Finally, a Fight on the Water : Danish/American Challenge: Instead of sitting in a courtroom, sailors with America’s Cup aspirations will be doing something unusual this weekend--sailing.

There was something oddly refreshing about Danish skipper Valdemar Bandolowski discussing race strategy for this weekend’s initial Danish/American Cup Challenge in San Diego Harbor.

It was seemingly the first time in nearly two years that courtroom strategy was not a prevailing topic for skippers who hope to compete in the next America’s Cup competition in spring of 1992. Discussion focused on the eight-race regatta scheduled for Friday through Sunday, not litigation.

Like baseball, the sport of yachting could use some actual competition to rebuild its tattered image.

Bandolowski said he will be trying to build Denmark’s yachting image--the Danes are making their first venture into the America’s Cup fray--and beat his old friend and foe, American skipper Peter Isler.

But Bandolowski also said he and Isler have a chance to show the yachting world what competition means.

“I don’t see the same type of problem with us and the United States that New Zealand had,” Bandolowski said. “It’s good to be fighting with good friends on the water. Yachting has to be something you do for fun, not for economic advantage.

“Peter is a very intelligent man and an excellent yachtsman. We’ll both be fighting hard and using the rules. It should be a great race.”

Isler, ranked No. 1 in the United States in match racing and No. 4 in the world, said he’s happy that racing is finally back in the spotlight.

“It’s high time we took the focus out of the courtroom and (put it) back out on the water,” he said. “I consider this to be the first event leading up to the America’s Cup.”

That is why Bandolowski considers his eight match races against Isler so meaningful.

“We feel it’s very important to see how far we have come, what areas we’ve improved on and what areas we need to improve on,” Bandolowski said. “The America’s Cup is only two years away (pending a court decision) and we have to start getting an idea about our chances.”

Bandolowski and Isler and their 11-man crews will rotate between the Swiftsure III and the Hokulele for the eight races. Both are 68-foot custom Nelson/Marek-designed “maxi-sleds,” only six feet shorter than the new 74-footers being designed for the next America’s Cup.

Each day’s racing will begin at 12:30 p.m., and the courses will be short with multiple laps. Three races will be held Friday and Saturday and two Sunday. Winners will collect escalating point values each day.

The boats will never be more than a mile from shore on the north end of the harbor by Harbor and Shelter islands and should also be visible from Seaport Village.

Bandolowski said the proximity to spectators can only help to promote yachting.

“This kind of race is very exciting because of the fact that everybody can see it,” Bandolowski said. “For yachtsmen, we have a very exciting sport, but you have to understand the rules.

“One of the ways of explaining our sport is through a regatta like this, where people can see everything that is going on.”

And Bandolowski said he expects a lot of action.

“There should be a lot of tacking (sailing at a 90-degree angle from the wind) and jibing (steering away from the wind),” he said. “There’s no margin for error on this short of a course. Crew work will be very essential, and it will also be important to get a good start.”

If Olympic gold medals mean anything, Bandolowski has the edge on Isler--two to zero.

He captured the gold in 1976 and 1980 in the three-man soling class.

“I have a lot of respect for Valdemar--the two gold medals are enough for me,” Isler said.

But there’s more to Bandolow ski’s resume. He won the Half-Ton Cup in 1972, the soling world championship in 1984 and the Dragon Gold Cup in ’84 and ’86.

But Bandolowski, 44, said cups and gold medals pale in comparison to the America’s Cup.

“That’s the culmination of every thing you’ve learned,” he said. “That’s where you get to work on the boat, with the crew and have some very intense one-on-one racing. That’s something you can’t do in other aspects of racing because you don’t have the money.”

After years of having the tradition, experience and talent but not the money, Bandolowski said Denmark’s corporations have finally opened their wallets.

More than 35 corporations have contributed to the America’s Cup cause, including two of Denmark’s biggest, Tuborg-Carlsberg Brewery and the Board of Tourism.

“Before, the America’s Cup was one or two wealthy people racing each other, but now, with corporate sponsorship getting involved, it’s become a lot easier to get involved,” Bandolowski said.

The Denmark America’s Cup Committee is building two boats, the first of which will be ready in August, and they are employing 20 people full-time. Next to soccer and handball, Bandolowski said, sailing is Denmark’s most popular sport.

“We have always had a fine tradition for sailing in Denmark, with the Olympics and all the world titles, and the conditions here are great for sailing,” Bandolowski said. “We have learned a lot over the years and we have some excellent designers here. So why shouldn’t we be able to win the America’s Cup?”