It’s Still a Three-Boat Race: Mighty Mary Wins by 1:08 : America’s Cup: Loser Young America must defeat Stars & Stripes today to keep defender trials alive.

Mighty Mary lives.

Figures. Won’t any of these America’s Cup defenders pack up and go home?

When America3’s Mighty Mary crossed the finish Saturday with a 68-second victory over PACT 95’s Young America, exultant fists punched the sky and an almost giddy voice proclaimed: “We love pressure.”

Bill Koch’s mostly female crew sailed and won the most pressure-packed race of the defender series. Had it lost, America3 would have been the first of the three defender candidates to be eliminated.

“We’re still alive,” another crew member shouted.

For how long? That is the question.

Team Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes will be the defender if it defeats Young America today, when Mighty Mary and its crew will be mighty helpless. If Young America can stop Stars & Stripes, Mighty Mary will get a shot at Conner’s boat Monday.

So, Mighty Mary’s victory Saturday has finally given the defender series clear and understandable definition:

--If Stars & Stripes beats either Young America today or Mighty Mary on Monday, it will be the defender.

--But if Stars & Stripes loses both races, Young America and Mighty Mary will meet in a sail-off Tuesday to determine the defender.

It’s as simple as that.

Naturally, though, anything involving the defenders comes with questions. . . .

Were the people on Mighty Mary the same people who had turned it into Flighty Mary on Friday?

Koch’s boat squandered an opportunity to defeat Conner on Friday and change the complexion of the series. Questionable tactics and one badly blown lay-line literally handed the victory to Stars & Stripes.

Mighty Mary could not have sailed a more flawless race Saturday. Under immense pressure, the crew performed as if it was oblivious of the consequences.

The critical first two upwind legs were tactical masterpieces, with Dave Dellenbaugh making the calls and skipper Leslie Egnot executing the tacks. These legs were virtually identical, Mighty Mary getting to the right and beating back repeated challenges by Young America.

On both legs, Egnot and Dellenbaugh were able to push Young America beyond the lay-line on the left side. Near the top of the second windward leg, Young America had closed within little more than a boat-length before it fell back while sailing the extra distance to the mark. That one boat length grew to 36 seconds by the time Young America made the turn.

Young America never again threatened, raising another question. . . .

What in the world has happened to Young America?

This boat appeared to be a slam dunk to be the defender. It did not dominate the early rounds as did Team New Zealand in the challenger trials, but it was 14-6 through the round robins and 7-1 in the semifinals.

The compromise that allowed all three boats into the defender finals seemed to play into PACT 95’s hands. It entered the finals with a two-point advantage over Conner and a one-point edge over America 3. It looked like a can’t-lose proposition.

In the final series, Young America has done almost nothing but lose. Saturday’s defeat was the fifth in seven races for a team that had lost only seven of its previous 28 races.

Apparently, this is a boat that seems to be at its worst when it needs to be at its best. Indeed, today is Young America’s day of desperation. And Mighty Mary, in a sense, may be its 17th man.