YOUNG AMERICA AND TEAM NEW ZEALAND
GO DOWN TO THE WIRE

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, March 30, 1997 -NYYC/Young America and Team New Zealand split the first two races today setting up a seventh race face-off in the second regatta of the Road to America's Cup 2000 series. The America's Cup Defender, Team New Zealand, won the tie-breaking race, making it a 4-3 final score for the closely-contested regatta.

Today's racing wrapped up a three-day series that pitted NYYC/Young America against Team New Zealand for the first time in Auckland waters. This was the second regatta for the two teams, with the first event a weather-shortened
series in Wellington earlier this month. The Auckland event pitted the two teams in short, intense windward/leeward races with lead changes and come-from-behind victories. The classic match racing featured exciting starts, intense tacking duels, and tight finishes on Auckland's Waitemata Harbor.

"Our team has lifted their game substantially," said Young America skipper Ed Baird. "We're gelling as a team quickly. The crew worked hard here and it showed in this close racing."

In Sunday's first race sailed in 8-11 knots of breeze from the southwest, Baird maneuvered into a controlling position at the start and shut the door on Team New Zealand at the committee boat end of the line. Team New Zealand also suffered a collision with an errant runabout that crossed their bow in the pre-start. On the first beat, Young America gained on the right side, benefiting from a right shift, but then overstood the layline in the upwind current, still
rounding the mark 39 seconds ahead. Team New Zealand again demonstrated its downwind speed, closing the gap on the first leeward leg to 11 seconds at the bottom mark. After a short tacking duel on the second beat, Team New Zealand escaped to better breeze on the left side of the course and came from behind to take the lead, finishing 13 seconds ahead of Young America.

Facing a must-win situation in race two, Baird and Young America locked up the standings 3-3 with a come-from-behind victory. In a windward/leeward incident that was green flagged at the start of race two, Team New Zealand slipped between Young America and the committee boat, leaving the two racing boats fairly even off the starting line.

After a close first beat, Baird came into the first weather mark bow to stern behind Team New Zealand, but once again Team New Zealand stretched the lead on the downwind leg. Baird and the Young America crew turned on the heat on the second windward leg, closing in during an intense tacking duel. Halfway up the leg, Team New Zealand on port tack was no longer able to cross and lee-bowed Young America several times. Baird had the final starboard tack advantage going into the top mark and this time came out ahead. The wind freshened on the downwind leg and Baird and crew covered well in a jibing duel to the finish with Young America finishing 22 seconds ahead.

In the third race of the day, and the final and seventh race for the series, Team New Zealand won the start ahead and to leeward by about a length. Team New Zealand kept going left rather than covering and Young America went right
toward North Head, eventually finding more breeze and a right shift, but it was too little too late. Team New Zealand had a comfortable lead at the top mark which they never gave away. The Kiwis went on to win the final race by
47 seconds.

Young America's onboard guests in Sunday's races were Jim Hartnett, of NYYC/Young America Partner Yacht Club Bayview, Sean McNeill, associate editor of Sailing World, Annie Becker of Young America, and journalists Ivor Wilkins and Suzanne McFadden.

The racing resumes Wednesday, April 2 with the Mini-America's Cup Regatta. Young America will compete April 2-4 in a round robin with challengers representing San Francisco Yacht Club, England's Royal Dorset Yacht Club, and
France's Societe Nautique Port Camargue. The winner of that series will face Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's Team New Zealand in a best-of-seven final April 5-6.

Young America, the New York Yacht Club's Challenge for the America's Cup, is dedicated to winning the America's Cup through technological innovation, teamwork and a total commitment to success. Its effort will represent the entire country through an alliance of distinguished Partner Yacht Clubs and by enhancing the scientific literacy of America's K-12 students with the innovative Young America National Education Program.