AMERICA’S CUP DAILY REPORT : Koch Defeats Conner Again, Breaks Record

Bill Koch’s America 3(USA 23) continued its dominance of Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes on Tuesday, winning the opening race of Round 3 of the defender series by 1 minute 11 seconds.

The 75-foot America 3(USA 23), sailing in 10- to 14-knot southeasterly winds, rounded the 20.03-nautical-mile course in 2 hours 16 minutes 15 seconds, breaking New Zealand’s course record of 2:17:46. The course, officially 22.6 nautical miles, was shortened to conform with the distance to be sailed in the America’s Cup match in May. The shorter course has been adopted at the request of the television broadcasters covering the event.

Koch did not use any of his new, experimental sails, which he unveiled last week.

Although trailing by more than a minute at the finish, it was the closest Stars & Stripes has come to the America 3(USA 23). In three races during Round 2, Stars & Stripes never finished closer than 4:33.

Tuesday’s victory gave America 3(USA 23) a total of 20 points to seven for Stars & Stripes. Today, Conner will face Koch’s older boat, Defiant, which he defeated twice during Round 2.

Heading into the third round of trials, New Zealand has moved ahead of Italy’s Il Moro di Venezia in the the Mondo Barca poll, with 36.2 points on a maximum scale of 40.

Also, America 3and Team Dennis Conner have switched fourth and sixth places.

Mondo Barca is an Italian boating magazine. Other ratings: Il Moro di Venezia, 34.4; Nippon, 31.8; America 3, 30.2; Le Defi Francais, 30.0; Team Dennis Conner, 28.8; Spirit of Australia, 23.5; Espana ‘92, 20.0; Sweden, 13.6, and Challenge Australia, 10.5.

The poll of media covering the Cup rates teams in four categories: organization, boat, helmsman and crew. New Zealand was rated first in everything but its helmsman, Rod Davis.

Davis, the second-ranked match-racing skipper in the world, behind Nippon’s Chris Dickson, was rated fourth (8.4) to Dickson (9.1), Dennis Conner (8.8) and Il Moro’s Paul Cayard (8.7).