On this day…

03 April

In 1995 the last ever multi-syndicate Defender Series, completed its Semi Finals in San Diego between Dennis Connor’s Stars and Stripes, Young America and Mighty Mary, an all woman team headed by Bill Koch the 1992 America’s Cup winner.
The series became a soap opera when Koch added the “Bearded Lady”, Dave Dellenbaugh to the strictly all woman sailing team to help with tactical decisions just before the Semi Finals. The ‘soap’ continued with USA34 Stars and Stripes almost sinking when the keel became detached from the hull. They were successfully protested by Mighty Mary when they changed keels during the repairs and they in turn protested Young America for a similar offence.
Young America qualified for the Final of the Defender Series but Stars and Stripes and Mighty Mary, with equal points, had to face each other in a sudden death sail off. This turned into another farcical chapter of the Defender selection soap opera and will be reported in tomorrows “On this day in America’s Cup history”.
© Hamish Ross 2007