Victory for "Plastic Fantastic"

By J.D. Reed

The duel began well enough for the New York Yacht Club's America II. The 12- meter sloop led its competitor, New Zealand, for most of their 24-mile match race on the choppy Indian Ocean off Fremantle, the port for Perth in Western Australia. But then the Fremantle Doctor, a blustery afternoon wind so-called because it cures the 100 degreesF temperatures of the antipodal summer onshore, blew in and riffled the pages of the record book. The fiber glass- hulled New Zealand, dubbed the "Plastic Fantastic," surged ahead on the wind and crossed the finish line 15 seconds ahead of America II, ending one of sport's most venerable records. For the first time in 135 years, an entry of the New York Yacht Club will not sail in an America's Cup final.

In 1983 the N.Y.Y.C. surrendered the Cup to Australia II, the winged-keel wonder of Perth Millionaire Alan Bond, after holding the yachting crown since 1851, the longest winning streak in sport. America II's loss last week was the final disappointment in a $15 million, three-year drive to recapture the Cup. As a stunned Skipper John Kolius, 35, piloted America II back to its slip after the race with New Zealand, crew members wept. "How would you feel," asked Kolius, "if you called into work tomorrow morning and it wasn't there?"

The loss was only one of many firsts in this 26th Cup, which is longer, larger, more expensive and more upset-prone than any in history. Not only is the competition being held away from the gentle breezes of the U.S. East Coast for the first time since 1870, but it has also widened dramatically in scope. A record 13 syndicates from six nations have so far spent an unprecedented $200 million for the right to challenge Australia for the Cup. There are two syndicates each from Italy and France as well as ones from Canada, Britain and New Zealand. In addition to the N.Y.Y.C., U.S. syndicates from around the country included the sponsors of Heart of America (Chicago), USA (San Francisco), Stars & Stripes (San Diego), Eagle (Newport Beach). The twelve- year-old Courageous IV (New Haven) withdrew in October.

Beyond that, the leading contender, New Zealand, which has won 33 of 34 races so far, is a newcomer sailing in its first Cup. The Kiwis' fiber-glass hull is the first in the history of the event (the others are made of aluminum), and the development could produce, say some experts, yet another first: an all-Pacific America's Cup final, commencing Jan. 31.

Four challengers, who have sailed 34 races each since October, have emerged to compete in the semifinals, which begin Dec. 28. The leader, New Zealand, has amassed 198 points out of a possible 199; it will sail a best-ofseven series against fourth-place French Kiss (129 points), named after its sponsor, Kis, a French manufacturer of photographic equipment. Kiss has been a surprise, surviving with a brash young crew and steady sailing. Second-place Stars & Stripes (154 points), skippered by Dennis Conner, who lost the Cup in '83 and is determined to get it back, will battle USA (139 points), a radical boat from San Francisco's St. Francis Yacht Club skippered by a wily veteran, Tom Blackaller.

Meantime, three Australian syndicates are battling for the right to defend the Cup. Bond's Australia IV, descendant of the '83 champion, is six points behind Kookaburra III, which represents the Cup debut of rival Perth Millionaire Kevin Parry. Sydney's Steak 'n' Kidney trails the pack.

More than any of its predecessors, this contest pivots on high-tech advances. All competitors now have winged keels for stability, as well as sophisticated onboard data processors. Some syndicates were aided by government specialists and their supercomputers. The blueprints for French Kiss came from the labs of Dassault-Breguet, the French aircraft manufacturer famous for its Mirage fighter jets. A team of 30 scientists, including several "Star Wars" weapons-system researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, perfected USA's unique rudders at bow and stern that help prevent sideslip.

Most observers believe that America II's fall from contention occurred because it failed to keep up with the keel modifications and rigging adjustments of its competitors. The N.Y.Y.C. entry was designed so that the wings on its keel, and the keel itself, could be unbolted and replaced with ones of more advanced design. Although the boat's latest keel was flown in from the U.S. after the second round at a cost of $91,000, it was thought to offer little advantage and was never used in competition. Other syndicates made furious and fancy changes before the December race series. Stars & Stripes added a new mast, French Kiss new sails. USA changed to lighter nickel-cobalt rigging, and the weight saving, under the complicated 12-meter formula, was put back into the boat as ballast to counteract the rising winds and seas of the Australian summer. *

New Zealand leads the betting as favorite challenger. In Auckland, supporters are distributing maps of the proposed 1990 racing course, and Cup fever has reportedly driven up the price of local shoreline property by 30%. New Zealand has done equally well in both light and heavy weather. The key to the boat's success is its fiber-glass hull, which helps eliminate pitching in the Fremantle chop. The Kiwi crew improves with each race. "A month ago we might have said we were scoring 90 out of 100," says confident Skipper Chris Dickson, 25. "Now I think there's 110 points available."

There may be rough going ahead for the Auckland challenge. Back in October, several skippers including Connor and Blackaller complained that fiber glass might be an illegal material. The rules state that hulls must be of equal weight and thickness across their entire surface. The Kiwis successfully defended the construction by pointing out that Lloyd's of London had supervised every stage of construction in accordance with the rules.

Two weeks ago, however, Conner fired a new -- and strange -- shot across New Zealand's bow. "There have been 78 aluminum 12-meters built, so why would you build one of fiber glass unless you wanted to cheat?" he asked at a press conference. Added Blackaller: "My engineers have told me for six years that you can't build a fiber-glass boat light and strong enough . . . under the rules." The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda of Sardinia, organizer of the challenger series, has not responded to the war of words. As a matter of normal procedure, however, it will remeasure and check all semifinalists before racing resumes after Christmas.

If the winds pick up as they are predicted to do, many old salts think that Conner, considered the best 12-meter skipper in the world, can outsail the "Plastic Fantastic." Stars & Stripes is designed for high wind and heavy seas. When Conner was asked if the Kiwis had a psychological advantage because of their proximity to Australia and the ecstatic backing from home, he said, "They have 3 1/2 million New Zealanders behind them. We'll have 200 million Americans behind us when we meet."

With reporting by John Dunn/Fremantle