AMERICA’S CUP : Mighty Mary Gets Shot to Knock Out Conner

Gossip columnists would call them an item. It cannot accurately be said that PACT 95 and America 3are in bed together, but they’re definitely in cahoots. It’s as if they are trying to get rid of this bratty little brother they had to drag along on their dates when they were teen-agers.

These America’s Cup defender rivals, excusing the loose definition of the word, are dining together, practicing together, sharing good-luck charms and weather forecasts.

In truth, their relationship has more to do with mutual survival (and maybe hatred) than mutual admiration. Team Dennis Conner is that bratty little brother they would both like to lock in a trunk and drop off the stern.

Conner’s Stars & Stripes had to be beaten by both, first by PACT 95’s Young America Monday and then by America 3’s Mighty Mary today, to knock him out of the defense finals.

Young America, flying good-luck panties from Mighty Mary’s mostly female crew, did its part Monday. It dealt Team Conner a 52-second defeat.

“Now,” said Young America tactician John Kostecki, “it’s out of our hands.”

It is Mighty Mary’s turn today. It’s in the same position Young America was in Monday. A victory by Conner will advance Stars & Stripes to America’s Cup racing and eliminate both Mighty Mary and Young America. If Mighty Mary wins, Team Conner is out and the Young America-Mighty Mary “romance” will end, because those two boats will meet in a sail-off Wednesday to determine the defender.

After staying alive with a victory over Young America last Saturday, one of Mighty Mary’s crew said, “We love the pressure.” The pressure Saturday was nothing like the pressure will be today.

Young America’s crew responded to that kind of pressure splendidly Monday, sailing to a wire-to-wire victory as much because of what was missing as what was there. Gone were the wings on the rudder, a configuration reversal allowed by the defenders’ specially configured rules, and gone too were the tactical blunders that had plagued the boat in the finals.

Suddenly, this boat was reminiscent of the one that had sailed through the semifinals with a 7-1 overall record and a 4-0 mark against Stars & Stripes. It was hard to imagine--or explain--Young America’s 2-5 record in the finals before Monday’s race.

If Stars & Stripes had a chance, it was in the pre-start. Young America seemed to obstruct Stars & Stripes when it had the right-of-way on starboard, but umpires waved it off. Young America also crept over the starting line early, but it was so early that skipper Kevin Mahaney had time to bear away and get back safely.

On the first windward leg, Stars & Stripes got to the right, but skipper Paul Cayard could never make use of the starboard right-of-way. After three meetings when neither boat had enough advantage, Young America used its speed on a long drag race to the right and rounded the mark with a 15-second edge.

The first four legs all belonged to Young America as it built up a 70- second lead, which Stars & Stripes trimmed to 48 seconds on the final upwind leg. A jibing duel down the last run never posed a threat to Young America’s lead.

“Obviously, we’re cheering for the girls now,” Mahaney said. “They brought us a lot of good luck today.”

Stars & Stripes sailors were not happy about America 3providing assistance of a more tangible nature than mere good luck.

“I have never, in six America’s Cups, seen a defense committee allow two competitors to team up and try and beat another competitor,” said Tom Whidden, Stars & Stripes’ tactician.

Young America’s other half, Mighty Mary, gets its shot today.