AMERICA’S CUP : Mighty Mary Gives Conner a Sinking Feeling

Team Dennis Conner, already sleepless in San Diego after feverishly repairing damage suffered Sunday to Stars & Stripes, could only watch as another bad dream unfolded Monday.

Only one thing could make the outlook more tenuous for Conner in the America’s Cup defender semifinals, and that was an upset by America 3’s Mighty Mary of PACT 95’s Young America. That was exactly what happened. Mighty Mary took advantage of a damaged spinnaker pole on Young America and won by 38 seconds.

That left Stars & Stripes even with Mighty Mary at two points each going into today’s showdown, one of two remaining between the boats as they race to join Young America in the defender finals. Mighty Mary’s upset negated the bonus point Stars & Stripes carried into the semifinals and cut loose the safety net.

After Sunday’s mishap, when quick crew work kept Stars & Stripes afloat after she sprung a leak near the keel box, Conner’s crew went to work, first assessing and then repairing the damage. The keel’s fin and bulb, as well as the hull, were damaged.

“We’ve gotten permission to replace the fin and bulb,” helmsman Paul Cayard said. “And we believe we’re going to be ready to go. But if we run into a glitch, there’s a chance we won’t make it.”

Not having to race Monday bought a little time for Stars & Stripes, and it might have been considered at least somewhat encouraging that Mighty Mary was racing against Young America, unbeaten in the defender semifinals.

But as Conner’s crew worked in shifts through the night to repair what it could, Stars & Stripes suffered what amounted to a loss because of damage it could not control--Young America’s spinnaker problems.

Should Mighty Mary prevail today, Stars & Stripes will get one more shot at her Friday.

If they split and race evenly against Young America, they will have a one-race sail-off Sunday.