Sailing

Americans Pete Melvin and Steve Rosenberg were confident their catamaran Freedom’s Wing could be repaired to continue the best-of-seven challenge series against Australian defender The Edge III at McCrae, Australia, Tuesday. The Long Beach sailors trailed The Edge III, sailed by Simon McKeon and David Churcher, by about a minute halfway through Saturday’s first race when their boat pitched violently in the wake of some motorboats. The main beam that supports the mast broke and the fixed-wing sail tumbled into the water between the bows.

“They don’t restrict (the spectator boats) very well,” Rosenberg said, “but that’s not something we can blame it on. We were very lucky. The wing is OK and we’ll be ready to go Tuesday.”

The Little America’s Cup is for 25-foot C Class catamarans.