Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 14, 1995 TAG: 9505150111
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: SAN DIEGO LENGTH: Medium
Whitewashed by a black boat, Dennis Conner lost the America's Cup for the second time in 12 years - this time in home waters - when Team New Zealand's Black Magic 1 completed a 5-0 sweep on Saturday.
On an overcast day on the Pacific Ocean that at times matched the color of Black Magic 1's hull, the America's Cup changed hands for only the third time since the schooner America - also with a black hull - lifted it off a fleet of British yachts in a race around the Isle of Wight in 1851.
The silver trophy has belonged to the San Diego Yacht Club since 1987, when Conner won it back from Australia. Now it's headed back Down Under, this time on the other side of the Tasman Sea.
It's headed for the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland, the biggest city in the island nation of only 3.5 million residents.
``Congratulations to Team New Zealand,'' said Conner, a four-time Cup winner who's also the only U.S. skipper to lose the trophy. ``I feel good that the Cup will go to a home that deserves it. I know they'll take good care of it.''
The Kiwis became kings of the ocean by beating their archrival with one of the most dominating performances in America's Cup history. The America's Cup was the only major sailing trophy that the self-proclaimed ``Nation of Sailors'' hadn't won.
``It's only the second time in history that it's left America,'' said Team New Zealand leader and crew member Peter Blake. ``I think that's pretty damn good. I think the Americans are going crazy. It'll be a very popular win.''
Black Magic 1 led at all 30 marks in the five races, the worst beating a challenger had ever given a U.S. yacht. Saturday's victory by 1 minute, 50 seconds was the closest finish of the five. The other margins were 2:45, 1:51, 4:14 and 3:37.
Team New Zealand, which sailed the newer Black Magic 2 in the first four rounds, finished the four-month regatta with a 42-1 record on the water.
When Conner became the first U.S. skipper to lose the trophy in 1983, he blew a 3-1 lead to Australia II.
Young America, lost 27 seconds on the leg and trailed by 59 seconds at the halfway point of the six-leg, 18.55-mile course.
Conner is know as ``Dirty Den'' to New Zealanders. He beat Kiwi crews in the 1987 challenger finals and in the bizarre 1988 finals, and insulted them both times.
Conner won the defender trials with his slower Stars & Stripes, then made a deal with rival syndicate PACT 95 to use the faster Young America, noted for its Roy Lichtenstein mural of mermaid the length of its 75-foot hull.
But Young America was no match for Black Magic 1 and a crew led by skipper Russell Coutts, a match-racing star who won a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics, and Blake, a national hero for his round-the-world sailing exploits.
by CNB