The Observer from London, Greater London, England • 39

THE OBSERVER SUNDAY 17 MAY 1992 39 Cu sdDs Bob Fisher in San Diego paign, with the Italians scoring their first race win in the America's Cup and a further record established by the narrowness of that win. Just three seconds separated the two as they crossed the line in the second race of the series last Sunday with the boats overlapped. Previously the smallest winning margin had been 26 seconds by Weatherly over Gretel in 1962 there was never that much between America3 and II Moro at any time around the 20-mile course on Sunday. Yesterday, Paul Cayard, the skipper of II Moro, was the more aggressive in the pre-start manoeuvres, herding the American specialist starting helmsman Dave Dellenbaugh into the THE America's Cup remains within the portals of the San Diego Yacht Club for another three years after a successful defence was completed yesterday. Bill Koch's America3 totally dominated the fifth race, as she had always promised to do.

Winds of 12 knots, gusting to 15, provided better than expected conditions for the final race, in which America3 took time out of Italy's II Moro di Venezia on most of the significant legs of the course the 4-1 series victory was a triumph for Koch's 'science over art' campaign, one which grew in stature as the four months of the trial progressed. It has been an historic cam spectator boats out beyond the right-hand extension of the line. He waited until five minutes before the start and then, when they emerged, it was Dellenbaugh who reversed roles with Cayard. America3 outsmarted the challenger and grabbed the favoured left-hand end of the start-line, denying Cayard the control he had had earlier. Halfway up the first windward leg, America3 was already three boat lengths ahead.

It was a hard-fought beat to windward with both boats tacking 20 times. Cayard had begun to reel back America3 but her skipper, Buddy Melges, was able to wriggle clear to an 18-second lead at the first mark. a flurry of eight tacks which put her only 24 seconds astern as they rounded the final mark. Cayard and his Italian crew threw everything they knew at their opponents but lacked one essential ingredient, better boat speed. Always, America3 appeared a fraction faster and so it was to prove as she crossed the finishing line 44 seconds in front.

The American win was greeted by a cacophony of boat horns and sirens from an estimated 800-boat spectator fleet. The Cup remains with the San Diego Yacht Club and already challenges have been lodged for 1995 from France and Spain. And another from Japan is expected. The race is on again. Koch, the billionaire owner of America3 and graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who entered sailing only five years ago, has always considered naval architecture a science and eschewed the traditional paths to yacht design.

He surrounded himself with a scientist-led team headed by Heiner Meldner, who holds four separate doctorates from MIT. Fluid-flow theory rather than gut feeling was the baseline for the America3 syndicate. Hours of calculations on a Kray computer, allied with wind tunnel and tank testing, produced the data for Koch's scientists to analyse. They discussed their findings in detail with three tra ditional yacht designers John Reichel, Jim Pugh and Doug Peterson and Dr Jerome Mil-gram and Vincent Moeyersons, men who are sailors and scientists. The result has been a boat which is clearly faster on all points of sailing.

Raul Gardini, head of the II Moro syndicate, is also a man moved by technology and it was his chemical giant, Montedison, which sponsored the Italian effort. The complete budget was confirmed by Gardini to be $55 million. Montedison produced the answers to construction in space-age materials and guaranteed a better boat in that respect, but they did not have the welter of MIT-trained scientists to match Koch's effort. Melges was seen to smile as he swung the wheel around the buoy and the crew made a perfect spinnaker set. He went into a defensive mode, staying between II Moro and the leeward mark.

Melges was only able to increase his lead by a couple of seconds at the leeward mark but doubled it upwind to be 38 seconds clear at the beginning of the three-leg zigzag downwind reach. He began the penultimate leg with a similar margin. The wind had dropped to around nine to 10 knots and II Moro made perceptible gains on Sails of the century: Stein: Man of the match SttoCte (have ttoooclh) off glass Frank McGhee at Wembley Stockport County Stoke City 1 Stein 65 Alt: 48.339 STOCKPORT return to Wembley for only the second time in over a century of history next weekend with the vastly more important prize of a place in the new First Division next season at stake having disposed of yesterday's victors. Stoke, during the Third Division play-off. With their eyes on the heavens, they could have been forgiven for failing to keep their feet on the ground in the Auto-glass Trophy final, a comparatively meaningless bauble compared with the prize that will be theirs if they beat Peterborough in the play-off final next Sunday.

But any idea that they would tamely concede the consolation prize to Stoke, worthy winners in the end, was comprehensively shattered by events, particularly in the first half. In the end there was only one goal in it, but once Mark Stein, Stoke's outstanding forward quite rightly voted man of the match had scored in the 65th minute, there was never any real sign of a Stockport reply. They set out from the start to emphasise that their play-off victory over Stoke, always rated the classier side, was no fluke. They were all heart and muscle occasionally, a touch too much muscle. In the sixth minute, Wheeler, coming in from the left to get to a cross from full-back Knowles, bundled the ball into the net.

But he had quite clearly elbowed keeper Fox, and the referee had no hesitation in ruling it out. But they went on to create a series of scoring chances, so many that only the best can be mentioned. Gannon had a shot kicked off the line by Sandford, who also got in the way of another from Wheeler. Beaumont's shot was blocked by Butler, and Stoke escaped after the ball had ricocheted around their penalty area like a pinball machine just before half-time. During that frantic mix-up Stoke's Cranson blocked a rebound from his own colleague Overson on the line, and a follow up shot from Beaumont forced a save from Fox.

It was, however, Stockport, who had the narrowest' escape of all when Sandford met a free kick perfectly only 10 yards out and hooked it towards an empty goal. Defender Williams was almost under the bar before he reached it, but somehow he hooked it over. When teams are meeting for the third time in a week there is often rancour in the air, which is the only explanation for the sudden rush of blood to the heads of Stockport's Barras and Gannon, booked in a two-minute first-half spell for fouls on Stein and Biggins. And there were bookings for Stockport's Frain and Stoke's Cranson and Biggins. Stoke, having been on the receiving end of a relentless battering, started to realise that the perfection of the Wembley pitch was an asset to a team that could push the ball about.

With the heat taking its toll of Stockport legs, they started to take over and were worth their winning 65th-minute goal. The ball after an attack that was never properly cleared was headed back into the goalmouth by Sandford, for Stein to nip in and score with his right foot. In the end, Stockport emerged strengthened by their experience of Wembley's atmosphere and conditions, and it could prove to be invaluable. Stockport Countyi Edwards, Knowles. Todd, Frain (Thorpe).

Barras. 8 Williams. Gannon. Ward. Francis.

Beaumont Wheeler (P Williams) Stoko Cltyi Fox, Butler. Kevan, Cranson, Overson. Sandlord. Kelly. Foley, Stein, Biggins, Heath.

Substitutes: Grimes, Barnes. Rafaraai Hart (Darlington) Football (Kick-offs 7.30 unless stated) Today Internationals England Brazil (Wembley. 3.00) US Scotland (Denver. 8 00) Tuesday Trans-Atlantic Slx-A-Slde Challenge Aslon Villa Baltimore Blast (Indoor Arena. Birmingham) Wednesday World Cup Group Four Romania Wales (Bucharest.

5 00) International Canada Scotland (Toronto. 12 30) European Cup Final Barcelona Sampdoria (Wembley. 7 15) Tigris was built In the 1890s as a day-racer. Photograph by Dan Smith Homeless seek a fairway solution from Jacklin vision Lapthorn, and, by chance, discovered that they still had the drawings of a sailing refit which they had undertaken on Tigris in 1913. There were teething difficulties out on the water, although Allen prefers not to see them in that light.

'They're features rather than he said. 'Performance is really not that important. It's a bit like an old racing car, you're not sure what to expect so you just love what you do get. Allen used to have a penchant for old racing cars, but now sees motor vehicles merely as a means to a functional end. 'I save the romantic image for the he said.

It quickly became apparent that turn-of-the-century sailors must have either been dwarfs or very quick on their feet. On Tigris the boom, which stretches five feet over the back of the 52ft boat, is placed only two feet above the deck, so if you wish to avoid being hit on the head by the equivalent of several sacks of wet cement, it is literally a case of hitting the deck. There is no escape route down below, for these boats were intended purely as day-racers. One of Ted Heath's more perceptive remarks was that sailing was akin to standing under a shower tearing up five-pound notes. As sports go, it costs.

The Aliens were under-standablyreticent about putting" a price on the boat, although a conservative estimate by an expert alongside put it close to 500,000. 'If I ever stop to tpt it all said David Allen, 'then I'm sure I'd jump straight overboard'. Few at Lymington were disputing that it was money well spent, even Tigris herself. For, until recently, she had been boating around in muck. Yesterday, at long last, she was restored to her former glory.

Sherborne: Record round greens with a peculiar whippy-shafted fibreglass putter which reacts like a thin fishing-rod. 'It prevents you taking away too quickly or you lose control altogether. It has stopped me rushing my putts. Touch wood, it will carry on working in the last said Sherborne. Faldo's mood matched the weather as he, too, holed three putts of 15ft and a 20-footer on the last for a gratifying finale.

'I'm hoping I can get on a good run said Faldo, 'and get hot for the summer. Romero, a bullfighting aficionado who performed the coup de grace on tournament favourite Severiano Ballesteros last year in a seven-hole play-off, may yet be the one to cause problems for Sherborne, however. He started with an eagle, had an indifferent mid-round spell, but finished with a birdie for a 70 and bullishly declared: 'Five strokes behind is not out of Thursday Catterlck Bridge (2.00), Goodwood (2.10) Friday Haydock (2.00), Pontetract (6.45), Salisbury (2.10) Saturday Cartmel (2.15). Ooncaster (2.20). Hay-dock (2.00), Hexham (2.15), Kempton (2.10), Warwick (6.15).

Linglield (6.00). Southwell (6.30) Other Sport Today Athletics: GP meeting (Sao Paulo). Canoeing: Nottingham Sprint Regatta (Holme Pierrepont). Cycling: Tour of Spain (Salamanca); THE ROMANTIC image runs something like this: sailing is no more than an afternoon's gentle exertion, the soft, lapping waves being the perfect accompaniment to several glasses of whatever you please. So much for that flight of fancy.

The reality is a rude shock. A back-breaking session to get the craft on to the water in the first place can be followed by several hours of chilling discomfort, during which the sea is usually not the only thing heaving. After more than 30 years of immersion in the truth, David Allen, aged 59, has long since ditched any naive pretensions about the sport. Only one fantasy has pursued him. Yesterday at Lymington it was realised.

The act of raising 1,700 square feet of sail on Tigris brought to fulfilment a dream long nurtured, a dream of 'sailing a work of art rather than a mere vessel'. Tigris is no ordinary boat. The 20-ton One Design boat was built back in 1898. David Allen's son, Colin, chanced upon her seven years ago in Plymouth, when she was little more than a dilapidated hulk. Slowly the Aliens breathed life back into her.

Yesterday's gentle meander along the Solent was her first outing in her new colours in preparation for The Observer Round The Island race on 27 A This handicap race the largest of its kind in the world draws an eclectic field ranging from the luxurious entries belonging to the sort of person who owns islands rather than merely races round them, to the three-men-in-a-tub variety. Tigris will be one of some 1,500 competitors this year. 'I'd become rather said Allen, 'of races being decided in the committee room and not on the water. Tigris is a AN ENGLISHMAN stood defiant against another armada yesterday, as Andrew Sherborne kept the home favourites at bay in the Spanish Open by equalling the Royal Automobile Club course record. Sherborne, with a searing nine-under-par round of 63, including nine birdies, led the event by four strokes on a 16-under-par total of 200 in temperatures which once again rocketed into the nineties.

Behind the West Country professional came Jose Rivero, who just over an hour earlier had broken the record with a 63. The second-round leader, Santiago Luna, whose 64 on Friday had set the previous record, followed in third place on 1 1 under. He shares the position with the defending champion, Eduardo Romero of Argentina, another Spanish speaker. Sherborne does not stand alone at the helm, however. Nick Faldo, with a round of 66, will be there for support against the likely Spanish onslaught today.

Faldo, who says that he is at last 'getting in the mood where I'm excited to get out on to the course', lies 10 under par, a stroke in front of yet another Saturday Barelaya League Play-offs Division Four Final Blackpool Scunthorpe United (Wembley, 3 00) Sunday Barelaya League Play-offs Third Division Final Peterborough Utd Stockport Co (Wembley, 3.00) Toulon Under-21 Tournament Group A England Mexico (5.00) Rugby League Today Stones Bitter Premiership: Finbl: Wigan St Helens (Old Trafford, 3.30) Mick Cleary sees a dream fulfilled as a work of art returns to the water throwback to another era. Mind you, when she was racing on the Clyde there were about nine or 10 of these gaff-riggers in existence then they had a professional skipper on board. With 25 prize money at stake, you can be certain that a few shady tricks were used. 'For me, though, the challenge is not in winning but in dealing with such a boat. With such a vast area of canvas and so many variables you are in the dark most of the time.

But, whatever might happen, win Or lose, you know that you've got a thing of beauty on your hands. There is a price to be paid for such nostalgic indulgence, however, as soon became evident on Pontoon E. With the installation of an engine being the only concession to modernity, it was up with sleeves and on with the elbow grease. There was an awful lot of perspiration needed to back up Allen's inspiration of seven years ago. None the less, as Tigris edged off Lymington she was soon beating towards the Isle of Wight at a comfortable six knots.

The only slight strain on Allen's face related to a sudden leak below and an unsounded alarm" that he Tiad forgotten to pack a beer with which to toast the success. It has been a long haul to get this far. The hull had to be completely rebuilt so that the strain of running five sails and a spinnaker could be taken. Fortunately Allen had unearthed the plans of the original naval architects, A. Mylne, so that he could hone the design to the last detail.

He struck further goals when he contacted the established sailmakers Ratsey and Norman Dabell in Madrid Spaniard, Miguel Jimenez. The current might of Spain would intimidate many there have already been six Spanish victories on the European Tour this year but the tall, blond, suntanned Sherborne, winner of the Madrid Open last year, has the credentials to take them on today. After starting the event with a stuttering round of 71, his fine 66 on the second day set up his bid yesterday. In his nine birdies which scattered the Spanish fleet, Sherborne three times sank putts from around the 20ft mark, and homed in one remarkable putt of 75ft. For a player who confessed he had been 'struggling badly' with his putting, even in the first round here, this was an amazing renaissance, one which he put down to going to the doctor.

This particular medic, however, is not the type who looks down your throat and taps your knees. Harold Swash, the 'putting doctor', takes his surgery around the European Tour venues, curing the pros' ills on the Divisional Premiership: Final! Sheffield Eagles Oldham (Old Trafford 1.30) Rugby Union Wednesday Tour Match: Bay of Plenty Ireland XV (Rotorua, NZ). Racing Monday Edinburgh (2.00). Bath (2.15) Tuesday Beverley (2.30), Goodwood (2.10) Wednesday Perth (6.15), Worcester (2.30), Goodwood (2.10) Peter Corrigan asks whether plans to match golfers with under-used courses will work TONY JACKLIN'S dream of uniting all those British golfers who are looking for courses with all those courses looking for golfers is reported to have already attracted inquiries from thousands of the game's homeless. Around 5,000 application forms have already been sent out, and at the 200 it costs to join the Tony Jacklin Club such a level of interest represents 1 million.

That's not a bad starting figure for any crusade, and it is indicative of how desperate the situation is for the countless frustrated hackers who cannot join clubs because there are no vacancies and cannot play as visitors because they haven't a club handicap. But at the risk of upsetting one of our favourite champions and his new-found disciples I cannot avoid suspecting that the majority of golf clubs will be questioning the existence of the spare capacity on our courses that his concept depends upon. 'How can it be he asks, 'that thousands of golfers have nowhere to play and thousands of golf courses lie idle during their off-peak There is no doubt about the distressingly high number of Tour du Pont (Wintergreen. Virginia). Equestrianism: Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Golf: Byron Nelson Classic (Irving. Texas); Spanish Open (Madrid); Japanese PGA (Annaka); Mazda women's championship (Bethesda. Maryland); Brabazon Trophy (Hollinwell). Gymnastics: European championships, men (Budapest). Hockey: Men's international: GB India (Helneken Astro, Reading, 2.30).

Women's territorial tournament (Nottingham). Motor Racing: San Marino GP. British Formula Three championship (Brands Hatch). Polo: Gerald Balding Cup (Cirencester, to 24 May); Prince of Wales Trophy (Royal County of Berkshire Club, Wlnkfield, to 31 May); Queen's Cup (Guards, Windsor, to 7 June). Sailing: America's Cup: Final series (San Diego, Calif, to 24 May); World solve the plight of the unattached golfer.

The Welsh Golf Union are advising their clubs that they haven't sanctioned it although they, too, would be sympathetic to any workable scheme. One certain answer, of course, is the provision of more pay-to-play courses, the lack of which is emphasised by the fact that no municipal course has been built in England for several years. Instead, we have seen a glut of stately pleasure domes, some of which have gone bankrupt during the wait for the stampede of members willing to pay fees like 15,000 to join and 2,000 annual subscriptions. There is a happier trend now to less expensive private courses, but nothing will succeed like a campaign to persuade a mass of local authorities to convert any spare 50 acres into simple nine-hole courses which would satisfy a demand unparalleled in other sport and which would certainly not leave the ratepayers out of pocket. Until then, the feeding of many of our starving golfers depends on the success of the Jacklin vision, against which the winning of the Ryder Cup would seem a small triumph.

Golf: Southwestern Bell Colonial Open (Ft Worth, Texas, to 24 May); Corning Classic women's tournament (Corning, NY, to 24 May); Pepsi UBE tournament (to 24 May). Sailing: Rover Series (Tarbert, Knap-dale, Scotland, to 26 May). Swimming: British Olympic trials (Sheffield, to 24 May). Friday Golf: British PGA championship (Wentworth, to 25 May). Saturday Athletics: Norway England (Floro).

Basketball: GB Israel (Crystal Palace National Sports Centre). Boxing: Middleweight contest: Nigel Benn (GB) Sugarboy Malinga (SA) (National Indoor Arena, Birmingham). Shooting: Pistol 92 (Bisley. to 25 May). would-be golfers concerned, but the picture he paints of members sauntering down empty fairways while the unfortunates stare longingly over the fence is not one that would be recognised by the majority of clubs trying to deal with capacity memberships and mile-long waiting lists.

Neither would it equate with the view of the English Golfing Union, who have identified too much traffic as one of the biggest problems faced by our courses and are conducting a series of seminars around the country advising clubs how to deal with the resultant compaction of their playing surfaces. The trouble is not only a surfeit of golfers but a surfeit of golf in the golfers. Early retirements, hip-replacements, increased longevity, motorised trolleys and caddie cars have led, in the past decade, to a tenfold increase in those members able, and certainly willing, to play all day and every day. Soon, the space available for even those visitors who are members of other clubs and championships, Flying Dutchman, Finn, Star, Lechner (Cadiz, Women's World championships 470, Lechner (Livorno, Italy). Snooker: Forte Hotels Matchroom League: Babington: Parrott Hal-lett (2.00); Davis James (7.00).

Southport: White Wattana (2.00); Hendry Drago (7.00). Ooncaster: Wilkinson Meo (2.00); Thorne Foulds (7.00). Speedway: World championship: Homefire British final (Coventry, 3.00). Tennis: Italian Open (Rome); German Open, women (Berlin); LTA Spring Satellite Tournament (Bournemouth). Water Skiing: Spring barefoot classic (Kirton's Farm Hotel and Country Club, Reading).

Monday Tennis: World Team Cup, men (Dus-seldorf, to 24 May); women's tournament (Strasbourg, to 24 May). have the required handicap certificates may be drastically reduced in order to spare courses from excessive wear and tear. Judging by the way some clubs have jacked up their green fees, one form of prohibition is already in place. Meanwhile, unattached golfers will hope that Jacklin and his associates will have identified enough under-used courses to satisfy the demand of their swelling membership when the club becomes operational next month. Other entrepreneurs had already identified the market.

One firm, called Playing Card, claim 5,000 members and are supported by Bernard Gal-lacher. Another, the Golf Club Great Britain, have a similar-sized membership and complained last week about Jacklin receiving the support of the home golf unions, which had been denied to them. The English Golf Union, however, have yet to give their official blessing to Jacklin, although they are in the process of considering it. But they are anxious to support any move to Tuesday Boxlngi British flyweight championship: Robbie Regan (Blackwood) James Drummond (Kilmarnock) (National Ice Rink, Cardiff). Cycling: Scottish Provident League: Third round (Guildhall Square, Peterborough, 7.00).

Golf: English women's championship (St Annes Old. to 23 May); Scottish women's championship (Royal Aberdeen, to 23 May). Wednesday Hockey: Tour Match: Wales India (National Sports Centre, Cardiff. 6.00). Thursday Cycling: Scottish Provident League: Fourth round (College Green, Bristol, 7.00).

Equestrianism: Windsor horse trials (to 24 May)..