AMERICA’S CUP : One Step Closer to Koch vs. Koch in Finals

There seems to be little doubt that America 3 will beat its syndicate stablemate Kanza today, throwing Kanza into a sailoff against Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes on Monday.

This scenario became reality Saturday when America 3 beat Stars & Stripes by 44 seconds.

If Conner were to lose Monday, it would prematurely eliminate Conner from the competition he brought to his own hometown, and it wouldn’t do a lot for ESPN’s ratings in a purposeless, best-of-13, Koch vs. Koch finals, either.

First, of course, America 3 must beat Kanza in the last race of the fourth round today to gain a three-way tie at five victories each.

Koch offered this bold forecast: “The best boat will win.”

From the start of the trials in January, the question of Koch manipulating the scoring has hung over this Cup like a cloud. Koch has consistently denied doing so, but ethics are running head-on into practical purposes right now.

Koch was not aboard Kanza when it lost to Stars & Stripes Friday in the race that ensured at least a sailoff for Conner. He was on America 3 Saturday, but stayed well out of the way and kept his hands off the wheels, as far as anyone could tell.

Dave Dellenbaugh steered for the start, and Buddy Melges took it from there, working America 3 into an early lead on a right-hand wind shift.

The northwesterly wind was about 9 knots and building at the start--conditions supposedly in Stars & Stripes’ favor, since America 3 had been hyped as a light-wind boat. “We’re ahead,” Conner said cautiously, after nine tacks got him to the favored right side for a 19-second lead late on the first, upwind leg.

Early on the downwind leg, a tear developed in the foot of his spinnaker. A change was made smoothly, but America 3 was catching up, anyway.

When they crossed on opposite jibes, America 3 was a boat length ahead, although a few minutes later, with a nice downwind move, Conner had nudged Stars & Stripes back into the lead.

Stars & Stripes led again at the second mark by 17 seconds, but Conner was unable to hang on.