AMERICA’S CUP DAILY REPORT : Defenders Aim a Challenge at Kiwi Bowsprit

The America’s Cup challengers have taken their best shots at New Zealand’s bowsprit and failed, and now the defenders are taking their turns.

In a joint announcement Monday, Tom Ehman, executive vice president/general manager of the America’s Cup Organizing committee, and Stan Reid, chairman of the Challenger of Record Committee, said they had written chairman Goran Petersson of Sweden asking the ACOC’s international jury to rule.

The issue does not involve the legality of the bowsprit, which projects one meter beyond the bow of the boat, but the way the Kiwis use it with the gennaker headsail in the process ofjibing--i.e., when changing sails from one side to the other.

The challenger jury has dismissed a protest by the Il Moro di Venezia team, upholding New Zealand’s procedure.

But Ehman, who represents the defense side of the competition, said he had received papers from both defense syndicates--America 3and Team Dennis Conner--questioning the procedure.

“There’s no question that the bowsprit is legal,” Ehman said. “It’s how it’s used that’s in question. We do disagree with the Louis Vuitton Cup (challenger) jury’s interpretation.”

The second round of defender trials will start Saturday. The second round of challenger trials will start Feb. 15, instead of Feb. 13 as formerly scheduled.