                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Harold Cudmore, skipper of White
Crusader, said at a postrace news conference Friday that New
Zealand is a clear favorite to win the America's Cup.
   Cudmore, the Irish-born skipper of the English boat which lost
by six seconds to the Kiwis, said the fiberglass New Zealand is an
excellent 12-meter boat with a fine design mixture that makes it a
good all-around boat.
   Asked if any boats have a chance to beat New Zealand in the
semifinals or finals, Cudmore said it was an interesting question.
   ``It depends on the profile of the boat and the weather
conditions,'' he said. ``If the weather is heavy, then Stars &
Stripes and French Kiss could be formidable contenders.
   ``America II may change its profile during the two weeks prior
to the semifinals and be a different boat,'' Cudmore continued.
   ``Trying to figure out USA and Tom Blackaller is like playing
poker with jokers,'' he said with a smile.
   Cudmore said New Zealand proved just a little bit quicker on the
final leg, and he praised Chris Dickson's crew.

          <<< SNO78C::SYS$SYSUTILS:[NOTES$LIBRARY]AUSTRALIA.NOTE;1 >>>
                         -< 20/21st Century Australia >-
================================================================================
Note 119.79     America's Cup in OZ - Scoreboard and Commentary         79 of 80
SNOV17::CZARNIK "Larry Czarnik, Sydney Australia, 6" 46 lines  12-DEC-1986 02:12
               -< Raceing Cancelled, Thursday 11 December, 1986 >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

			       Racing Notice
			Thursday, 11 December, 1986
    

	Due to lack of wind (a 7 knot easterly) no racing will take place, 
	for either Challengers or Defenders.

	Defenders will now race on Friday, instead of having the lay day 
	scheduled.  That is, BOTH Defenders and Challengers will race on
	Friday, weather permitting. 


     Protest Status - 

	The protest hearing commenced at 0830 this morning to review the 
	protest made by WC over USA and its controversial rudder change.
	Tom Blackaller emerged in the late afternoon, still confident that 
	he and his navigator could still beat the 6 lawyers that WC had put 
	forward to argue the WC case.  He was very quiet when he left even 
	later in the day.  As at 10:30pm local Sydney time, no verdict 
	was yet available.

	WC is fighting for its very existence.  If it can overturn USA's 
	victories since USA changed it's rudder, then WC may very well find 
	itself in the top four and a place in the Challengers Semi-Finals, 
	and USA will be packing up to go home for Christmas along with the 
	remaining 5 Challengers.


     Defenders notes - 

	S&K has convinced the RPYC to convene a meeting on Saturday to 
	decide how to sail the remaining time to determine the Defender.
	Since it will make it into the semi-finals, S&K is now looking to 
	improve its odds, since it would have to win almost every race in 
	the semi's and even then may not sufficient points to win the 
	Defenders slot.

	Since each Syndicate will have one vote, it is likely to change.  
	S&K certainly will vote yes.  Taskforce (both the Kookaburras) will 
	vote no.  The Bond Syndicate sees this also as an opportunity to 
	cut Taskforce down will vote yes.  The proposed alternative is to 
	have K3 have a series of races with S&K, forcing K2 to sail with A4 
	and the winner of each of these "mini series" will race together in 
	the Defenders final.
    
================================================================================
Note 119.80     America's Cup in OZ - Scoreboard and Commentary         80 of 80
SNOV17::CZARNIK "Larry Czarnik, Sydney Australia, 6" 22 lines  12-DEC-1986 07:48
                        -< USA vs WC protest decision >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

			 Protest Hearing Decision


	After deliberating for over 14 hours, the RPYC voted in favour of 
	USA regarding the changing her rudder after the second race in 
	Round Robin 3.   Tom Blackaller, skipper and spokesman for the USA 
	Syndicate said "This is typical America's Cup bullshit", and 
	praised the high class sailing location, conditions and the quality
	of the competitors' boats, but chastised those who would drag down 
	the whole tone of the sport by such trivial protests.  He again 
	mentioned that WC had 6 lawyers arguing the case and USA did not 
	consider having such high powered legal representation as part of 
	the syndicate.

	WC navigator and spokesman, Phil Crebbin, made no other comment 
	than restating their claim of USA skirting the rules by replacing a 
	broken rudder, which they consider is in simple breach of the 
	rules.  The decision of course, just about seals the fate of WC in 
	not being able to obtain one of the coveted four top positions in 
	the Challengers table, thus forcing it to retire and passing up the 
	opportunity to take the Cup.
    
    

Associated Press Mon 15-DEC-1986 05:33                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Front-running New Zealand defeated
USA today in a preview of what to expect in the America's Cup
Challengers' semifinals as the third round-robin series concluded.
   The defeat of USA by 59 seconds and the upset victory of Italia
over French Kiss sets up a California showdown between Dennis
Conner's Stars & Stripes and USA in the semifinals beginning Dec.
28. New Zealand will meet French Kiss in the other best
four-of-seven series.
   Chris Dickson led New Zealand to its 24th straight victory - and
33rd win in 34 races - to finish the series first with 198 points.
Stars & Stripes was next with 154. USA, skippered by Tom Blackaller
finished third with 139 and 10 points behind in fourth place was
Marc Pajot and French Kiss.
   The three round-robin series began on Oct. 5 and served to cut
the field of 13 challengers to the final four.
   Dickson's final victory was not an easy one. It was
heavy-weather race with winds reaching 24 knots and never below 22.
   The first beat was close with New Zealand rounding the buoy with
15 seconds to spare. On the spinnaker run, Blackaller sliced four
seconds from New Zealand's lead, and the Kiwis were able to add
only one second on the next beat.
   On the reach, the Dickson's crew picked up three more seconds,
but lost it all back as Blackaller cut the difference between the
two boats to 11 seconds on the second spinnaker run. But on the
third windward leg it was all New Zealand as it sailed to a
51-second margin.
   Again on the downwind leg, USA reduced the lead to 39 seconds,
but on the final beat to the finish line Dickson added 20 seconds
to his margin.
   America II, which lost its bid to make the semifinals Sunday
when it was defeated by New Zealand, ended its challenge by sailing
around the course without opposition or its skipper.
   The New York Yacht Club boat picked up 12 points to finish with
128. It only had to sail the course as Challenge France, its
designated opponent, had withdrawn from the series earlier.
   John Kolius and tactician John Bertrand took the day off to play
golf and left Tom McLaughlin, the alternate helmsman in charge.
   For the first time in 135 years, the New York Yacht Club won't
be in the final race for the cup that it lost for the first time in
1983.
   French Kiss missed an opportunity to avoid New Zealand in the
opening semifinals series, when Italia, which finished seventh in
the series, gained the lead at the start of the race and was never
behind.
   Throught the series the boat that leads at the first marker has
won 89 percent of the time.
   The Italians had spinnaker problems on the first leeward leg and
saw their lead cut to six seconds, but managed to make it up and
more on the next beat.
   It was a close race until the final windward leg to the finish
line when French Kiss had mainsail problems. This allowed Italia to
win by 1:55.
   Canada II blew out its jib on the final beat and Buddy Melges'
Heart of America sailed from 54 seconds behind to a one-sided 12:49
victory.
   Stars & Stripes blew away Britain's White Crusader with a 4:12
victory. Conner led at the start by a second and then quickly built
up a 49-second margin on the wind-blow Indian Ocean course.
   Eagle, skippered by Rod Davis, out of Newport Beach, Calif.,
ended its unsuccessful series with a victory over Azzurra. It was a
close race until Azzurra withdrew on the final beat. Rounding the
buoy and heading for the finish line the U.S. boat held only a
29-second lead.
   Behind New Zealand, Stars & Stripes, USA and French Kiss, the
four semifinalists, came America II, 128., White Crusader, 115.,
Italia, 99., Heart of America, 85., Canada II 79., Eagle, 48.,
Azzurra, 23, and Challenge France, 2.
   The four Australian defenders completed their third series
Sunday with Kookaburra III leading cup holder Alan Bond's
second-place Australia IV by nine points. They resume racing Dec.
27.

Associated Press Mon 15-DEC-1986 07:26                     America's Cup-NYYC
                             By MITCHELL LANDSBERG    
                            Associated Press Writer   
   NEW YORK (AP) - A pedestrian passing by the New York Yacht Club
directed the attention of his two companions to the Manhattan
landmark, where one of the most coveted trophies in sports once was
proudly displayed.
   ``This is the New York Yacht Club,'' he said, ``where the
America's Cup used to be.''
   The chances that the cup will be seen in the club's environs
anytime soon vanished Sunday in the turbulent waters of the Indian
Ocean off Freemantle, Australia. America II, the New York Yacht
Club's entry in the America's Cup competition, lost its race to a
New Zealand rival and was dropped from the challengers' playoffs.
   For the first time in 135 years, the New York Yacht Club won't
be in the final race for the cup that it lost for the first time in
1983.
   One member of the Yacht Club, CBS newsman Walter Cronkite, said
in a radio interview that the loss was a shock, although he noted
the ``superb job'' done by the skipper of America II, John Kolius.
   America II needed a victory Sunday over New Zealand or a loss by
USA to French Kiss to stay alive in the race for the four-boat
challenger semifinals.
   America II finished fifth, behind, French Kiss, USA the San
Diego Yacht Club's Stars & Stripes and front-running New Zealand.
The best-of-seven semifinal elimination series starts Dec. 28.
   ``A lot of people shed tears on the dock tonight,'' a somber
Kolius said. ``The New York Yacht Club is not an ogre rolling
along. It's human beings with hopes and dreams.
   ``It's going to take me a couple of months to figure out what
went wrong. A lot of boats sped up during the series, and we
didn't.''
   In 1851, a New York Yacht Club vessel named America gave the cup
a name by defeating a fleet of British yachts in the English
Channel. In the intervening years, the NYYC successfully defended
the trophy 23 times.
   The 132-year streak ended in 1983 when Australia II defeated
Liberty, skippered by Dennis Conner. Ironically, the NYYC chose
Kolius to do what Conner failed to do in 1983, yet it is Conner who
will advance to the semifinals with his Stars & Stripes.
   Warren Jones, executive director of the Australian syndicate
that won the 1983 Cup and is racing again to defend it, said, ``I
feel bad about America II. This is a cut-throat business and you've
got to swallow your medicine. They (the New York Yacht Club)
prepared fastidiously. They've been here longer than anybody.
Obviously, theirs is not a fast boat. The Cup will be poorer for
their not being here.''
   Still, in the club's squat stone townhouse on West 44th Street,
Kolius' defeat nearly went unnoticed.
   ``As you know, the club is closed on the weekends,'' Jim
Stappas, the quartermaster and weekend manager, said as he stood in
the doorway a few hours after the race. He said no members were
around to accept the bitter news in their sanctum.
   ``I'm very upset about it and everything,'' Stappas added. ``The
only thing I can say is, the general manager called ... and he
wanted to know the results, and he was very upset, too. We're going
to have a party here Thursday, and the party's going to be pretty
upsetting.''
   The party had been scheduled to celebrate America II's success
at Freemantle.
   ``I think,'' Stappas said, ``they're going to be very well
upset.''
    

    In an interview to the french televison on sunday, Marc Pajot admitted
    that he was going to play the rules to their fullest extend, i.e.
    implying that he might actualy want to chose the boat he would want to
    meet in the semi-finals. The rules say that the semi-finals would be the
    1st vs. 4th and 2nd vs. 3rd of the quarter finals. By winning against 
    ITALIA he would be 2nd and would have to race against STARS & STRIPES, but
    but by loosing he would drop to 4th and get to meet NEW ZEALAND.

    It came to no-one's real surprise (except AP's news service) when ITALIA's
    victory over FRENCH KISS was announced. Wether the main sail damage was real
    or faked will be anyone's guess ... In any case, Marc Pajot will feel much 
    more at ease against Chris Dickson whom he has come very close to beat a 
    number of times, where as all encounters against Connor were real disaster 
    for FRENCH KISS.

    During this evening's TV interview Pajot certainly didn't look very dis-
    apointed over the loss against ITALIA. Winning the semi-finals against
    NEW ZEALAND will however be another story ...

Associated Press Mon 22-DEC-1986 06:26              America's Cup-Challengers

                                   By SID MOODY    
                            Associated Press Writer    
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Following extensive testing, all
four semifinal challengers for the America's Cup, including New
Zealand's controversial fiberglass entry, were declared legal today.
   The testing included drilling an unspecified number of holes in
the New Zealand boat. Michael Fay, the Auckland investment banker
who heads the New Zealand syndicate, said he agreed to the drilling
``somewhat against my better judgment to end all this lunatic and
sometimes irresponsible talk'' about whether New Zealand was
breaking the rules.
   ``I'd like everyone to agree `let's go sailing,''' said Fay.
   Dennis Conner, skipper of the San Diego Yacht Club's Stars &
Stripes, had said no one would build a fiberglass 12-meter Cup
yacht ``unless he wanted to cheat.'' The other challengers are made
of aluminum.
   Robert Hopkins, measurement representative for Stars & stripes,
said, ``I feel no aluminum or fiberglass boat is cheating.''
   He said news of the clearance of the semifinal yachts had been
radioed to Conner, who was practicing at sea, and that the American
skipper was ``one hundred per cent happy with the results.''
   Fay said New Zealand's position since the challengers'
elimination began in October had been ``one of tolerance.''
   ``Some of the comments have been lunatic and irresponsible and
very close to libel,'' Fay said, adding that further repetition
``could easily end up in court.''
   Conner had tried unsuccessfully to enlist the other cup
challengers to demand core samples of New Zealand's hull.
   The resurvey and remeasurement of New Zealand, Stars & Stripes,
San Francisco-based USA and French Kiss were completed Sunday and
the results announced today by Commodore Gianfranco Alberini of the
Costa Smeralda Yacht Club of Italy, which is conducting the
challenge series.
   He said the remeasurement was done by England's Tony Watts and
the resurvey by Lloyd's Registry, the world authority on
shipbuilding specifications known as Scantlings.
   New Zealand, which lost only once in the three round-robin
series, faces French Kiss in the semifinals, while USA meets Stars
& Stripes.
    

Associated Press Mon 22-DEC-1986 04:26                America's Cup-Defenders

                                   By SID MOODY    
                            Associated Press Writer    
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Steak'n Kidney's syndicate was
turned down again today in its effort to alter the format for the
next round of the America's Cup defender trials.
   Syndicate head Syd Fischer, had asked Dec. 20 that the four
boats vying to defend the Cup for Australia start from scratch in
the semifinals, which are scheduled to start Dec. 27.
   But in turning down Fischer's second request for a format
change, the race committee of the Royal Perth Yacht Club, which
holds the trophy, said it ``does not see that any anomaly presently
exists.''
   The commmittee has already changed its rules to make a victory
in the semifinals worth six points instead of five, but under the
current format, the boats keep their point totals from the first
three round-robin series and are eliminated when they have no
mathematical possibility of making the finals.
   Steak'n Kidney has won only three of 30 races so far, and is
last with 12 points begind Kookaburra III, Australia IV and
Kookaburra II, but was far more competitive in the third round
after radical alterations to her hull.
   Fischer, whose boat is not far from elimination under the
existing point system, feels strongly that keeping Steak'n Kidney
in the defender eliminations would help all the Australian boats by
providing better competition.
   The challenger semifinals, which begin Dec. 27, are
best-of-seven series in which the four boats do not keep the points
earned from the three round-robin series.
   New Zealand meets French Kiss and USA faces Stars & Stripes in
the challenger semifinals.
    

Associated Press Tue 23-DEC-1986 05:07                          America's Cup

                                   By SID MOODY   
                            Associsted Press Writer   
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Steak'n Kidney's Sydney-based
syndicate said today it will go to court to challenge the rules
being used in the America's Cup defender trials.
   Syndicate head Syd Fischer said he would appeal to the West
Australian Supreme Court to reverse a ruling that hurts the chances
of his 12-meter boat.
   On Monday, the Royal Perth Yacht Club, which governs the
defender trials, again turned down Fischer's efforts to have the
four yachts start the semifinals with a clean slate when they begin
Dec. 27.
   Steak'n Kidney is last in the standings with a 3-27 record and
12 points, but has been more competitive after extensive changes.
The Royal Perth Yacht Club rules say a defense contender is
eliminated when it no longer has a mathematical chance to win.
   The leader, Kookaburra III, has 53 points, six more than
Australia IV and 19 ahead of stablemate Kookaburra II.
   Fischer said his boat would have to win eight of its next nine
races to reach the two-boat elimination final. He believes Steak'n
Kidney would force more competitive racing if it had a better
chance to win.
   He did not detail what legal papers he might file but was
seeking a judicial ruling. In a concession to Fischer, the Race
Committee did increase the value of a victory in the next round
from five to six points.
   ``There'll be papers served on the Club, and the matter will be
taken from there,'' Fischer said. ``It won't stop (the sailing).
There's no need to stop it.''

Associated Press Fri 26-DEC-1986 04:46                  America's Cup-Protest

      FREMANTLE, Australia (AP - The controversy surrounding New
Zealand's fiberglass hull was sparked again today when America's
Cup competitor French Kiss threatened legal action if core samples
are not taken of the unbeaten 12-meter yacht.
   The syndicate operating French kiss was reportedly set to seek
an injunction in the New York Supreme Court if it does not receive
satisfaction.
   The New York court administers the deed of gift governing the
cup competition and presumably the injunction, if granted, would
stop New Zealand participating in the semifinals of the America's
Cup challengers' trials, which start Sunday.
   The New Zealanders are scheduled to meet French Kiss in the
best-of-seven series. The winner will meet the winner in the other
semifinals series in which American boats Stars & Stripes and USA
compete.
   French Kiss skipper Marc Pajot said his boat would race Sunday,
but the syndicate indicated it might file a formal protest once the
race had started.
   Commodore Gianfranco Alberini of the yacht club Costa Smeralda,
which is in charge of the challengers' trials, said his
organization believed the resurvey last week of New Zealand was
legal and racing would go ahead.
   New Zealand syndicate chairman Michael Fay has threatened legal
action for defamation and damages should any further allegations be
made against the fiberglass boat.
   He issued the warning immediately after Lloyd's Register of
Shipping had conducted a test on the hull and pronounced it a legal
12-meter boat. The other three challengers were also given approval
in the resurvey.
   This appeared to satisfy everybody, especially the two remaining
American competitors, who had demanded the tests in case the New
Zealanders enjoyed a weight and thickness advantage in their hull.
   The French now claim no data or proof has been released, and
that the test was not accurate enough.
   ``We have to mistrust the results,'' said Admiral Rene Marqueze,
chairman of the French Kiss syndicate.
   He demands proof be furnished and that core samples be taken
from New Zealand's boat and tests.
   According to Marqueze, the electronic instruments used by Bob
Rymill, Lloyd's Register principal surveyor of yachts, ``are not
accurate enough on composite materials (sandwich type fiberglass)
constituting the hull of the new zealand challenge boat.''
   He said, ``If no appropriate action is taken concerning these
two requests, we would refer the matter by injunction to the
tribunal of New York, to be granted redress by a judicial
procedure.''
   The reopening of the issue was not well received by Alberini.
   ``He does not intend to answer the letter,'' said spokesman
Bruno Trouble. ``For him, the matter is closed finally.''
   Marqueze said what the French wanted to know was not asking too
much.
   ``We want to know if the density of the hull varied, and how
much by. Was it 10 percent? That's ok. Was it 30 percent? That we
are not sure of.''
   Pajot said his syndicate is not doubting the honesty of the New
Zealanders. ``We want to be sure, that's all,'' he said, ``We want
them to release the proofs.''

Associated Press Sat 27-DEC-1986 05:31                   America's Cup Glance

      tx
          America's  Cup  At  A  Glance        
              By  The  Associated  Press         
               At  Fremantle,  Australia          
         CHALLENGER  ELIMINATION      
                          Semifinals                 
                      Best  of  Seven               
                    Begins  Dec.  28                
   New Zealand vs. French Kiss
   Stars & Stripes vs. USA
                            ---                            
          DEFENDER  ELIMINATION       
                          Standings                 
Yacht                            W  L Pts
Kookaburra  III                          26    5    53
Australia  IV                                23    8    53
Kookaburra  II                            18  13    40
Steak'n  Kidney                             3  28    12
                          Semifinals                 
           Each  boat  races  nine  times        
               Six  points  per  victory           
                  Saturday's  Results            
   Kookaburra II, Peter Gilmour, def. Kookaburra III, Iain Murray,
12 seconds.
   Australia IV, Colin Beashel, def. Steak'n Kidney, Fred neill, 19
seconds.
                    Sunday's  Races                      
   Australia IV vs. Kookaburra III
   Kookaburra II vs. Steak'n Kidney
  Summary  of  Saturday's  Defender  Races 
   AUSTRALIA IV defeated STEAK'N KIDNEY
   Australia IV, piloted by Colin Beashel, jumped out to a
10-second lead over Steak'n Kidney, but after trailing by 12
seconds at the first mark, Fred Neill steered the underdog boat to
a six-second lead after the first downhill run. Steak'n Kidney
extended its lead to 28 seconds at the second windward mark, but
then Beashel started to nibble away, finally overtaking Neill's
boat on the next downhill run. Australia IV built its margin to 47
seconds at the final mark, but Steak'n Kidney whittled away the big
difference to finish 19 seconds behind.

   KOOKABURRA II defeated KOOKA-BURRA III.
   Kookaburra II, with Peter gilmour, won the start by nine seconds
and added four seconds to its margin at the first mark. Stablemate
Kookaburra III, helmed by Iain Murray, gained the lead by 12
seconds on the spinnaker run and held the edge for the next four
marks. On the third windward leg, Kookaburra II took a seven-second
edge, only to see the two boats round the final mark even. On the
final beat, Gilmour managed to win by 12 seconds.

Associated Press Sat 27-DEC-1986 05:06                America's Cup-Defenders

      FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Australia IV moved into a tie for
first place in the America's Cup defender trials today with a
narrow victory over Steak'n Kidney on the opening day of the
semifinals.
   In the other defenders' race, Kookaburra II upset front-running
stablemate Kookaburra III by 12 seconds.
   The win gave Australia IV 54 points, pulling the Alan Bond
Syndicate boat even with Kookaburra III, which has led for most of
the first three rounds. Kookaburra II is next with 40 points, while
Steak'n Kidney has 12.
   Each semifinal victory is worth six points.
   Steak'n Kidney and Australia IV saw the lead change hands twice
during the race and Colin Beashel piloted Australia IV across the
finish line only 19 seconds ahead.
   Kookaburra II and II were even at the final mark, but Kookaburra
II, skippered by Peter Gilmour, won a tacking duel down the stretch.
   The two races were held in winds of 18 to 20 knots with seas of
three feet.
   Australia IV meets Kookaburra III Sunday, with the winner
gaining sole command of first place.
   A defenders' jury is scheduled to hear a plea by Kookaburra II
for a rehearing of the protest which disqualified her in a race
against Australia IV during the third round-robin series.
   Kookaburra II had been found guilty in a protest hearing of
tacking too close to Australia IV. The decision took away a victory
in which Kookaburra II she finished more than five minutes in front.
   Steak'n Kidney, currently far behind the pack, now must win her
remaining eight races to retain any chance of making the finals.
   Under the defenders' rules, which differ from the challengers'
series, Steak'n Kidney will be knocked out she has no chance of
making the finals.

Associated Press Sat 27-DEC-1986 01:44                          America's Cup

   Eds: Edits 5th graf to show New York state Court of Appeals
administers ``deed of gift'' governing cup competition
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - French Kiss will be flying a protest
flag when the gun goes off Sunday in its first match against New
Zealand in the America's Cup challengers' semifinals.
   Marc Pajot, skipper of the French boat, told a crowded press
conference today that the red flag will be flown in the latest
chapter over the legality of New Zealand's fiberglass boat.
   The two boats are meeting in the best-of-seven series to decide
who will meet the winner of the USA-Stars & Stripes semifinal
series for the right to face the Australian defender in the
America's Cup, which begins Jan. 31, 1987.
   The French syndicate chairman, Admiral Rene Marqueze, said his
group has decided for now not to seek an injunction against New
Zealand in the New York state Court of Appeals. But he said his
syndicate reserved the right to take legal action should its
demands not be honored.
   The Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, is the final
arbitrator since it administers the deed of gift governing the cup
competition.
   Michael Fay, chairman of the New Zealand syndicate, indicated
surprise over the French syndicate's decision to challenge Lloyd's
Register of Shipping's tests of the fiberglass boat.
   Fay did indicate willingness to sit down with the French Kiss
syndicate in a meeting chaired by Commodante Gianfranco Alberini of
the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, sponsors of the America's Cup
Challengers' series.
   Admiral Marqueze did not agree to such a meeting at the press
conference.
   The French syndicate apparently is unhappy about the methods
used in the testing of the yacht. Admiral Marqueze referred to the
electronic equipment used to test the fiberglass New Zealand boat
as ``mere toys.''
   He said earlier that the ultra-sonic and gamma surveying
instruments ``are not accurate enough on composite materials
(sandwich-type fiberglass) constituting the hull of the New Zealand
challenge boat.''
   The French are demanding that proof of the tests be furnished
and that core samples of the hull be taken.
   ``We have to mistrust the results,'' the French admiral said.
   Earlier in the news conference, USA skipper Tom Blackaller said
he did not believe Lloyd's Register of Shipping should be involved
in the testing of the 12-meter America's Cup boats.
   ``Asking Lloyd's to survey our boats is like asking the American
Trucking Association to check out grand prix cars,'' he said.
   ``I wouldn't say that,'' laughed Stars & Stripes skipper Dennis
Conner, who started the whole fight over the New Zealand's
fiberglass boat before the challengers started their round-robin
series in October. ``I'm wearing my fiberglass muzzle.''
   Conner refused to comment further on the French action.
   Blackaller, who also has been vocal about New Zealand's use of
fiberglass, said his syndicate has decided on no course of action
at this time.
   Pajot, who said he is anxious to face the New Zealanders on the
race course Sunday, denied the French action was a publicity stunt.
   New Zealand won all three meetings with French Kiss during the
round-robin portion of the challenger trials.

Associated Press Sat 27-DEC-1986 23:47                     America's Cup Odds

      FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - A Darwin bookmaker has established
New Zealand as the favorite to win the America's Cup.
   Ron Smith, an interstate bookie for 10 years, ruled the Kiwis as
5-4 favorites to remove the cup and take it to Auckland.
   The Kookaburra syndicate, which has two boats in the defenders'
trials, is next in line with odds of 9-4, while Australia IV, the
syndicate which won the cup from the U.S. in 1983, is rated at 3-1.
   Among the two remaining U.S. boats, Dennis Conner's Stars &
Stripes rates as 4-1, while USA, sailed by Tom Blackaller, is 7-1.
   The fourth challenger, French Kiss, is the real longshot with
odds of 33-1.
   In the current trials, Smith rates Kookaburra III as 4-6 to win
the right to defend the cup. Kookaburra II is 2-1, Australia IV
10-9, and Steak'n Kidney 10-1.
   New Zealand is 1-2 to win the right to challenge, with Stars &
Stripes at 5-2, USA 3-1 and French Kiss, if it wins, will return 16
to 1 to its backers.

Associated Press Sun 28-DEC-1986 10:34                          America's Cup

   Eds: updates with quotes, more detail and dismissal of French
protest
                             By SID MOODY
                        Associated Press Writer
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Tom Blackaller made two mistakes
Sunday, one social, the other tactical.
   The first was to wave good-bye to Dennis Conner and Stars &
Stripes as blackaller sailed USA on the first spinnaker run with a
five-length lead in the opener of their America's Cup challenge
semifinals.
   At the end, it was Conner who was waving his arms aloft in
victory as his San Diego-based 12-meter caught USA on the last lap
to win by a scant 10 seconds.
   Blackaller's second error was to hesitate momentarily in a tack
on the last leg. The delay let Conner, who had a little more boat
speed at the time, sail away from the San Francisco-based USA.
   ``It was like missing a turn in a race car,'' said Blackaller.
   Conner was right on USA's stern when Blackaller, who also drives
race cars, pulled off a maneuver called a ``slam dunk'' in yacht
racing parlance. He started to tack just ahead of Conner, hoping to
disturb the wind going into the sails of Stars & Stripes.
Blackaller said he hesitated momentarily for fear of being hit by
Stars & Stripes and risking disqualification.
   ``I made a mistake,'' Blackaller told a news conference after
the race.
   As for the wave: ``I shouldn't have done that.''
   Conner thus took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series after
Blackaller led at every mark.
   In the other semifinal challenge match, the favorite of the
series, New Zealand, beat French Kiss by 2 minutes 46 seconds. And
the French protested, as expected.
   The French syndicate wants to see the confidential results of
hull tests on the New Zealand boat, which is made of fiberglass
instead of aluminum. After deliberating several hours behind closed
doors, the protest committee of international yachting officials
dismissed the protest.
   The Australian defenders had a close race,too. Cup holder Alan
Bond's Australia IV trailed Kookaburra III all the way to the last
leg before skipper Colin Baeshel caught his crosstown Perth
opponent to win by only 12 seconds.
   The victory broke a first-place tie between the two boats and
left Australia IV alone at the top of the defense standings with 59
points to 53 for Kookaburra III. It was the first time the Bond
boat had led the defense standings.
   In the other match in Sunday's steady 15-18 knot winds,
Kookaburra II virtually eliminated Steak'n Kidney with a 41-second
victory.
   Conner's victory was a homer with two out in the bottom of the
ninth. The two yachts began demurely by taking opposite ends of the
start line, Stars & Stripes on starbaord tack and Blackaller's
two-ruddered yacht on port. Conner won the start by four seconds,
but he was overtaken by USA, which rounded the first buoy two
lengths, or 12 seconds ahead. Conner's crew was a little faster
setting its red-white-and-blue spinnaker but could make up no
ground.
   ``I knew things were not going too well because Tom waved
good-bye on the first leeward leg,'' Conner said.
   Admitting with a laugh that he shouldn't have made the gesture,
Blackaller said: ``The wind was streaky. It was a tactical race.
You had to be in the right place at the right time.''
   Blackaller was never more than five lengths ahead, and for three
hours they paraded around the 24.5-mile course as if USA had Stars
& Stripes under tow. Blackaller's lead was 19, 15, 17, 15, 12 and
11 seconds as the buoys passed by.
   Conner tried a see-through mylar spinnaker on the reaching legs
to little advantage. On the last leg, the two boats split tacks
several times.
   They looked to be almost head to head 400 yards from the finish
line, but Conner found some boat speed, tacked to starboard ahead
of USA and took the gun to cheers from the 50-boat spectator
flotilla. The 44-year-old Conner, the man who lost the cup to
Australia in 1983, raised his arms in triumph.
   Racing resumes Monday.
   French Kiss raised the red protest flag almost as soon as she
hoisted up her jib to begin the 10-minute starting maneuvers with
New Zealand's Chris Dickson, at 25 the boy progidy of the fleet who
had won 33 of his 34 races in the elimination round robins.
   Marc Pajot, the French skipper who once set a transatlantic
speed record, had said the day before the race he would protest the
plastic hull.
   Pajot artfully dodged away from Dickson by sailing toward the
spectator boat and took start by a second. Dickson pulled away
readily to lead by 1:01 at the end of the first leg and was never
threatened thereafter.
   Dickson wasn't sure this would be the end of the protests over
his boat's fiberglass hull.
   ``Next month we will be against the Americans,'' he said, ``and
they may take it upon themselves to do the same thing.''
   Pajot said: ``We don't know what we are going to do. There is
still a doubt about the measurement of fiberglass boats and
especially their density. I don't know if it will be the end or
not.''
   The French said Friday they might take the matter up with the
Supreme Court of New York, which has been trustee of the deed of
gift of the cup since 1857 when the racing conditions for the old
trophy were entrusted to the New York Yacht Club.
   ``We'll wait and see,'' pajot said.

Associated Press Mon 29-DEC-1986 04:50                          America's Cup

   Eds: Updates with today's races.
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Stars & Stripes and New Zealand
edged closer to a match-up in the America's Cup challengers finals
with resounding victories today.
   Dennis Conner hammered his old foe, Tom Blackaller, as Stars &
Stripes beat USA by 3 minutes, 2 seconds to take a 2-0 lead in
their best-of-seven semifinal series.
   New Zealand, skippered by Chris Dickson, continued its winning
ways by beating French Kiss by 2:40 for its second win in as many
days.
   It was the second day in a row that Conner and the San Diego
Yacht Club entry were forced to come from behind, but this time,
Conner did not wait until midway in the final leg to go ahead, as
he did Sunday when Stars & Stripes won by 10 seconds. This time,
Conner overcame a bad start in which he was over the starting line
early to be 16 seconds ahead at the first windward buoy.
   In the battle for the right to defend the cup, Kookaburra III
pulled into a first-place tie with Australia IV with a little help
from its stablemate, Kookaburra II.
   Kookaburra II, skippered by Peter Gilmour, sailed away from
Australia IV, winning by 59 seconds, while Kookaburra III downed
Steak'n Kidney by 2:06.
   Kookaburra III and Australia IV are tied with 59 points while
Kookaburra II is next with 52 points. Steak'n Kidney has only 12
points and has no chance of entering the finals.
   Under the rules set up by the defending Royal Perth Yacht Club,
a yacht which has no chance to enter the semifinals is to be
excused from further competition. Whether the club will change the
rules has not been announced.
   If Steak'n Kidney races, it will face Australia IV Tuesday,
while the two Kookaburras meet in the other semifinal. Each
semifinal win in worth six points.
   Conner was all smiles as he crossed the finish line with USA on
the horizon, while Blackaller was grim as USA crossed the finish
line a loser for the second straight day on a day where it had the
more favorable weather conditions.
   The San Francisco-based boat is at its best in moderate winds
and flat seas - the case both Sunday and today, where winds of
about 15 knots raised only small swells. Stars & Stripes prefers
heavier weather, but has won twice now in lighter breezes.
   Conner appeared to have an edge at the start as the two boats
were on opposite tacks at the gun, but Stars & Stripes' bow was
over early and by the time it returned to the line and properly
started, Conner was 18 seconds behind.
   It was quite apparent on the first beat that Stars & Stripes was
quicker going to weather, but slightly slower off the wind.
   USA was only seven seconds behind after the first spinnaker run,
but once the two boats headed into the wind, the race was over.
Stars & Stripes led by a commanding 1:08 at the second windward
mark.
   The sensational New Zealanders racked up their 34th victory in
35 races since the challengers started racing back in October. They
have won 25 in row since losing to Stars & Stripes in the opening
round.
   New Zealand dominated French Kiss from start to finish, leading
by two seconds at the start and reaching the first windward mark 42
seconds in front. The lead grew to 1:37 at the next beat and the
race was never close after that.

Associated Press Mon 29-DEC-1986 05:39                   America's Cup Glance

      tx
          America's  Cup  At  A  Glance        
              By  The  Associated  Press         
               At  Fremantle,  Australia          
         CHALLENGER  ELIMINATION      
                          Semifinals                 
                      Best  of  Seven               
                    Monday's  Results             
   Stars & Stripes, Dennis Conner, def. USA, Tom Blackaller, 3
minutes, 2 seconds. Stars & Stripes leads series 2-0.
   New Zealand, Chris Dickson, def. French Kiss, Marc Pajot, 2:40.
New Zealand leads series 2-0.
                    Tuesday's  Races             
   Stars & Stripes vs. USA
   New Zealand vs. French Kiss
 Summary  of  Monday's  Challenger  Races 
   NEW ZEALAND def. FRENCH KISS.
   New Zealand continued its mastery over French Kiss with a 2:40
victory, its second in the series. New Zealand won the start and
led by 42 seconds at the first mark, then put the race away on the
second windward beat by adding 1:33 to its lead.
   STARS & STRIPES def. USA.
   Dennis Conner and Stars & Stripes overcame being over the
starting line early to easily defeat USA, sailed by Tom Blackaller,
in the second race of their best-of-seven semifinal series. Stars &
Stripes showed superior speed upwind to lead at every mark and
cross the finish line first by 3:02. It was Conner's second win in
as many races.
                            ---                            
          DEFENDER  ELIMINATION       
                          Standings                 
Yacht                            W  L Pts
Australia  IV                                24    9    59
Kookaburra  III                          27    6    59
Kookaburra  II                            20  13    52
Steak'n  Kidney                             3  30    12
                          Semifinals                 
           Each  boat  races  nine  times        
               Six  points  per  victory           
                    Monday's  Results             
   Kookaburra III, Iain Murray, def. Steak'n Kidney, Fred Neill, 2
minutes, 6 seconds.
   Kookaburra II, Peter Gilmour, def. Australia IV, Colin Beashel,
59 seconds.
                    Tuesday's  Races             
   Kookaburra II vs. Kookaburra III
   Australia IV vs. Steak'n Kidney
   Summary  of  Monday's  Defender  Races  
   KOOKABURRA II defeated AUSTRAL-IA IV.
   Australia IV flew a protest flag as it finished 59 seconds
behind Kookaburra II. Kookaburra's II's victory, if upheld, moves
it only seven points behind Kookaburra III and Australia IV. Peter
Gilmour sailed Kookaburra II into the lead at the start and was
never headed. It remained a close race for five legs, with only 21
seconds separating the two boats, but on the third windward leg,
Gilmour opened up a lead of 1:08 and was never headed.
   KOOKABURRA III defeated STEAK'N KIDNEY.
   Kookaburra III, piloted by Iain Murray, outwitted Steak'n Kidney
at the start to get off to a six-second lead. This grew to 1:02 at
the first mark Kookaburra III had no trouble the rest of the way,
winning by 2:06.

    

Associated Press Tue 30-DEC-1986 06:53                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Stars & Stripes and New Zealand are
one victory away from a meeting in the finals of the America's Cup
challenger trials.
   New Zealand came from behind in the final 300 yards to nip
French Kiss by 13 seconds today while Stars & Stripes, skippered by
Dennis Conner, blitzed USA, as both won for the third straight time
in the best-of-seven semifinals.
   Marc Pajot, skipper of French Kiss, dropped a planned protest
against Chris Dickson and New Zealand, saying New Zealand was in
the right in a luffing duel on the final leg.
   Dickson had caught French Kiss on the final leg and was able to
luff sharply. When Pajot attempted to tack, his stern struck New
Zealand, but no damage was reported by either side.
   USA skipper Tom Blackaller said he was mystified by the superior
speed shown by Stars & Stripes in the semifinals.
   ``Our boat was faster than ever,'' he said. ``It's baffling to
us, but big Dennis (Conner) was one-tenth of a knot faster than we
were on the course today - and we're one-tenth of a knot faster
than in the third round robin when we beat him twice. That makes
him two-tenths of a knot faster than he was in the last series.''
   Blackaller said he believed Conner must have made major changes
to the San Diego Yacht Club entry since the last series.
   ``It would appear that he added 2,000 pounds of ballast,''
Blackaller said. ``That might account for his improved
performance.''
   Conner said changes made to Stars & Stripes were minor.
   ``We added 120 pounds of ballast and lightened our spars,'' he
said.
   But Conner added that he's not taking anything for granted or
looking ahead to a meeting with New Zealand, despite the relatively
easy 2:23 victory.
   Dickson said a spinnaker fitting caused him problems at the end
of the second leg and allowed French Kiss to get ahead.
   Dickson also said he made a wrong decision on the mainsail used
in the race and it hurt boat speed throughout the race until the
final leg when the winds lightened.
   The fourth race in both series will be held Friday, after a
two-day New Year's break.
   French Kiss went into the final 3.5-mile windward leg with a
13-second lead. But Dickson immediately started a furious tacking
duel and nibbled away at the lead.
   New Zealand finally took the lead at the collision when French
Kiss tacked away.
   The race between Stars & Stripes and USA was never close. USA,
the radical San Francisco-based boat skippered by Blackaller, had
the edge at the start by one second. But by the time the two boats
reached the first buoy and set their spinnakers, Stars & Stripes
led by 40 seconds. At the end of the second beat to weather, Conner
had increased Stars & Stripes' lead to 1:24 and was never
threatened during the race.
   In the defenders' semifinals, Kookaburra II, skippered by Peter
Gilmour, defeated stablemate Kookaburra III by 50 seconds, while
Australia IV apparently eliminated Steak'n Kidney from any chances
of making the finals with a 14-second win.
   Colin Beashel and the Alan Bond Syndicate boat led all the way,
but never by more than 29 seconds.
   Under the defenders' rules, a boat unable to make the finals is
eliminated from from further racing.
   Australia IV leads the defenders with 65 points, followed by
Kookaburra III with 59. Kookaburra II has 52 points and Steak'n
Kidney has only 18 - but those standings could change, because four
protests are still to be heard.
   The defenders series also resumes Friday after a two-day break.
    

Associated Press Tue 30-DEC-1986 22:58              America's Cup-French Kiss

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - In a ruling that changes nothing, an
international protest jury has disqualified French Kiss in its
Tuesday race against New Zealand.
   New Zealand won the race against Marc Pajot by 13 seconds, but
it will now go into the record book as a disqualification. It does
not change the standings, which stand at 3-0 for the Kiwis, who
need win only one more race to enter the finals against either USA
or Stars & Stripes. Stars & Stripes holds a 3-0 edge in its
semifinal best-of-seven series.
   There is no racing Wednesday or Thursday. The America's Cup
challengers' semifinals resume Friday.
   The International Yacht Racing Union rules demand that a protest
be filed when a collision occurs. If New Zealand had not protested,
she would also have faced disqualification.
   The incident occurred on the final leg when the Kiwis luffed
French Kiss. As Pajot attempted to tack away, his transom struck
New Zealand a glancing blow. Neither boat suffered any major damage.
    

Associated Press Mon 05-JAN-1987 16:13                          America's Cup

                               By SID MOODY
                        Associated Press Writer
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - The wind they call the ``Fremantle
Doctor'' blew away a critical America's Cup race Monday between
Australia IV and Kookaburra II, two of three yachts left in the
defense elimination series.
   The race committee called off the race just as it started
because of winds forecast for 35 knots on the Indian Ocean. It was
already gusting over 30 as the race began. The was postponed until
Tuesday. Australia IV and Kookaburra II are vying for the right to
meet Kookaburra III in the defense finals. Kookaburra II must win
both her remaining semifinal races to reach the two-boat final,
which will pick defender of the cup. Australia IV, the hope of 1983
cup winner Alan Bond, must win one of two.
   ``We're a little bit concerned,'' said Warren Jones, spokesman
for the Australia IV syndicate. ``We must win one. If we're not
there, it's because we let a very good boat down. You just can't
make excuses.''
   Seas were rough and getting rougher as Colin Beashel in
Australia IV and Peter Gilmour in Kookaburra II hounded each other
for a favorable starting position.
   Kookaburra II started slightly ahead and increased her lead to
three lengths in as many minutes when the committee called the race.
   It was the only race scheduled. Kookaburra III has a bye since
the fourth defense contender, Steak'n Kidney, already has been
eliminated. Kookaburra III will will get an automatic six points
when the Kookaburra II-Australia IV race is sailed. That will give
her 77 to 71 currently for the Bond boat and 64 for her stablemate.
   Kookaburra III clinched a berth in the defender finals Sunday
when she trounced Kookaburra II by 8 minutes, 57 seconds.
Kookaburra III took a big lead at the start of that race even
though a crewman was working halfway up her mast while making
last-second repairs.
   Members of the Australia IV camp were annoyed with what they
thought was collusion between the two boats to allow Kookaburra III
to win.
   ``One boat is 309 seconds bewhind the line while the other boat
is crippled,'' Jones said. ``It should be done with a little more
finesse. I don't think I can say any more than that.''
   The best-of-seven challenger final begins Jan. 13 with Dennis
Conner's Stars & Stripes going against Chris Dickson's New Zealand.
New Zealand has lost only once in the challenge series, to Stars &
Stripes.
    

Associated Press Wed 07-JAN-1987 07:48                          America's Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Australia IV won bragging rights
over Kookaburra III with a collision-marred 24-second victory today
in the final race of the America's Cup defenders' semifinals.
   The race was a preview of the defenders' finals, in which the
two boats will face off in a best-of-nie series that begins Jan. 14.
   Both boats protested the race after a collision on the second
windward leg, just after rounding the second mark. Kookaburra III
sustained a hole in her bow, which forced the crew to bail water
for the remainder of the race.
   Australia IV was damaged on the starboard side of its stern and
and also received a bent aerial.
   If the win stands, Australia IV will finish the series with 83
points, six more than Kookaburra III. Kookaburra II, which lost to
Australia IV Tuesday in a controversy-marred race, ended the series
with 70 points, including six for a bye today.
   Colin Beashel and Australia IV led throughout the 24.5-mile race
on the windy Indian Ocean course, but he was never more than 25
seconds ahead at any time.
   Weather conditions were ideal, with winds ranging from 14 to 23
knots and four-foot seas.
   In one protest, Kookaburra III accused Australia IV of violating
the rule which states that a yacht that is either tacking or gybing
shall keep clear of a yacht on a tack.
   Australia IV answered in its protest that a yacht shall not tack
or gybe into a position without being able to keep clear of the
other boat.
   Kookaburra III claimed that Australia IV committed the same foul
on the next leg.
   Kookaburra III skipper Iain Murray said at a news conference
after the race that he noticed the boat seemed to be settling in
the water.
   ``I asked a crewman to check and he yelled up from below: `you
better start pumping or we're going down.'''
   Beashel took the start by seven seconds and increased the lead
by four seconds on the 3.5-mile first beat to weather. Murray cut
the margin to six seconds on the spinnaker run, but Beashel
regained the five seconds on the first reach and another seven on
each of the next two legs.
   On the sixth leg to weather, Murray again cut into Beashel's
margin and narrowed it to eight seconds going into the beat to the
finish line.
   Kookaburra III attacked on the final beat with a furious tacking
duel, but was unable to gain ground.
   Off the race course, the two syndicates fought a bitter battle
of words over a protest of a new sail used by Australia IV in
Tuesday's race against Kookaburra II.
   The protest resulted in a seven-hour hearing, in which Australia
IV won the right to use the huge balloon sail, called the gennaker.
   Murray said at the news conference that he has asked that the
protest be reopened so that he may present new evidence.
   Should Kookaburra II be awarded the victory over Australia IV in
Tuesday's race, and should Australia IV be disqualified for today's
collision, it would mean the two Kookaburra boats would meet in the
defenders' finals.
   But Warren Jones, shore boss of the Alan Bond Syndicate, said
the Kookaburra syndicate was ``grasping at straws,'' by protesting.
   He described the Kookaburra Syndicate as ``like dingoes (small
wild Australian dogs) when we beat them - they howl like hell.''
   The protest jury found the sail legal and legally attached to
the boat.
   Kookaburra Syndicate Director Malcolm Bailey today ripped into
Jones.
   ``It is a pity that he resorted to gutter language to express
his anger and fruktration,'' said Bailey.
   ``We have not demeaned ourselves by responding to outrageous
statements by Jones (criticizing rival protests) in the past week
or so. We have a dedicated group who have spent thousands of hours
in an effort to keep the Cup in Australia, and we take strong
exception to having them called dingoes,'' Bailey said.
    

Associated Press Tue 13-JAN-1987 07:17                           Americas Cup

   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Dennis Conner and Stars & Stripes
drew first blood in the America's Cup challenger finals today, but
New Zealand skipper Chris Dickson isn't throwing in the towel.
   Stars & Stripes led all the way and won by 1 minute, 20 seconds
to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
   But Dickson did not seem downcast over the defeat. He smiled as
he entered the press room after the loss and said ``I hope we won't
do any worse Wednesday.This is a best-of-seven series. Let's not
get too excited over one race.''
   Stars & Stripes led at the start and showed superior boat speed
in the 20-26-knot winds on the choppy Indian Ocean course off this
small port city.
   Stars & Stripes' tactician Tom Whidden credited the victory to
Conner's skill in playing the wind shifts. ``The shifts today
weren't big, but Dennis played them perfectly,'' he said.
   Dickson also Conner with doing a nice job on the wind shifts,
but said he is still confident that New Zealand can match Stars &
Stripes in boat speed in almost any condition.
   Once out in front, Conner refrained from getting into a tacking
duel with Dickson, staying instead with a straight-line strategy
that worked to perfection.
   New Zealand made it close for five legs, cutting the deficit
from 30 to 18 seconds on the two reaching legs.
   Conner, who said his crew did ``a magnificent job,'' said he
could not explain why Stars & Stripes lost ground on the two
reaches. ``We'll have to look at the films later,'' he said.
   On the third beat to weather, the winds picked up - and so did
Stars & Stripes, which gained 23 seconds for a 41-second edge
entering the final spinnaker run.
   Stars & Stripes, the San Diego Yacht Club entry, added eight
seconds on the downwind run and 31 more on the beat to the finish
line. Dickson, who saw his 28-race winning streak go sailing away,
desperately attempted to lure Conner into a tacking duel, but
Conner kept a loose cover on his foe during the race to the finish
line.
   Dickson said Conner never gave them a chance once he got in
front, but he added that he wouldn't do anything different. ``I
don't think we made any obvious mistakes,'' the 25-year-old New
Zealander said.
   The race proved that, in heavy conditions, Stars & Stripes is
faster and more powerful than its smaller opponent. New Zealand is
believed to be more maneuverable and to accelerate faster out of a
tack, but can be beaten by an opponent who can get out in front and
play the wind, rather than engaging in a tacking duel.
   Conner compared the two boats before the race to a clash between
a drag racer and a Porsche. ``We're the drag racer,'' he said at a
news conference Monday.
   In the tricky pre-start maneuvering, Conner won by three
seconds. More importantly, he protected the right side of the
course, usually more favored by the winds.
   The first crossing between the two boats saw Stars & Stripes
ahead by approximately one-third of a boat length. By the next
crossing, conner was ahead by two boat lengths, and by the time he
reached the mark he was 15 seconds in front.
   Conner did a beautiful jibe-set at the mark and Stars & Stripes'
big spinnaker powered it further in front of the desperate New
Zealanders. The leg added two seconds to Stars & Stripes' lead.
   The tone of the race was set on the second beat to weather, as
the winds picked up to around 26 knots. Conner threw a loose cover
on Dickson and just powered ahead, gaining 13 seconds to give him a
30-second margin as they began the two reaching legs. Dickson and
his crew, perhaps feeling the pressure, were sloppy on a couple of
tacks during this leg.
   The only bright spots for New Zealand were the two reaching
legs, where it had definite speed and surfing advantages.
   The two boats meet again Wednesday. It had been thought that New
Zealand might seek a lay day. Each boat is allowed one lay day
during the first four races. A request for a second lay day after
the first four races must be approved by the race jury.
   This was the fourth meeting between the two boats and they are
now even at 2-2. It was only the second defeat for New Zealand in
39 races.
   The defender finals also begin Wednesday, with Kookaburra III,
which finished first in the defender trials, meeting Australia IV,
the runner-up, in the first race of the best-of-nine series.
    

    Re: .52
    
    According to the report on ESPN tonight, the coating was made by
    3M.
    
    Maybe DuPont developed the chemistry and 3M manufactures the actual
    film?
    
    Awaiting race 2,
    
    Don 

    re.53
    Yeah, what's goin'on here?! The ESPN analysts on the live show also
    said that the covering was from 3M. Would you folks in Minneapolis
    keep an out for Quantas aircraft and give any you see a flat tire?
    
    Ed-the-chauvinist

Associated Press Wed 14-JAN-1987 07:41                           Americas Cup
                                SID MOODY   
                            Associated Press Writer    
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - After two straight losses to Dennis
Conner and Stars & Stripes, skipper Chris Dickson and New Zealand
have called time out.
   For the second straight day, Conner sailed a near-perfect race
as Stars & Stripes downed New Zealand by 1 minute, 36 seconds today
to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven America's Cup challengers'
finals.
   After the race, the New Zealand syndicate took the lay day it is
allowed under the rules and opted not to race Thursday. The series
will resume Friday.
   But Conner, who lost the Cup to Australia II in 1983 with
Liberty, isn't ready to claim victory.
   ``Our fairy tale won't end until we beat Chris two more times,''
said Conner.
   However, Dickson, not Conner, is the one who has to find some
answers.
   ``We were not sailing to our potential today,'' Dickson said at
a post-race news conference, adding that his crew was ``a little
down'' after its second loss in as many days.
   ``Maybe it was the sail combination. Sheet leads. We need a
little more practice getting from fourth into fifth gear. And Stars
& Stripes is a very fast boat,'' he said.
   For the second straight day, Conner got Stars & Stripes away to
an early lead. After losing the start by one second, Conner grabbed
a 38-second lead after the first mark and never trailed.
   Dickson said Conner put his yacht into the lead early ``and then
capitalized on it. Congratulations to Stars & Stripes for an
excellent race.''
   Michael Fay, head of the New Zealand syndicate, also had words
of praise for Conner and his boat.
   ``Dennis Conner has our backs to the wall,'' Fay said, adding
that the lay day would be used to ``find a cure to catch Conner.''
   The loss was only the third for New Zealand in 40 races since
the challengers trials began in October. All three have been to
Stars & Stripes.
   The defenders began their final round today as well, with
Kookaburra III rallying on the last three legs for a 29-second win
over Australia IV in the opener of the best-of-nine series.
   Both boats flew protest flags after a collision during the
pre-start maneuvering, a not-uncommon scenario during the defender
trials. But the race itself was a bow-to-bow thriller, with
Kookaburra III surviving spinnaker problems on the fourth leg and
beating its neighboring Perth rival after trailing for more than
half the race
   Dickson had won 37 of 38 races until running up against Conner
in the opening race on Tuesday, when Conner had his kind of wind,
up to 26 knots, and could dictate how the race was run by taking an
early lead. Stars & Stripes won that race by 1:20.
   Today, with somewhat lighter winds ranging up to 20 knots,
Conner had a safe start, crossing the line one second behind
Dickson, and relied on boat speed to round the first buoy 38
seconds in front.
   Dickson, sailing in his first America's Cup, made up 20 seconds
on the next spinnaker leg, but the San Diego Yacht Club entry
continued to show upwind superiority.
   Conner's boat picked up 17 seconds on the second windward leg,
giving it a 35-second edge. Stars & Stripes led by more than 30
seconds at the next two marks before pulling away. For the second
straight day, Conner won all four windward legs.
   It was the 11th consecutive victory for Conner and Stars &
Stripes.
    

    Re: .54
    
    QANTAS doesn't have a U in it much as it seems it should.  I made
    that slight error a year or so in another conference and was corrected
    by a Australian quite properly.
    
    QANTAS is an acronym for Queensland And North Territories Aero Service.
    
    Cheers,
    
    Don

KZ-7 wins by 38 seconds and all Kiwi's breath a sigh of relief.

Stars and Stripes lead by 21 seconds at the second mark but it's
spinaker fouled and fell into the water enabling KZ-7 to get within
a boat length where she stayed until she was able to round the third
mark 6 seconds ahead. A lead that she never let go!

It's still going to be tough but the crew of 'Kiwi Magic' should start
the next race with renewed confidence.

Three cheers to the crew of KZ-7...

					hip hip hooray!!!

    Sounds like that was a good race.
    
    It bugs me not to be able to see them any longer.
    
    That's life in the fast lane I suppose.  Not only is there coverage
    here but it was snowing when my plane landed in Nice.  I want to
    go back to warm Florida with ESPN!!
    
    Don

Associated Press Fri 16-JAN-1987 07:38                           Americas Cup
                                 By SID MOODY    
                            Associated Press Writer    
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - After two straight defeats, New
Zealand skipper Chris Dickson got his chance to play the role of
conquering hero.
   Dickson and his crew were greeted by thousands of cheering fans,
who clambered up on the rocks of the harbor to greet them, after
today's 38-second victory over Stars & Stripes in the America's Cup
challenger finals.
   Aided by a gear failure aboard Stars & Stripes that dropped its
spinnaker in a heap on the deck, New Zealand won for the first time
in three races. The best-of-seven series is scheduled to resume
Saturday.
   Dennis Conner's San Diego-based yacht lost the lead after the
mishap was unable to catch up despite a frantic tacking duel.
   In the defender finals, Kookaburra III took a 2-0 lead today
with an easy 46-second win over Australia IV. The best-of-nine
series also resumes Saturday.
   Conner seemed headed for a third straight victory in the
best-of-seven series as he rounded the first mark with a 21-second
lead. His crew set a spinnaker borrowed from the New York Yacht
Club's eliminated America II, but a halyard shackle let go as the
sail started pulling and it fell in a heap on the foredeck.
   In a fine display of seamanship, Conner's crew got the sail back
up in a little over a minute, and a deckhand was hoisted up the
mast to make repairs - but the damage was done.
   Conner said after the race the spinnaker let go either because
of a broken or improperly secured shackle.
   ``We'll never know if the spinnaker cost us the race,'' he said
at a post-race news conference.
   ``That's sailboat racing. We were not the maestro of the race.
Chris was,'' he added.
   The mishap put New Zealand in the driver's seat. Conner tacked a
Cup record 132 times on the next three windward legs to try and get
free of the more versatile New Zealanders, but he couldn't - and
actually lost time sailing into the 22-knot wind, the first time in
the three races Stars & Stripes failed to win a windward leg.
   At the finish, New Zealand fans on the spectator boats went
mildly delerious, joining their countrymen at home who backed
Dickson and his crew with telegrams from every tenth person in the
tiny nation.
   ``They're all down on the docks, and I'm stuck here,'' said a
woman selling New Zealand souvenir shirts who had already
discounted her merchandise in view of the boat's 0-2 start.
   Dickson raised a protest flag on the second leg as Conner tried
to keep him from passing, but the victory made the foul claim moot.
   On the defenders' course, Kookaburra III had little trouble
winning for the second straight day. Australia IV won the start by
three seconds, but Iain Murray quickly piloted Kookaburra III to a
35-second edge after the first mark and never trailed. Kookaburra
III led by 1:17 after the sixth mark and coasted home.
   The race was actually the third in the defender finals, but both
yachts were disqualified after a pre-start collision in the opener,
which Kookaburra III won by 29 seconds.
    

    re .57
    
    No magic. Just a lot of luck and a good boat and crew. Kiwi Magic
    overtook Stars and Stripes when the spinnaker fell, at least that's
    what the ESPN commentators were saying. 
    
    I didn't appreciate how evenly matched, or how competent, those two
    boats and crews are until last night. It was like watching two giants
    hammer at each other. Whichever blue boat (:-)) wins this match,
    they'll blow Kookaburra III away. 
    
    We better win the next two cuz it's gettin' tough to go on 3-4 hours
    of sllep.   <-- See what I mean!!
    
    

    	Just a quick update for those who are havinfg difficulty getting
    into the Australian notes file:
    
    Race 4
    
    	Stars and Stripes wins by 3min 38 sec.  New Zeland had some
    problems including a torn main and hardware difficulties.  Regardless
    of the reason all Connor needs to do is to win one more of the next
    three but on the otherhand thats what we all thought in 1983.
    

Associated Press Sat 17-JAN-1987 17:03                          America's Cup
                                by HOWARD ULMAN      
                               AP Sports Writer   
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - It was a bad day for skipper Chris
Dickson and the New Zealand in the America's Cup.
   Stars & Stripes beat the Kiwi yacht by a massive three minutes
and 38 seconds Saturday to move to within one victory of ending the
challenger series and advancing to the America's Cup final.
   Not only did it suffer the worst beating of its 42 races and
fall behind 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, but New Zealand also
suffered crippling equipment damage in the wild wind and waves that
the heavier Stars & Stripes survived.
   Still, Dickson found a bright side.
   ``At least we made it back to the dock,'' he said. ``There were
a few times today when we were actually wondering if we'd get that
far.
   ``All things considered, we're more than happy to finish the
race today and more than happy that we still have a boat relatively
in one piece.''
   New Zealand used its last lay day Sunday to repair its damaged
aerials and replace its ripped mainsail,
   So, Dennis Conner and his American crew will have to wait at
least one more day before moving on to the final.
   The defender finals also have been one-sided. Kookaburra III
whipped Australia IV by 2:06 to grab a 3-0 lead in their
best-of-nine series. Australia IV also took Sunday off.
   The best-of-seven final, matching the winning challenger with an
Australian defender, begins Jan. 31.
   Conner, the only American skipper to lose the Cup, is on track
to become the only American skipper to regain it.
   The man who lost yachting's top prize in 1983 won the start by
two seconds in a hefty 22-knot wind, the kind his sturdy boat
thrives in. By the time the race ended, the wind had reached 26
knots and shredded New Zealand's chances.
   The fiberglass boat's problems began on the first downwind run,
the second leg of the race, when it had trouble with a sail zipper.
Efforts to fix it forced the crew to jibe quickly around the bottom
mark. As the sail shifted from one side of the boat to the other,
aerials were torn off the back, knocking out electronic
instruments. The mast also was damaged.
   New Zealand entered the final leg trailing by 1:47, then another
zipper problem led to a hole in the mainsail, which Dickson said
resulted in ``the mainsail blowing apart about 10 seconds after the
race.'' He said New Zealand has an identical mainsail it can use.
   ``We had what we have quietly termed a disaster day where
everything broke and everything went wrong,'' Dickson said. ``We're
just more than happy that it all happened on the same day.''
   For Conner, there was no repeat of the equipment problems on the
second leg of Friday's third race when his spinnaker collapsed and
New Zealand passed him en route to a 38-second triumph.
   As Stars & Stripes had done in each of her other two victories,
she won all four of the windward legs. Her average margin on those
beats Saturday was a huge 52 seconds.
   ``The more wind increases the size and frequency of the waves
and slows you down,'' Conner said. ``At a certain time the sea
condition would start hampering the performance of the boat.''
   Still, Conner led all the way.
   He started from the left side of the line on starboard tack. ew
Zealand was on port tack at the other end.
   His advantage was 31 seconds at the first mark and 28 seconds
after the second leg, a downwind run in which the trailing boat can
block his wind.
   But on the next leg, sailing into the wind, New Zealand's
equipment problems took their toll and Conner's boat picked up 42
seconds to lead by 1:10 going to the first reach.
   With such a substantial lead, Stars & Stripes could dictate
strategy and avoid a tacking duel with its more agile opponent.
   In the defender race, the Alan Bond syndicate's grasp on the Cup
slipped further. His group's Australia II won the trophy from
Conner and Liberty in 1983.
   But it was all Kookaburra III on Saturday.
   The boat won the start by four seconds and, with Iain Murray at
the helm, took all but the two reaching legs. It killed any of
Australia IV's comeback hopes by adding 1:13 to its lead on the
last three legs.
   ``During our lay day we will look to improve Australia IV,''
Bond's syndicate said in a statement.

    I'm disappointed by the AP erport on last night's race, so I'll
    offer some observations, bleary-eyed as they may be.
    
    26 knots of wind is a lot of air! It also kicked up 5-6 foot seas
    that weren't mentioned. Both boats went out and RACED with FULL
    sails. Remember you can't reef the sails on those boats. 
    
    The news bulletin doesn't do justice to the efforts of the Kiwi
    Magic crew! THey were heroic. THey never quit. THe vang broke and
    they rigged another. The backstay breaks and someone's out at he
    end of the boom, trying to snag it as it swings by. Someone stands
    on the gooseneck trying to free fouled halyards. REmember this is
    all going on in 5-6 foot seas and they're surfing at 11-12 knots
    or slamming right into 26 knots of wind.
    
    It all looks so easy until you remember the last time you were on
    the foredeck in 20 knots of wind and you remeber the knot in your
    guts. 
    
    It's a shame one of the crews has to lose.
    
    Ed
                                                            
                                                              

		America's Cup Challenger Elimination Series
			   Final, Best of Seven
				 Race 5
		   Fremantle, Monday, 19 January, 1987


	Stars & Stripes beat New Zealand by 1 min 29 sec
	 and becomes the Challenger to meet the Defender in the America's 
	 Cup Match commencing Saturday, 31 January 1987 !


      This makes the provisional standings -

	Finals after Race 5 (no points, best of 7 races) -

			  W  L  
      	Stars & Stripes   4  1 		(US55, Dennis Conner, San Diego YC)
      	New Zealand	  1  4		(KZ7,  Chris Dickson, Royal NZ YC)
	
	(#) =  withdrawn from Challenge
         *  =  protest 

      
      Some notes - 

	Winds today were VERY brisk at 26 to 30 knots and seas at 3 feet.
	Winds were so heavy as to move the buoy marking the starting line 
	and force the recall of the yachts from their starting manoeuvres 
	and delaying the normal 1 p.m. start to about 2 p.m.


	      Table of margins at start, each mark and finish
			 m:ss = minutes : seconds

		   Start   1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   Finish
	   S&S	           :42   :23   :14   :08   :16   :36   :39    1:29
	   NZ	     :01


	Chris Dickson again won the start, but could not hold the lead up 
	the first leg.  Although a much closer race than some of previous 
	NZ / S&S clashes, both boats suffered some sort of gear failure.
	After the 4th mark, S&S blew a headsail in the wind gusting at over 
	30 knots.  NZ on the other hand mis-set a spinnaker, had trouble 
	with setting a second and with a short distance to the 5th mark, 
	decided to eject both spinnakers, and have the chase boat pick them 
	up, rather than chancing the reduction in speed with the spinnakers 
	in the water.

	Through most of the race, NZ was well within striking distance to 
	take the lead from Conner. But the fatal mistake came for the
	youngster of the Challenger skippers, Chris Dickson, going around
	the 7th and final mark.  KZ7 touched the buoy and under Rule 52, a
	yacht touching the buoy, must go around the buoy again.  This
	typically takes about 30 seconds and added a very unwanted amount
	to the the narrow margin of about 5 seconds that S&S had over NZ,
	and giving NZ very little chance to beat Conner up the straight to
	the finish. 

	As winner of the Challenger Elimination Series, Stars $ Stripes is 
	also the winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

	All have given 3 cheers to the very valiant attempt by the Kiwis to 
	beat the larger, more experienced, richer Challenger syndicates.  
	But now on to the America's Cup !
    

Associated Press Mon 19-JAN-1987 08:07                           Americas Cup
                                By HOWARD ULMAN    
                               AP Sports Writer   
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - Stars & Stripes, the yacht skipper
Dennis Conner hopes to sail to an America's Cup victory, returned
to shore today to a trumpeter playing ``God Bless America'' in
celebration of its elimination of New Zealand.
   And Conner, who lost the Cup four years ago, felt he had been
blessed with some luck when New Zealand hit a buoy just as it was
threatening to overtake his San Diego-based 12-meter one turn from
the finish.
   ``It was a bit of relief,'' he said follwing a one-minute,
29-second victory that put Stars & Stripes into the finals against
an Australian defender.
   ``They are a very scrappy bunch,'' Conner said of the Kiwis, who
entered the best-of-seven series under skipper Chris Dickson with
one just loss in the three-month-long challenger series.
   The victory by Stars & Stripes, which won four of five races
against New Zealand, puts Conner in the finals for the third time.
He defended the Cup aboard Freedom in 1980 and lost it at the helm
of Liberty in 1983.
   Dickson said the reversal of his yacht's fortunes was the result
of ``thirteen years beating thirteen months of experience.''
   ``We had a fast boat, and still have a fast boat, but the better
boat won,'' said the skipper of the controversial figerglass yacht
that entered the finals with a record of 37-1.
   Stars & Stripes will open the final series Jan. 31. Its probable
opponent is Kookaburra III, which overcame a broken backstay on the
fifth leg of its race to defeat Australia IV by one minute, 13
seconds to move within a victory of a showdown with Stars &
Stripes. Kookaburra III leads the best-of-nine defender finals 4-0.
   Both Australian boats flew protest flags, however.
   Another Kookaburra III victory would bring to an end the hopes
of Australia IV's syndicate for a successful defense of sailing's
oldest prize. Headed by Alan Bond, the syndicate ended 132 years of
American domination of the event when Australia II came from a 3-1
deficit to beat Liberty in 1983.
   The 44-year-old Conner and his crew staged a typical locker room
celebration, pouring champagne over each other as they whooped it
up aboard Stars & Stripes. Wives and girl friends, standing out in
stars and stripes rugby shirts of red, white and blue, also were
doused.
   Stars & Stripes led by 36 seconds after the sixth leg of the
eight-leg, 24.5-mile race in the Indian Ocean. But the next leg was
downwind and New Zealand was close enough to steal the powerful
breeze from the leader.
   Dickson steered his boat into position to cause the spinnaker on
Stars & Stripes to flutter toward the end of the seventh leg.
Conner's lead was cut to just nine seconds as Dickson appeared
ready to round the buoy.
   But New Zealand banged into the mark. That required the boat to
re-round the mark, costing it all the ground it had gained on that
downwind run.
   By the time New Zealand could get around the mark again, it was
behind by 39 seconds and Conner was home free.
   Stars & Stripes had lost the start by one second, but charged to
a 42-second advantage on the first beat to windward. But on the
second beat, a powerful 28-knot wind ripped Conner's genoa and New
Zealand cut the margin to 14 seconds by the end of that leg.
   It was down to eight seconds after the first reach, but back up
to 16 seconds at the next rounding as New Zealand had problems
attempting to change a spinnaker.
   In the defenders' race, Kookaburra III's lead was just six
seconds after the second leg. Then it boosted the advantage to 53
seconds on the third leg, heading into the wind, and it never
dropped below 50 seconds at any of the remaining marks.

    A fews days late however congratulations to the Stars & Stripes
    syndicate on a great series of races against NZ.  Conner's boat sure is
    a fast mover and overall they deserved to beat NZ.  It's going to be a
    very interesting matchup now between it and Kookaburra III.  I now
    change my affiliations and hope the Aussies keep The Cup.  Perth is a
    lot closer to NZ than the US so in 1990 the Kiwi's might manage to get
    all the way to the end. 
    
    My guess on the result, 4-2 to the Aussies.
    
    
    	/Owen 

Associated Press Thu 29-JAN-1987 22:30                           Americas Cup
                                By HOWARD ULMAN    
                               AP Sports Writer   
   FREMANTLE, Australia (AP) - The boat in front two legs into the
eight-leg races of the America's Cup finals probably will be in
front at the end, both skippers said Friday.
   Stars & Stripes skipper Dennis Conner said he hoped to open
enough of a lead on the first leg, into the wind, to withstand
Kookaburra III's apparent superiority on the second leg, heading
downwind.
   The best-of-seven series starts Saturday between the U.S.
Challenger and the Australian defender.
   ``I think you'll see the race decided then and there at the
bottom mark the first time,'' Kookaburra III skipper Iain Murray
said.
   He added that the boat ahead after that leg wins 90 percent of
the races.
   ``Hopefully, we'll have enough of a lead at the weather mark to
hold Iain off on the run,'' Conner said. ``I concur with Iain that
the boat that goes around that first leeward mark (in front) is
going to win most of the races.''
   Conner, the only U.S. Skipper to lose the America's Cup, said he
was hoping for a series similar to the challenger finals in which
he beat New Zealand 4-1.
   ``I hope that Stars & Stripes will be a little faster upwind in
a straight line,'' he said. ``Probably, the Kookaburras have an
edge tacking.
   ``It looks like the Kookaburras have an edge downwind, so I
think you might see a similar series, if my dreams are right, to
the type of series we sailed against Kiwi Magic (New Zealand) where
we're not going to do a lot of tacking.''
   Stars & stripes sailed against New Zealand in the heavy winds
the U.S. boat originally was designed for. Conner said he hoped the
breeze Saturday would be stronger than the moderate winds that
dominated the last few days of practice.
   Wind speeds of 14 to 18 knots, in the moderate range, were
forecast for Saturday afternoon's first race. For Sunday's second
race, the forecast calls for winds of 18 to 23 knots.
   Murray had predicted Kookaburra III would beat Stars & Stripes
4-2. He withdrew that Friday.
   ``We're just going to be very happy to win four races,'' he said.
   Conner said that in the series he lost aboard Liberty to
Australia II in the 1983 Cup finals in Newport, R.I., he was ``more
anxious'' because he knew the Aussies had an excellent boat.
Liberty was considered a poor boat.
   ``This time I'm more relaxed and cautiously optimistic,'' he
said Friday.
   But this time, Murray has the homecourt advantage and has
received many messages of support from his countrymen.
   ``I'm not sure it's worth a tenth-of-a-knot (in extra boat
speed), but certainly it's a bonus,'' he said.
   It would be a bonus to Conner if the winds picked up.
   ``We'd like to have a good breeze,'' he said.
   The U.S. Challenger's planners thoroughly researched weather
patterns in this Indian Ocean port and how they change from October
through February, the period for the Cup competition.
   ``We spent lots of time on statistical analysis of about 15
years of Fremantle weather,'' Stars & Stripes design coordinator
John Marshall said. ``You have to have a good handle on conditions
you race in.''
   Modification work to adapt the boat to conditions specific to a
particular time period has gone on during the Cup races, which
began Oct. 5.
   The boat was excellent in strong winds through the three
round-robin series. In the challenger semifinals in late December
and early January, Stars & Stripes swept USA 4-0 in primarily
moderate conditions.
   Then came the challenger finals, sailed in strong breezes.
   Lighter conditions are normal for February.
   Those were the conditions on the ocean on Thursday during
practice sessions.
   Conner's crew sailed on Stars & Stripes '85, a heavy-weather
yacht, while Stars & Stripes '87, which will meet Kookaburra III,
stayed on land for some finishing touches.
   Kookaburra III and kookaburra II worked on racing tactics
against each other. The same is planned for Friday.
   ``We don't know as much about them as we'd like to,'' Conner
said of Kookaburra III.
   John Bertrand, skipper on Australia II when it beat Liberty,
said, ``It would appear from the feedback we've had that in strong
conditions, 22 knots plus, Stars & Stripes may have a technical
edge in terms of straight-line speed.
   ``Possibly in lighter conditions, 16 knots, the Kookaburra
syndicate may have superior straight-line speed.''
   ``There's a big advantage to being ahead, particularly at the
first leeward mark'' at the end of the second leg, Conner said.
``The lead doesn't chane very often'' after that.
    

    Three races done and no AP wire?  
        
    Current standings:
    
	Southwest Area 		3
    
    	South Pacific Region	0

    You think you miss it! I've become am America's Cup junkie! Our
    link to MKO was down Sunday morning and today there's the glance
    (see 411), an article on why the chase boat went over to K3 (see
    419), an article abnout somebodies nose being out of joint because
    Princess Anne came aboard his yacht in slacks to watch Race 3, and
    an incomplete account of Race 3, and an article about the long term
    impaCT of the Cup on Western Australia.  I was crushed. There was
    no real meat. but what the hell, I saw the race live. And I'm paying
    for it now! :-)
    
    ET