Fine balance to final eliminators

SAILING

STUART ALEXANDER

reports from San Diego

It was a day to be cautious on the America's Cup race course in the Pacific off Point Loma yesterday. The best bet was tht everything would be abandoned as the wind died away to nothing. One minute Team New Zealand was cruising to a second consecutive victory in the Louis Vuitton Cup over oneAustralia, the next John Bertrand's seemingly doomed challenge was neck and neck with the unbeaten Kiwis.

One minute the comeback of Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes in the Citizen Cup looked like evaporating in the intense pressure of attack by Leslie Egnot in America3's Mighty Mary, two legs later Conner was over 17 minutes ahead.

But that meant nothing as the race was rapidly running out of time. Otherwise the mouthwatering prospect of all three defender syndicates being equal with two points was beckoning.

Australia's rush of adrenalin and optimism was short-lived. Russell Coutts just has speed to to burn in Black Magic and he slid smoothly back into a 43-second lead at the half-way point. So Bertrand hoisted a protest flag, perhaps because the Kiwis once again sent Murray Jones up the mast to look for lines of breeze on the water.

If Coutts can keep up the job and put oneAustralia away in five straight races then the Kiwis will have bought themselves and invaluable 18-day break between the end of the Louis Vuitton and the America's Cup.

They are just bubbling with ideas to make the boat faster and, contrary to what they said prior to the boat being unveiled, they have kept one or two things up their sleeve to surprise what they hope will be an unsuspecting and unprepared defence. Property prices in Auckland are firming.

The Kiwis would also enjoy being able to develop while the defenders are still embroiled in racing, perhaps for a week longer. They have none more if the full schedule of each syndicate racing the other four times runs its full course.

Both Bill Koch, again the unlucky mascot on board yesterday, and Pact'95, out trying to evaluate the best sail and mast combinations yesterday, may be wondering if the deal to keep Conner playing is looking so good any more.