IJfi 14 ;1 t§JdlJ if ij f$14114•1 ;I;[,] \'1 If;}j!Sif }11 f $ii ;llldrl ! 4 Kookaburra trounced and Conner goes two up FREMANTLE - Stars and was a massive one minute 14 seconds Stripes skipper Dennis Conner, in · in front and the outcome was a fore total harmony with the heavy gone conclusion. seas, handed Kookaburra III an-. The wind kept blowing consistentlY.: from south-south-west, favouring the other thrashing yesterday and is yacht in front. now within two races of recaptur Shifting winds, like those that pre ing the America's Cup. vailed on Saturday, give the trailing In the second race of the best-of boat a chance to find a shift and seven Cup final, the American chal overtake the leader. lenger swept home a mighty one min Stars and Stripes lost five seconds ute 10 seconds ahead of the off its lead, falling to 1:17 after the Australian boat. fifth leg as Kookaburra III tried to Kookaburra III raised a protest catch up. flag shortly before the start, but after But on the sixth leg the Aussies lost studying video tapes the Australian time and trailed by 1:23. The wind syndicate decided not to lodge an offi picked up to 26 knots, packing a punch cial protest with the international that could have caused gear prob Cup jury. lems. Australia captured the America's It didn't happen on the seventh leg Cup from Conner's boat Liberty at as Conner was far enough in front to Newport, Rhode Island, in 1983 and - play it safe. e The glee of DENNIS CONNER, who is this is their first defence of the covet beginning to look invincible in the Stars and Stripestook its spinnaker ed 135-year-old trophy. America's Cup final down about 20 seconds beforethe end The impact of yesterday's Ameri of the downwind run rather than keep can performance, coming on top of mark had eased his boat into a 12- it up until the boat reached the buoy. Saturday's emphatic victory by Stars second lead. That avoided potential equipment and Stripes, could have a shattering On the second, leeward, leg Conner problems and cost the boat some time effect on Australian morale. continued to prove his mastery of it could afford to lose. Things could have been a lot differ white waves, standing nonchalantly Still, the Americans were ahead by ent for the Australians if they had at the wheel and letting his fingertips 1:08, a loss of 15 seconds, heading h capitalised. on a brilliant start which tell him the right course through t e toward the finish and victory. had them three seconds ahead of swell. Kookaburra's starting helmsman Stars and Stripes at the gun. The American challenger in Peter Gilmour said later the Austra But Conner, relying on his favour creased its lead t1129 seconds at the lian crew were "discouraged but not ite race tactic of "out-dragging" the second mark as K�kaburra failed to shattered" by yesterday's result. opposition in choppy seas, slowly find an answer toponner's awesome "They are doing better and we need inched ahead in 25-knot winds down control in the rolang waves. to get our act together," he said. - the first windward leg and by the first By the third mark Stars and Stripes Sapa-Reuter-AP.