Same Old Story: New Zealand, 3-0 : America’s Cup: Kiwis defeat Conner by 1:51 and hardly ever look back.

Down, 3-0, in the final America’s Cup match, Team Stars & Stripes hasn’t quite figured out its rent-a-boat, Young America.

Skipper Dennis Conner: “I think we need some of the San Diego conditions to come in for us Thursday. . . . a little lighter (wind), choppier and shiftier.”

Helmsman Paul Cayard: “Pray like hell for 17 knots of wind and smooth water.”

Would they settle for pea-soup fog and an aircraft carrier?

Even that combination didn’t slow Team New Zealand’s rampaging Black Magic on one day during the trial rounds. The Kiwis, using Trimble Global Positioning System navigational equipment, showed they could find the marks and outsail a nuclear warship with their eyes closed.

They looked so confident in beating Young America by 1 minute 51 seconds Tuesday that Cayard was heard to remark, “They’re not even covering us any more.”

“I don’t think they ever look back,” Young America tactician Tom Whidden said.

Once in a while, a Kiwi would glance over his shoulder, more in curiosity than out of concern, and then Black Magic would just keep playing the slight, subtle wind shifts like Joe Montana finding the open man in his prime.

Is Conner ready to punt?

“We thought it was more even on the third (upwind leg) than what we’ve seen in the past,” he said. “They still have an edge downwind in this much breeze.”

The winds built from seven knots at the start to 14 at the finish, and--sorry, Dennis--the Kiwis turned off the afterburners after stretching their lead to 1:24 halfway through the race. That may be why Tuesday’s race was closer than the first two, when the margins were 2:45 and 4:14.

Black Magic skipper Russell Coutts said: “As long as we didn’t break anything, we were pretty safe with the wind being that stable.”

Young America made it exciting for a little while. Cayard, as usual, was able to start where he wanted to--at the left end of the line going left--but the right side, as usual, was better. Guess who went there.

Cayard said: “To get a good start on these guys means crushing ‘em, and I didn’t really crush ‘em.”

New Zealand’s Coutts said: “We got a nice shift out of the right soon after the start and had nice speed.”

Cayard, soon realizing that the right side was favored, kept Young America close enough that he could duck just inches behind Black Magic’s stern when they crossed four minutes later.

Whidden waved a protest flag, accusing Coutts of tacking too closely, but chief umpire John Doerr ruled no foul.

Nevertheless, Cayard was able to poke his bow even with Black Magic’s for clear wind, and they sailed side by side for a few minutes until Young America’s brain trust realized it had better try something else.

So Cayard tacked back to stir up a tacking skirmish in which Young America seemed to gain slightly.

Conner said: “When we got into a match-race situation, the guys were doing a good job. I think Paul was keeping Russell a little off-balance. If they have a weakness, it’s that kind of situation. But they broke it off and used their boat speed. My compliments to (tactician) Brad (Butterworth) and Russell for using their heads and using their assets properly.

Coutts said: “We weren’t uncomfortable, but once you get downspeed like that, it makes it difficult for the boat ahead to stay in phase with the boat behind.

And Black Magic always seems to be the boat ahead. So far, it has gained on 15 of the 18 legs in the three races; Young America has gained on two, with one even.

“If you get to the favored tack (with a chance) to break away, then you’ve gained the advantage,” Coutts said.

Advantage, Kiwis. They led by only 20 seconds at the first mark, but downwind they found a breeze to add a minute to their lead. Point, set and, well . . . match by Saturday, the way it’s going.

Cayard expressed the frustration of Team Stars & Stripes. “We’re getting into a tactical mentality where we have to create action,” he said. “That’s not the healthiest way to have to sail. We just have to keep trying to go faster and faster until someone says stop.”

They’ll have today and Friday off to look for answers.