Eagle Wins First Day, but Canada II Steals Show : America’s Cup
Eagle sailed to the most lopsided victory on the first day of America’s Cup challenge competition Sunday in Fremantle, Australia, but a losing Canadian 12-meter boat delivered the most impressive performance.
Canada II, sailing with a 10-foot rip in its mainsail, led America II, one of two strong favorites in the field, until the final mark in the 24.1-mile race but then fell behind. America II won by 1 minute 6 seconds.
Skipper Rod Davis sailed Eagle, the Newport Harbor Yacht Club entry, to a 9:21 victory over lightly regarded Challenge France and was scheduled to race the stronger French Kiss when the first round of match racing continued today.
In other races Sunday, French Kiss defeated Azzurra by 3:09, Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes beat Italia by 3:49, New Zealand’s fiberglass Kiwi Magic defeated Buddy Melges’ Heart of America by 6:29 and Britain’s White Crusader nipped San Francisco’s USA by 11 seconds.
There was a light rain and the winds peaked at 18 knots, dropping to 15 by the end of the races.
Canada II, skippered by Terry Neilson, has been the surprise boat in practice racing the last few weeks. It is the modified Canada I from the 1983 campaign.
The tear developed in its main shortly after the start. Torn headsails can be replaced relatively easily, but most boats don’t carry a spare main because they would require too much time to change.
The lead changed six times between White Crusader and USA as both had difficulties. British skipper Harold Cudmore saw his main sail slip at the start, allowing USA to take the lead. USA skipper Tom Blackaller complained afterward of difficulty in steering his radical boat with the rudder in the bow.
America’s Cup Notes
Today’s pairings: Eagle vs. French Kiss, Courageous vs. USA, Stars & Stripes vs. Azzurra, Italia vs. Kiwi Magic, Canada II vs. White Crusader, Heart of America vs. Challenge France, America II bye. . . . Hoping to head off possible disputes, the sponsoring Yacht Club Costa Smeralda has asked the international protest jury to rule if any of the names, logos or other displays on the boats infringe Rule 26, which bans advertising. The British Crusader syndicate changed its name to White Crusader after gaining sponsorship from White Horse whisky. French Kiss is sponsored by the French film processing company Kis. . . . Eagle, finding its most favorable conditions, got an 18-second jump on Challenge France at the start, then steadily increased its lead at progressive marks to 1:48, 1:52, 3:54, 4:05, 4:31, 5:53, 7:14 and 9:21. It gained most of its time upwind. . . . Race results are posted by 10 a.m. daily on scoreboards at the Hyatt Edgewater Hotel in Long Beach and Eagle headquarters at the Mariner’s Mile Shipyard, 2507 W. Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach.