Soviets Barred From Port at America’s Cup

The Cold War has resurfaced in an unlikely arena--the America’s Cup.

Despite the new political climate of cooperation between the United States and the Soviet Union, a national panel in Washington has banned a Leningrad-based challenge syndicate from San Diego Bay, home to scores of U.S. warships and a secret submarine base.

While the Soviet Union’s Red Star syndicate will be allowed to compete in the 1992 Cup regatta off San Diego, the edict by the Port Security Committee mandates the Soviets find berthing space in Mission Bay, away from major Navy installations.

San Diego is one of 12 American ports with sensitive military installations that remains closed to any Soviet-flagged vessels. The Soviet Union also has 12 ports closed to U.S. ships.

“They keep us out of their ports; we keep ‘em out of ours,” said Coast Guard Cmdr. Don Montoro, captain of the San Diego port. “It’s a reciprocity-type thing. Things might change with the way the world is now and maybe this closed port thing will become a thing of the past, but right now it’s government policy.”

Mission Bay technically is part of the restricted zone, but the Port Security Committee has extended a waiver to the Soviets for the America’s Cup.

Coast Guard officials said the Soviet entry won’t be permitted to enter San Diego Bay at any time for any purpose and that it should plan transits to the race course for practice and competition through Mission Bay’s ocean access.

The actual racing will take place outside the bay, several miles off Point Loma in the open ocean.