A Last-Place Finish Leaves Stars & Stripes in Jeopardy

The boat and skipper that won back the America’s Cup were on the edge of elimination after finishing eighth and last in Tuesday’s fifth fleet race of the world 12-meter championships off Sardinia.

Plagued again by light winds of 4 to 8 knots, Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes was no match for boats it had beaten easily in the strong winds off Fremantle, Australia.

New Zealand’s KZ-7 won the race, with former Eagle skipper Rod Davis of Coronado, Calif., serving as tactician for helmsman David Barnes. The race was delayed for 1 1/2 hours and then shortened from 8 to 6 legs in dying wind. Australia’s Kookaburra II was 2 minutes 58 seconds behind, with Stars & Stripes 12:55 in arrears.

The result left Stars & Stripes in a tie for fifth with Sfida Italiana and Sweden’s Entertainer 12 going into today’s final fleet race, three points behind Britain’s White Horse. Stars & Stripes would have to finish four places ahead of White Horse to reach the match-racing semifinals, which start Saturday.