Australia's Mick O'Conner with hired crew Carl Strahle on his boat "OVERPROOF", Mike Wood of England with crew Mike Lattin on their boat "BIG WOODY"' Mike Strahle with crew Chris (his nephew), of USA, on boat "TWITED SKIPPER", and Henrick Hartz with crew Robert Lackey of USA, on boat "PARADISE ONE'. The best four out of a five race series in three days would decide the winner and first defender.

Race one started with the two American teams fighting for the favored side of the line. Hartz was barging as Strahle called them to do a 360. Hartz argued at first, then completed his foul. Strahle never lost the lead after that and won the race. Race two started with no fouls and medium wind. Strahle took the lead with the Aussi in second. Positions held until the last windward mark, where Strahle missed the layline , while the Aussi rounded first. Strahle took two more tacks to the mark and just held off the other Americans for second at the mark. Strahle rounded and dug deep for a lower downwind line. The Aissi's took too long to get their spinnaker up as Strahle overlapped them on the inside. Strahle started to drive them up as the Aussi committed a foul by not responding to the leeward boat. Strahle suggested they o a 360 as they did, while Strahle took the lead and the second race, followed by the Aussi on Overproof.

The second day was overcast with very light wind. The English team took the start with a lower line than Strahle, but better speed. Two boats tried to go port, but Wood on Big Woody, shut them down. Strahle sailed a higher line trying to out point the leading English, but they held him off. Crossing Strahle on a port tack, the Englsh rounded to windward first.

Woods took too long to get his spinnaker up as Strahle took over the lead with a great spinnaker set. Strahle took off toward the downwind finish taking another first for USA. With the CUP slipping away from the English and Aussi teams, race three started with the frontrunner USA's Mike Strahle in last. The Aussi team drove Strahle away from favored starting position in very light wind. Two boats went port with the other two boats starboard. The port side of the course paid off for the Aussi team, but Strahle took a higher line to the windward mark and squeeked out the lead. Three times around the course took a long time, but Strahle held the lead and not only won the race, with four wins, won the regatta for USA.

The CUP stays in America and in two years, Mission Bay Yacht Club 'where the CUP is on display', will host the first match racing DEFENDER and CHALLANGER CUP, series with America as official Defenders. But, there was still one more race to go to decide the second place team as Strahle sat out as not to foul anyone. The other USA team Hartz, took the start and held the lead most of the race. Even though Strahle had already won, the MBYC, had gold, silver and bronze medals to also award to the sailors besides the CUP. Strahle had the gold, but it was a race for silver.

Hartz held the lead til the last downwind mark and stuffed his spinnaker early, jibing to port. All the sudden, the Aussi's came flying in on a starboard with the chute up, taking over first. The Aussi's stuffed the chute, but a hole opened up and Hartz took back the lead. At the last windward mark, Hartz stalled while tacking, and the Aussi's took advantage. Hartz tried to hold them off, but the Aussi team sailed on around the mark in first, set the chute and crossed the downwind finish if first, winning the silver.

The next America's International Trapseat Cup, will be held in San Diego, Calif. USA, Sep/2001 call Ted Corbett, at MBYC for details at 619-279-4768. The AITC, Trophy or CUP, is on display at the MBYC, and they thank Dennis Conner for donating the CUP.

RESULTS;

1. USA Mike Strahle/Chris Strahle

2. Australia Mick O'Conner/Carl Strahle

3. USA Henrick Hartz/Robert Lackey