SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The all-women’s team America3 held off a late comeback by race favorite Young America and emerged from a thick sea fog to win its second America’s Cup race.

America3, with Leslie Egnot at the helm, took advantage of poor sail handling by the male team and crossed the finish line 14 seconds ahead of Young America. It was the first victory by the women’s team over Young America, directed by skipper Kevin Mahaney of Bangor.

“We’re happy to have won, it would have been awful if we had lost the race when we had it in our pockets,” Egnot said. “So we’re thrilled to have won it.”

The outcome lifts the women into a second-place tie with Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes after the first day of the second round of Citizen Cup defender trials. Young America is in first place.

“I thought America3 did a nice job,” said Mahaney. I think today was their day and they should get rewarded for doing a nicer job.”

Racing began in ideal conditions with a 10-knot breeze and slight swell. Young America had the women in trouble at the start and sailed away with a 27-second lead as the gun fired.

In a tagging duel that followed the all-women’s team began to gain on the men. But Young America lost its edge when Mahaney steered the boat to the right side of the course.

“Our game plan was to go out to the left and protect the left and we didn’t follow our game plane,” Mahaney said. “That was my fault.”

America3 went left into a wind change that lifted the boat to a 40-second lead at the first mark.

In a freshening breeze downwind, Young America closed the gap to less than a boat length. But poor sail handling at the second mark scuttled the impressive comeback.

The crew of Young America was unable to control the boat’s big sail, which blew into the water, wrapped around the keel and acted like a huge sea anchor.

“The lines ended up under the boat,” Mahaney said. “We had to stop and put people overboard, hang them by their ankles to cut them loose.”

As a chase boat gathered up the torn cloth, America3 lept to a 1:19 lead.

However, Young America was not out of the race. America3 struggled with sail problems at the fourth mark and had kelp caught in the rudder that was slowing the boat. By the final turn for home the women were just 22 seconds in front. Much of the final leg was hidden from view as a dense fog cloaked the final stages of the battle.

“It was very difficult with the fog. It came rolling in and made it hard sailing and trying to find the marks,” Egnot said. “We nearly ended up sailing right past the mark.”

Said Mahaney: “I thought they handled their boat really well and they did a great job.”

When racing resumes Monday, Young America will race Stars & Stripes.