SDYC’s Purdon Named Chairman of Cup Defense Committee

H.P. “Sandy” Purdon, 1991 commodore of the San Diego Yacht Club, was named chairman of the 1995 America’s Cup Defense Committee Tuesday. Purdon was involved in the almost every facet of the past three America’s Cups.

In 1984, he was named executive director and administrator for Sail America Foundation and the 1987 Dennis Conner/Stars & Stripes challenge in Australia. He also was director of the America’s Cup Organizing Committee and defense committee for the 1988 and 1992 America’s Cup races. He has been a member of the San Diego Yacht Club since 1984.

Purdon said his top goal is to organize a defender series to select a U.S. team strong enough to successfully defend the cup.

TENNIS

Three of four San Diego-area players advanced to the round of 32 in the USTA Girls 16 National Championships at Balboa Park’s Morley Field.

Two local players had to play one another, and another such matchup will occur today.

Eighth-seeded Marisa Velasco of Chula Vista eliminated Erin Lowrey of La Jolla in three sets. Today, Vanessa Rooks of Spring Valley will battle Molly Gavin of Escondido to see who will advance to the round of 16.

Lowrey took the opening set against Velasco, 6-3, but Velasco came back and won the last two by 6-4 scores, thus reducing the number of local hopefuls to three from its original five. Today, either No. 12 Gavin or No. 3 Rooks will fall. Both posted easy victories in the second round. Rooks defeated Adrien Alder of Ogden, Utah, 6-1, 6-2. Gavin beat Vedica Jain of Los Altos, 6-2, 6-1. Top-seeded Amanda Basica of Lomita also had an easy time with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Binnie Bleeker of Indianapolis.

Betsy Miringoff of La Costa was eliminated by Anne Mall of Laguna Niguel, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in a third-round match of the U.S. Tennis Assn. girls’ 18 national championship at San Jose.

GIRLS’ SOFTBALL

The Vista All-Stars, a 14-under team from the Vista Girls Softball League, captured the Amateur Softball Assn. Junior Olympic Area Championships with an 8-4 victory over the Pleasanton Sting. Pitcher Kim Kawai threw 4 2/3 shutout innings while Yoly Spang was three for four with four RBIs and Kristi Hildreth was four for four with two RBIs.

FOOTBALL

Former Chula Vista standout Derek Chapman has withdrawn from Oklahoma State after winning the starting quarterback position in spring practice. Chapman, 20, who played two years at Southwestern College, offered no specific reason why he backed out of his scholarship.

The University of San Diego is conducting a Turn On The Lights dinner and football scrimmage Aug. 29 to honor donors of a new lighting system at Torero Stadium. The scrimmage will be at 5 p.m., followed by the 6:30 p.m. dinner. Call 260-4803 for information.

TRACK AND FIELD

Lydell Burston won three silver medals, Joshann Brown two silvers and one bronze while representing San Diego at the AAU/USA National Junior Olympics finals in Rochester, Minn. Ajani Brown also earned a bronze. The three were sponsored by Alexander’s Light’n Express Youth Track Club in the Police Athletic League.

GOLF

The San Diego County contingent of Debbie Kim, Megan Mahoney, Emily Tierney and Jill Wery was sixth after the first round of the Girls Junior Americas Cup at the Escondido Country Club. The foursome shot 241, which was 12 strokes off the pace set by Hawaii. Second-place Southern California was two strokes back at 231, followed by Colorado (236), Washington (238) and New Mexico (240).