America’s Cup : Conner Tries a Quick Check of Kookaburra III

FREMANTLE, Australia —  The America’s Cup challenger semifinals weren’t scheduled to start until today, but Dennis Conner was already racing the defenders Saturday.

Conner, out on Stars & Stripes ’87 for a final tuneup for his series against USA, slipped over near the starting line of the defenders’ course, where the Series D semifinals were getting under way. As Kookaburra III went off against Kookaburra II, Conner was about 150 yards to leeward on the same port tack.

Stars & Stripes tactician Tom Whidden said, grinning: “We were going pretty good, weren’t we?”

After three or four minutes, however, a small Australian Coast Guard patrol boat came alongside and told Conner to clear out of the area.

“He was very polite,” Whidden said. “Apparently, somebody had phoned from the (Kookaburra) tender to complain. They suggested they might want to give us a fine.”

Said Conner: “I don’t think there is a rule against it. We weren’t in anybody’s way.”

Conner veered away, returned briefly to watch the other start between Australia IV and Steak’n Kidney, then went off to practice sail with French Kiss, which was to meet New Zealand in the other challenger semifinal.

A day earlier, Conner tested his boat against another defender, AIV, but that was prearranged.

“We just wanted to see how fast we were going against the Kooks,” Whidden said. “We were close enough to judge. We looked like we were a little faster and maybe (were pointing) a little higher.”

It’s doubtful that the Kookaburras appreciated the comparison. They were having enough problems trying to race each other and squeeze Australia IV out of the defender finals at the same time.

Alternate skipper Peter Gilmour brought backup boat KII from behind to beat Iain Murray on KIII by 12 seconds, but AIV nipped Steak’n Kidney by 19 seconds to tie KIII for first place with 53 points.

Nobody is sure what game the Kooks are playing. It’s possible that with one defender final berth virtually assured, they’re just trying to bring KII up in points to knock out AIV. The six points for Saturday’s win boosts KII to 40, while Kidney remains at 12.

Later Saturday night, KII was to present what it called new evidence in the incident that cost it a Series C disqualification against AIV.

The defenders will race each other three times in this round. There will be no doubt of KIII’s intentions when it meets AIV today.