Yachting: French not popping corks yet

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

The French were trying to downplay their survival in the America's Cup yesterday - but the dripping wet crew gave it away.

After a day trying to contain their bliss, three of the sailors were thrown overboard when the orange-and-blue Sixieme Sens docked at their base.

Le Defi France are still a breath away from officially making the top six semifinals in the Louis Vuitton Cup, and the tension, waiting to celebrate, is tough.

Sixieme Sens has only to sail 18km around the Cup course alone today without breaking down or sinking to get the nine points gifted to them by Dawn Riley's America True team, who have decided not to race in the rest of the round.

It was an agonizing day yesterday as the French bounced about in 25-knot winds waiting for a start, only to have racing called off.

There was a meal fit for champions waiting when they came ashore - stuffed chicken and brandy snaps. But no champagne.

Skipper Bertrand Pace, the little general of world sailing, admitted that he was as superstitious as most sailors are: "We know anything can still happen."

But he still spoke of the semifinals and how even though Le Defi would be a "little team among big ones," their opponents should be wary.

The French have the narrowest boat and one of the smallest budgets in town, yet they made the greatest leap forward in this regatta.

They had won five of their first 20 races, but when they changed the winglets on their keel and attached a smaller rudder for the final round, they flew. They came from second-to-last a week ago to finishing this round with seven straight victories.

Syndicate boss Xavier de Lesquen said the crew were exhausted, and their trusty Sixieme Sens could do with a rest too.

"We have been living a very exciting week - each race has been a struggle for life," he said.

Having Luc Gelleseau, technical director of the syndicate, trimming on the boat for this round also made a huge difference.

Pace spared a thought for the Young America crew, who have been denied a semifinal spot, especially skipper Ed Baird, tactician Tony Rae and trimmer Ross Halcrow. They were his friends on the world matchracing circuit, he said, and Baird had always been a fair sailor.