GOVERNOR’S CUP:Aussies not down under

East or West, who cares where the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is because it is well, cruising.

Jon English still has no clue where he is. That’s the least of his concerns, because the weather, 75 degrees, this time of the year is paradise for the three-man crew and its coach.

Back home it’s winter and the last couple of days in Sydney have been blistering cold.

So after wrapping up another day of regatta racing at the 41st annual Governor’s Cup, Australia stays under the sun longer than the rest of the competition at the Balboa Yacht Club.

For English, he’s working on his tan. The other two, William Ryan and Jay Griffin, as Ryan put it, are here for sailing.

Of course he’s kidding. It’s that dry sense of humor. But as odd as the perfect weather felt so was the fact that Australia is the lone team from a foreign country at the U.S. International Junior Match Racing Championship.

Australia is making up for the lack of international flavor.

With three days completed, Australia has a strong hold of second place with 16 wins, trailing Newport Harbor Yacht Club by one as the second round of round-robin action concludes today.

Both Australia and Newport Harbor went 6-0 Thursday, standing out in the oldest youth match racing event in the country.

Another dazzling showing for Australia in the 12-keelboat competition, which beside the top two, King Harbor Yacht Club of Redondo Beach (13 victories), St. Thomas Yacht Club of the Virgin Islands (13), Annapolis Yacht Club of Maryland (11), Balboa Yacht Club (11) of Newport Beach, and Southern Yacht Club of New Orleans (10) still have a shot at claiming first place.

For Australia, it was more interested in finding out if its latest feat meant another reward back at its sponsor’s home.

The day before, something warm and special waited.

“Doris is busy at home making some pie at the moment, and we’re looking forward to it,” Coach Jenni Bonnitcha said. “We’re staying with the best house family anyone can ever ask for. We’re staying with Doris and Don, and they’re just gold.

“They like Australians. We were the only ones and they got stuck with us.”

Being stuck with the Aussies is like being at a comedy club every night.

Be ready to laugh because after creating havoc in the water for the rest of the 11 competitors during the day, they’re entertainers at night.

The trio, along with the coach, can do it all. An impersonation of an American regatta member congratulating the rest of his crew? Ask Griffin. Griffin, the youngest at 15, can handle that as well as the trimming responsibilities on the boat.

“Nice Job!” he yelled, sounding overzealous and provoking the rest of his crew and coach to break out laughing.

They’ve done a lot of that since arriving on Friday. The direct flight from Sydney took 16 hours to reach Los Angeles. But they never missed their Friday.

“We just left before lunchtime Friday and arrived Friday morning at 6,” said Bonnitcha, showing no signs of jetlag. How could she? Checking out Disneyland and the California Adventure Park was scheduled for Saturday.

The Aussies met the usual characters, Mickey Mouse, Goofy, but Bonnitcha bonded more with one of Snow White’s Seven Dwarfs.

“I like Sneezy,” she said. “I get a bit of a high fever. We have a bit in common.”

No blowing of the nose for Bonnitcha. Just making sure the umpires didn’t blow a call during the first day of racing.

St. Thomas protested the race against Australia due to what English said was a so-called hiking violation. At first, Bonnitcha was told she couldn’t observe the ruling.

She found a way in. Anything dealing with a race, she turns serious. What do you expect from someone who said she represented Australian women’s racing when it first began 30 years ago?

“Our skipper has the right to ask if an observer can come in and I was allowed to observe,” she said. “I can’t comment or give any action.”

Bonnitcha didn’t need to as the protest was dismissed.

Sometimes she wants to send her three sailors home. Everything the three do, she’s watching closely, taking notes on one of the boats out in the water.

“I like it when they get it right,” she said, sounding like their mother.

Critical, but always full of praise of Ryan, English and Griffin. The boys, 18, 19 and 15 enjoy the treatment.

“She’s like a mom,” said Ryan, the skipper, who plans to attend Sydney University next year.

The three aren’t the only things that Bonnitcha has worried about in Orange County. At least she knows they can’t drop in the Governor’s Cup standings as fast as they did during The Twilight Zone Tower Of Terror ride at Disney’s California Adventure Park.

“Jenni thoroughly enjoyed the Tower of Terror,” Ryan said. “No one wanted to sit next to her after that.”

The three might not want to sit next to Bonnitcha on the 16-hour plane ride back to Sydney if they don’t bring the Cup with them.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.