AMERICA’S CUP UPDATE : NOTEBOOK : Defenders’ Abandoned Race to Be Scheduled If Necessary

There will be no defenders race Tuesday, a scheduled lay day, although it might be necessary to make up the race that was abandoned Saturday when the wind died with America 3 leading Stars & Stripes.

Two World War II-vintage B-25s will be launched from the aircraft carrier Ranger in the vicinity of the race course off Point Loma to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Gen. Jimmy Doolittle’s raid on Tokyo. Sixteen of the twin-engined Billy Mitchell bombers flew from the carrier Hornet.

The abandoned race will be rescheduled later, if necessary.

The America 3 syndicate raised a question after Saturday’s non-race about a race committee mark boat pushing the inflated buoy marking the left, or “pin,” end of the starting line upwind as Dennis Conner returned to restart--thus giving Conner an advantage in the distance he had to sail back after jumping the gun.

Videotapes clearly show the boat with its bow against the buoy, moving it upwind.

However, meetings among the principals determined that the intent was only a conscientious effort to re-position the buoy, which had been drifting downwind as the heavy swell lifted its anchor off the bottom. The timing was just made it look bad.

Tom Ehman, general manager of the America’s Cup Organizing Committee, said, “The official in question is one whose integrity is beyond question. He wasn’t trying to help Dennis. (But) he has resigned.”

The official was not identified. The race committee apologized to America 3. The incident, apparently, is closed.

Ehman called comments by Challenger of Record Committee executive director Ernie Taylor comparing the CORC’s orderly budget to ACOC’s financial problems a “cheap shot.”

Ehman pointed out that (1) the ACOC had run more race days for the defenders than the CORC has for the challengers, 44 to 28; (2) that aside from a few more umpires’ boats, once a race course is set up it’s little more trouble running four matches than one, and (3) the ACOC did a lot of preliminary work that benefited the challengers, such as permits, environmental studies and other details.

Taylor also had said “we paid off an ACOC debt” that saved world television for the Cup, so now that everyone has had their shots, cheap or otherwise, maybe they can convert the hot air to some badly needed wind off Point Loma.

It pays to advertise.

On Saturday, Stars & Stripes grinder Jim Nicholas, taking advantage of the on-board camera in front of him, had “This space available” lettered on the upturned bill of his cap.

Sunday it read “New! New! Homes,” with a phone number.

No doubt there’s a commission involved.

A more puzzling notice was posted on the hydraulic boom vang between Nicholas and the mast, where the camera is mounted: “Thanks, Emilio!”

That’s new major sponsor Emilio Azcarraga, a media mogul and avid sailor who runs the Televisa company that calls itself the largest TV production company in the world and Mexico’s version of CNN.

Dennis Conner also is associated with Azcarraga in development of the North Cove Yacht Harbor in New York, where Conner’s Whitbread Round-the-World Race project will be based.