The Eagle: Coming On
The question of the day: What is a kookaburra?
A. A hearty Australian beer.
B. A kingfisher bird with a raucous, laughing call.
C. An Aussie 12-meter yacht syndicate that is not the most popular with its countrymen Down Under.
Both B and C answers are correct. And Answer C in particular may lead to the unusual circumstance that more than a few Aussies may be cheering San Diego’s Dennis Conner and Stars & Stripes when the American challenge boat takes on Australian defender Kookaburra III in the America’s Cup finals starting Saturday.
Conner has been, up to now, sort of the spoiled brat of American yachting, but he has been a relatively graceful winner in the wake of his 4-1 victory over New Zealand’s Kiwi Magic for the right to take on the Australian entry in a best-of-seven series. Can the brash Conner suddenly become Mr. Nice Guy of the America’s Cup in his quest to avenge the loss of the cup to the Australians in 1983?
Aiding Conner’s image is the fact that Kookaburra III, sailed by a syndicate headed by Kevin Parry, thrashed Australia IV five races to none in the cup-defender runoffs. One of Parry’s problems is that he is not Alan Bond, chief of the Australia syndicate. Bond is a national hero for snatching the cup away from America four years ago with a combination of charisma, determination and a controversial winged keel. Parry’s handicapsseem to include an arrested sense of humor and a penchant for trying to win in the post-race protest room.
When Bond joshed Parry about perhaps having to retrieve the cup from America four years hence under the banner of a fighting kangaroo, Parry lashed back like a wounded kookaburra.
As reported by The Times’ Rich Roberts, Parry retorted: “Frankly, Alan, your statement threw unnecessary Australian pressure on us. I think that’s childish, unnecessary and not worthy of your previous efforts.”
Well, Mates will be Mates, particularly when they both are business tycoons. Perhaps Parry will loosen up and charm Bond devotees out of their funk before the finals begin. Once the 12-meters are out on the water, boat design and seamanship will take over. If the final challengers’ race is any clue, Conner must be given the advantage. His crew’s deft replacement of a savagely ripped genoa jib was described by experts as one of the best examples of teamwork ever seen in a big boat race. Years of training and discipline have paid off for Conner. While the kookaburras and the kangaroos squawk among themselves, the last laugh may still go to the Yankee eagle.