Italians, Stars & Stripes Draw Closer

SAN DIEGO —  Tack these words to the locker room wall with a bowsprit:

“If Il Moro (di Venezia) wants to run New Zealand out of the Louis Vuitton Cup, the only way to do that is with five wins on the water.”

Or, try this sure-fire motivator: “I don’t see any way Dennis can catch up.”

Don’t look now, but Conner almost has, clawing back to a 4-3 deficit in the best-of-13 America’s Cup defender finals with a 1-minute, 28-second victoryover America 3 Sunday.

And as Conner took his cue from Bill Koch a few weeks ago, Il Moro skipper Paul Cayard picked up Sir Michael Fay’s challenge Sunday and outsailed the Kiwis by 43 seconds to tighten the best-of-9 challenger finals at 3-2.

New Zealand’s fourth win was erased at 1:15 a.m. Sunday when the challengers’ jury resolved Il Moro’s protest against the way the Kiwis use their bowsprit, trying a noble stab at Solomon-like wisdom. The jury “annulled” the race, which meant it took away New Zealand’s win but didn’t give it to Il Moro because the violation “had no significant effect on the outcome of the match”--a decision that riled both sides.

Cayard and New Zealand skipper Rod Davis--longtime pals, at least until this week--both jumped off their boats after Sunday’s race and went straight to the jury to get the case reopened. They were turned away.

Cayard also planned to ask the jury this morning to consider the part of Saturday’s protest concerning Rule 64.4 that it never addressed.

The sailors insist all of this is not the least bit distracting.

“No effect on us at all,” said Simon Daubney, the Kiwi mainsail trimmer.

Of course, Daubney also said the crew hadn’t heard about Il Moro boss Raul Gardini wanting to have them kicked out of the Cup until they returned to the dock. Maybe they would have sailed better, too.

They went the wrong way--left--at the start, immediately fell far behind, then crept back to within 19 seconds at the last mark. But their typical downwind schuss to the finish didn’t materialize. Il Moro sources said it was because they had modified their jibing techniques to a slower method that Il Moro tried to present to the jury as evidence for redress in time after calculating past losses to New Zealand.

Daubney said, “There was no difference in the way the boys were handling the pole today. They looked at the rules and the interpretations again and just made sure they were squeaky clean in the way they were doing it.”

But Il Moro tactician Enrico Chieffi said, “I noticed some differences in the downwind leg today . . . that the pole was going up in the air every time they were setting for the jibe. I had not a close enough look to see the exact way they were maneuvering. I guess they changed something.”

After the race, Cayard softened his morning stance only slightly. Despite winning easily, he finished flying another red flag for a technical protest--the bowsprit.

“Even though we did win today, we want to try to clarify things one more time without any points being in jeopardy for New Zealand,” he said. “It really is our intent to clarify this issue, not to punish anybody.”

It was a relatively mild day of racing in westerly winds of 6 knots freshening briefly to 9.

Conner trapped America 3 outside the starting line in pre-start jousting, and when starting helmsman Dave Dellenbaugh tried to escape he was cited for jibing (turning downwind) too close to Stars & Stripes and had to do a penalty turn after the gun, giving Conner immediate command. America 3 never got closer than 31 seconds.

After Saturday’s victory, it was the first time in 13 races that Stars & Stripes had beaten any of Koch’s boats twice in a row. Koch has long since learned about counting Conner out too soon.

“Stars & Stripes is very good in light air and flat seas, and Dennis is very good in playing the conservative game and making no mistakes,” Koch said. “We made a few mistakes today. I think that sums it up.”

Everybody has today off to talk about bowsprits. Racing is scheduled to resume Tuesday.