AMERICA’S CUP : Conner’s Stars & Stripes Earns Reprieve

Give the race and the reprieve to Dennis Conner.

In the waning days of the defenders’ trials, today’s showdown between Stars & Stripes and America 3 was being billed as the headliner of the America’s Cup semifinals.

But Friday’s competition wasn’t exactly leftovers.

--The Race. In light, shifty winds, Conner refused to be sucked into a tacking game that Kanza taunted him with on more than one leg. Instead, Conner answered with a lazy cover or simply sailed with the shifts and Star & Stripes finished with a 1-minute 11-second victory.

--The Reprieve. You could hear the cheers and sense the sigh of relief on board Stars & Stripes after the victory ensured Conner of at least a sailoff against Kanza on Monday. With two racing days remaining in this round, Conner, a three-time Cup winner, could guarantee himself a spot in the defender finals with a victory over America 3today.

“Every race at this point is critical to us,” Conner said. “If we lose two races, it’s like, see you in 1995. It’s hard to think of anything more important than beating America 3 tomorrow or the next day, or the season’s over. I think that says it all.”

Actually, if Conner wins today, the round is history, and Kanza and Stars & Stripes would advance. But a loss by Conner would keep Kanza and Stars & Stripes tied with five points apiece, and force America 3, with three points, to win Sunday against Kanza and create a three-way tie.

But Kanza isn’t about to lose to America 3, considering both are in the same syndicate. Conner simply smiled when the possibility was even mentioned.

Conner was not smiling, however, when asked to comment on the remarks Malin Burnham made to ESPN Friday. Burnham, the president of the America’s Cup Organizing Committee, mentioned the possibility that if the two America 3boats were in the final, it might be wise for Stars & Stripes to do some of the sailing.

“It’s not my position to comment on that,” Conner said. “Malin may have the view of that, and the yacht club and Gene Trepte as (chairman of) the defense committee, but ultimately that’s Bill Koch’s call.