Sun Sets on British Challenge for America’s Cup

Great Britain’s Port Pendennis Yacht Club became the second syndicate in less than seven weeks to withdraw its challenge for the 1992 America’s Cup, the America’s Cup Organizing Committee announced Thursday.

The withdrawal, along with Japan’s Bengal Bay Yacht Club’s on June 17, leaves 10 teams from nine nations expected to contend in the challengers’ and defenders’ trials beginning here in January. The best-of-seven America’s Cup match races begin May 9.

The expense of high-tech yachting will force Britain to miss the America’s Cup for the first time since the English launched the competition in 1851.

“It is only after considerable effort and a great will to be with you in 1992 that I have finally decided to formally withdraw from the forthcoming America’s Cup Regatta,” wrote Peter Peter de Savary, Port Pendennis commodore, in a letter to Sandy Purdon, commodore of the San Diego Yacht Club, which is trustee of the America’s Cup.

De Savary announced a month ago that Port Pendennis would withdraw and that he was retiring from America’s Cup competition. But he said he would keep the challenge open for one month in case another British syndicate was formed to pick it up.

Now the English are out, “with a resounding kaboom,” said Cecil Scaglione, the San Diego spokesman for Port Pendennis. “We’ve sort of hit another milestone, another marker on the America’s Cup history. For the first time there will be no British involvement, no part at all . . . It’s not like we didn’t want to be part of it. It didn’t slip out of our hands, it just grew too heavy for us.”

Scaglione said corporate sponsorships were hard to obtain because of commitments to the 1992 Olympics, the startup of the European Economic Community next year, and the worldwide recession.

“You take those three things and it gives you more admiration for the people who are remaining in it,” he said. “The British made the cup. It’s a British cup . . . It’s the end of one era. We’re moving into a high-tech, high-budget era, not that it was a poor man’s game.”

FOOTBALL

After a three-year layoff, former Grossmont College assistant coach Dave Jordan has been named head coach for the 1991-92 season.

Jordan was Grossmont’s defensive coordinator for seven years, until 1987, the Griffins’ last winning season. That year, Grossmont’s defense led the Mission Conference and was No. 5 in the state. During the 1970s, he was an assistant coach at Cal State Fullerton.

Also on Jordan’s staff are: Sam Gruneisen, defensive coordinator, linebackers; Nate Wright, defensive backs; Dan Audick, defensive line; Jim Richmond, offensive line; Richard Zayas, receivers; and Mike Jordan, quarterbacks.

As part of San Diego State’s campaign to “Fill the Murph,” for Aztec football this fall, the San Diego Chapter of the Associated General Contractors will try to sell 4,500 season tickets through its 500-member construction association.

SDSU has already sold 7,928 new season tickets for the 1991 season, the highest single-season total for new ticket sales.

BASEBALL

The three-time national champion San Diego Stars 12-and-under baseball team will host seven top Southern California all-star teams in the fourth annual San Diego Open Tournament, today through Friday at the Mission Bay Athletic Field. The Stars--16 of the best youth players from San Diego County--will open at 2:30 p.m. today against the La Mesa All-Stars.

Games will be played from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and the championship game will be at noon Sunday. The Stars are the favored team in the tournament, which will serve as a tune-up before they bid for their fourth consecutive Continental Amateur Baseball Assn. national championship in Omaha, Neb., Aug. 8-18.

GOLF

Northern California upset three-time defending champion Southern California for the team championship the Junior America’s Cup tournament at Carlton Oaks County Club in Santee.

San Diego’s Chris Riley shot a low 70-69--139 on the par-72 course for third-place San Diego. Northern California’s Matt Bettencourt finished one stroke behind Riley.

Seventeen teams competed in the 54-hole event, originally scheduled over three days and 54 holes. Wednesday’s rain cut it to 36 holes.

Northern California’s Joe Acosta Jr., Steve Burdick and Steve Johnson teammed for a two-over-par 434 to Southern California’s second-place 441. Riley, Bill Lunde and Jamie Guerrero shot a 443 for San Diego.

Cypress’ Tiger Woods, 15, winner of last week’s USGA junior title in Orlando, Fla., shot a 146 for Southern California.

BASKETBALL

Byron Scott, Mark Aguirre and Charles Barkley were added to the roster of the Seagram’s All-Star charity game, which will be played Tuesday night at the San Diego Sports Arena.

Promoter Keith Padgett announced the addition of the three NBA players, along with confirmation that Michael Jordan--a no-show in last year’s event--has asked for extra hotel rooms for his children and their nanny.

Aguirre and Scott have played here, but it will be Barkley’s first appearance in this event, being held in San Diego for the fifth time.