Japanese Sailors Win

Europe’s chance of remaining in the running for the America’s Cup took a dunking, and an amateurish error before the start prevented Stars & Stripes from expanding its lead in the defender trials as it lost to Young America.

Nippon scored a critical win over France 3 in the battle for the remaining spot in the Louis Vuitton Cup semifinals for challengers.

On the defender course, Kevin Mahaney’s Young America beat Stars & Stripes by 1:03 after helmsman Paul Cayard was penalized for wheeling Stars & Stripes into the starting area before the 5-minute gun.