AMERICA’S CUP / DAILY REPORT : CHALLENGER TRIALS : Nippon’s Luck Might Continue

Four times misfortune has befallen boats leading Nippon in the first two rounds of the challenger trials for the America’s Cup, allowing the Japanese (11-2) to come from behind and win.

Then, during Sunday’s 11-second loss to Il Moro di Venezia that concluded the second round, there was the mysterious meandering mark that gave the Japanese yet another chance to undo a defeat.

The challengers’ international jury decided late Sunday night to re-run the race at 12:20 p.m. today.

Nippon was trailing Il Moro, skippered by Paul Cayard, by about four boat lengths at the end of the second leg when observers noticed the 10-foot-diameter yellow inflatable mark was drifting with the 12-knot wind, like a big balloon, nearly into the spectator fleet.

Normally, they remain anchored to the bottom, which is a problem off Point Loma, where the water is so deep. This mark was set in about 800 feet and broke loose when a knot came undone 130 feet down.

Il Moro rounded it in one position and turned back upwind, but by the time Nippon got there it had drifted farther, forcing the Japanese to chase it twice that additional distance to get back to the point where Il Moro had rounded.

After studying a videotape, Nippon tactician Erle Williams estimated the difference in drift at 150 to 300 feet. However, Il Moro spokesman Stefano Roberti said it was only 15 to 20 feet.