KZ7 shrugs off Crusader

Press, 8 November 1986, Page 88

KZ7 shrugs off Crusader

By

ROBERT LOWE

of NZPA Fremantle

New Zealand yesterday shrugged off Britain’s White Crusader to maintain its co-leader status in the America’s Cup challengers’ series.

The New York Yacht Club entry, America 11, skippered by John Kolius, kept abreast of the Kiwis on the points table by downing Italia II by Imin 32sec. The leaders have now taken their points tally to 41.

New Zealand and White Crusader began their encounter with honours shared — the boats crossed the start line simultaneously. However, the British boat made for what appeared to be the fav-

oured right-hand side of the course.

Half way up the leg, with the wind increasing from 10 to 12 knots, White Crusader had pulled away by three boat lengths. Dickson managed to tack around behind Cudmore, got to the right hand side and snatched the lead. The Irishman came back and put in two tacks to port, but could not manoeuvre under the New Zealand boat. The two 12-metres split 100 metres before the first buoy. As the boats headed for the mark, KZ7 bore at speed from the right across White Crusader, rounding 11s to the good.

The advantage was increased immediately, when the Kiwis outshone

the British in their crew work, completing a beautiful spinnaker hoist. KZ7 gained 8s on the run downwind.

The British boat, sailing with a replacement mast after a mishap on Thursday then appeared to develop problems with her mainsail. A crewman climbed the mast on at least two occasions to check out the sail. The incident marks the third day in a row that the British have had problems with their equipment. New Zealand increased its lead to 51s at the third mark, but the Kiwis then had a gear failure of their own.

A ripped spinnaker hampered their progress at the beginning of the first reach. But the efficiency

which has been the hallmark of the Kiwi crew was again on show as it kept White Crusader at bay with a slick piece of recovery work.

The New Zealanders pulled in the ailing spinnaker and hoisted a replacement with such finesse that White Crusader gained only 6s on the leg.

KZ7 maintained a cushion of about 45s to 60s until the final mark, and again finished going away.

The loss drops White Crusader to sixth place, behind French Kiss. The French boat moved up two places by virtue of a Imin 50s win over Heart of America. Dennis Conner’s Stars and Stripes kept its position at third place, 10 points behind the leaders,

with a 6min 29s hammering of Eagle.

Conner was also beaten at the start, but that was about all he lost as the race ended in a virtual solo run. In the battle for the wooden spoon, Azzurra gave the organiser of the challengers’ series, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, something to shout about.

The Italian boat, which is sailing under the club’s banner, won its first race of the second round

Matches on Sunday (lay day today): Eagle v Italia, U.S.A. v America 11, New Zealand v Canada 11, Heart of America v Azzurra, Stars and Stripes v French Kiss, Challenge France v White Crusader.