Ville de Paris Again Tops America-3

Twice stuck in kelp, America-3 abandoned its match race with France’s Ville de Paris after falling more than 10 minutes behind Thursday in the Lafayette Cup best-of-five sailing series off Point Loma.

Ville de Paris, which also encountered problems with the kelp but was able to break free, took a 2-0 lead and can wrap up the series with a victory in one of the two races off Point Loma today or the final race on San Diego Bay on Sunday.

Regardless, all five races will be started since they also are a training regatta for next year’s America’s Cup.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Ingrid Kurta of La Mesa and Laura Richards of San Diego will meet today in the final of the Mazda Opportunity Tournament. The winner will earn a wild-card berth in the July 27-28 qualifying tournament of the Mazda Tennis Classic at the La Costa Resort and Spa.

Kurta advanced by defeating Jennifer Slattery of Huntington Beach, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2, in the semifinals. Richards rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Natasha Pospich of Woodland Hills.

CYCLING

Dirk Copeland of San Diego easily outdistanced three-time national champion Carl Sundquist of Miami in the semifinals of the men’s 4,000-meter individual pursuit at the U.S. Track Cycling Nationals in Redmond, Wash.

Copeland finished in 4 minutes, 51.52 seconds to Sundquist’s 5:03.58.

Defending men’s sprint champion Ken Carpenter of La Mesa won two rides in the best of three quarterfinal heats.