AMERICA’S CUP : Stars & Stripes Evens Score With Fast Start, Big Victory

After becoming the first America’s Cup skipper to lose to an all-female crew, Dennis Conner evened the score Saturday with a convincing victory in light winds against America 3in the second day of the defender trials.

Team Dennis Conner won the start and steadily increased its lead during every leg, finishing nearly six minutes ahead of the women. The unusually large margin of victory was partly caused by a fading breeze that slowed the yachts during the closing stage of the race.

On Friday, the America 3team became the first all-woman crew to win an America’s Cup race, defeating four-time champion Conner by 69 seconds.

The points table has America 3and Team Dennis Conner tied with one point apiece.

Today America 3will take on Pact 95, a third U.S. syndicate. Pact 95 will be racing for the first time since it was damaged by a storm two weeks ago.

In the first day of challenger racing, Nippon Challenge upset OneAustralia, Team New Zealand won against Spain, and Sydney 95 defeated France America 95.

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America’s Cup Notes

In an ongoing debate, Japan’s Nippon Challenge said Saturday it will appeal a decision by America’s Cup organizers who Friday night rejected an application by former Australian skipper Peter Gilmour to join the Japanese crew because there was “insufficient evidence to show Gilmour’s residence as Japan.”