Koch to Enter Third Boat

Bill Koch’s America 3 team announced Thursday it would enter its third boat, also named America 3 , in the best-of-13 America’s Cup defender finals starting Saturday against Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes.

America 3 has an overall record of 17 wins and five losses. Koch’s alternative was his fourth boat, Kanza, which has a record of 3-6 and lost to Stars & Stripes (13-16) in a sailoff last Monday, depriving Koch of a two-boat monopoly in the finals and a clear run to the Cup match in May.

The best-of-nine challenger finals start Sunday between New Zealand (25-5) and Il Moro di Venezia (20-10).