Kookaburra 111 in defenders’ final
NZPA-AAP Fremantle Kookaburra HI yesterday became the first yacht to win a place In the America’s Cup defender trials final with a race result that confounded critics of its syndicate. The huge Bmin 37s victory overturned claims that Taskforce would open the door for Kookaburra II in the race, as part of a plan to bar Australia IV from the final. However, in the wake of another race diaqualification on Saturday night the position of Australia IV has become surprisingly shaky. The Bond syndicate’s yacht must have a clean win over at least one of the Kookaburras in the next two days if it is to reach the final. Kookaburra Ill’s success in being the first boat to earn a place in the finals follows a summer in which it led the defenders* points table most of the time. The achievement is a feather in the cap of the Taskforce project director, lain Murray, and his crew, who laboured for more than two years in a low-key sAust2o million-plus campaign to overtake the paceseflM Bond syndicate.
Although there are two races left in selection series D, Kookaburra 111 will collect six “free” points today for a bye after the Saturday elimination of Steak ’n Kidney.
Those points will take Kookaburra in one ahead of the maximum that its dockmate can now win. It was predicted by many observers that yesterday’s race would be thrown Kookaburra Il’s way in an effort to promote an all-Taskforce final.
Bond’s executive director, Warren Jones, publicly offered Murray or the syndicate underwriter, Kevin Parry, a $5OOO bet that Kookaburra II would win — but Murray’s only reported comment before the race was: “He must have more money than sense.” Now Kookaburra II must win today to help keep alive the wish of the Taskforce syndicate to take two yachts into the defenders’ final. From Australia IV’s viewpoint, it is: under pressure to win either today or tomorrow against Kookaburra 111, to etisure it has a place in the best-of-nine race series starting January 14. •
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Press, 5 January 1987, Page 6
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343Kookaburra 111 in defenders’ final Press, 5 January 1987, Page 6
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