America3 defeats the Conners crowd> Gains ground as third round robin begins

SAN DIEGO – The America3 all-women crew beat Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes in the opening race of the third round robin of the America’s Cup trials on Wednesday to end a three-race losing streak.

The women led the entire way around the six-leg, 18.6-mile Pacific Ocean course and won by 1 minute, 26 seconds. It was their first victory since defeating Young America in the opening race of the second round robin on Jan. 29.

Their losing streak would have been four, but a loss to Stars & Stripes on Feb. 3 was thrown out when the second round was shortened by three races because of weather delays.

With victories now worth four points, America3 closed the gap in the Citizen Cup standings and trails co-leaders Stars & Stripes and Young America, 9 points to 7.

J.J. Isler timed the start better than Stars & Stripes starting helmsman Paul Cayard and crossed the line eight seconds ahead.

Stars & Stripes lost some ground with a few bad tacks early on the first leg when the crew was unable to trim the headsail quickly enough. A tacking duel left America3 ahead by 37 seconds at the first mark.

The women continue to sail the oldest yacht in the regatta, America3, which won the 1992 America’s Cup with a male crew. Their new yacht is due to arrive this weekend and is expected to be ready for the fourth round robin starting March 2.

Wednesday was sunny with northwesterly winds of 8-12 knots and seas of four feet, a big change from Tuesday when the opening races were postponed due to 25-knot winds and rough seas.

On the challenger course, Louis Vuitton Cup leader Team New Zealand beat Nippon by 1:34, and Kiwi rival NZL-39 beat winless Rioja de Espana by the day’s biggest margin, 2:30.

Also, Colin Beashel became the third helmsman in as many rounds for Sydney 95, steering the Australian sloop to a 38-second victory over France 3 to end a four-race losing streak.

France 3’s spinnaker blew out shortly after being hoisted on the second leg, but the French trailed by only 15 seconds at the leeward mark. Sydney 95 built a 54-second lead sailing upwind on the third leg and was never threatened.