America’s Cup Trials : Australia IV Crew Apologizes and Then Wins

Australia IV said it was sorry to Kookaburra III, then beat Kookaburra II by 15 seconds Tuesday, recovering second place in the America’s Cup defender series.

Alan Bond’s lead campaign boat was disqualified after damaging first-place Kookaburra III in a collision Sunday. In a good-will gesture, syndicate executive director Warren Jones said that the Bond camp would reimburse their opponents for repairing the mast, backstay and electronic gear.

Skipper Iain Murray of Kookaburra III had estimated the damages to be in “the tens of thousands of dollars.”

Helmsman Colin Beashel of Australia IV took it all in stride. “When you get two big boats circling around each other at about eight knots, you’re bound to have accidents,” he said.

Sure enough, he and rival Peter Gilmour also flew protest flags during Tuesday’s race. That matter was scheduled to be resolved tonight.

But Tuesday’s nip-and-tuck victory over the Kookaburras’ backup boat beefed up sagging spirits in the camp of the 1983 Cup winner and tightened resolve for the syndicate’s secondary boat, Australia III, also to defeat Kookaburra II in the final clash of the rivals today before a two-week racing break.

“To those who think we’re out of it, I know a little bit about this business, and we will nail them,” Jones said.

Kookaburra III (18-1) enhanced its first-place standing with a comfortable 1:09 victory over fifth-place South Australia in 11- to 18-knot winds over calm seas, and Bond’s 12-meter world champion Australia III swamped Steak ‘n Kidney by 1:13.