Word: skipperly
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John Bertrand, 36, Bond's skipper, proved in the trials that he is among the world's best at handling a 12-meter yacht. Relaxed and modest, he was quick to admit error. He also had the fervent loyalty of his crew. By contrast with previous years, when the Aussie sailors downed Foster's Lager in Newport's pubs till the wee hours, Bertrand's men trained like commandos for the marine assault. Off Newport, long considered mare nostrum by the American defenders, Bertrand developed a feel for wind and water conditions unmatched by many...
...opening day, in 20-knot winds that were considered slightly favorable to Liberty, Skipper Bertrand got Australia II off to a lead of a few seconds and held it into the third leg as the boats headed off into Rhode Island Sound. But then Bertrand let the U.S.'s Conner sneak up on his tail. Liberty slipped in front and never let up. Before rounding the last mark to sail home against the wind, Conner surprised his opponent by jibing suddenly to change course. As Bertrand wheeled his boat to follow, part of Australia II's steering gear...
...that displayed his boat's inherent speed. Unable to match his opponent in tacking duels, Bertrand decided to go off in search of a breeze. Left alone, it was Conner who found the wind-and won, by 1 min. 33 sec. "God smiled on us," said the American skipper, "and we managed things a little better." More to the point, one yachting expert observed (prematurely as it turned out), "Conner does not have accidents." Bertrand filed an official protest when the race ended, claiming the American boat had forced him off course, but after a day of deliberation...
...that Liberty performed best in winds of 15 to 20 knots, while Australia II was the faster boat either below or above that range. For the fourth race the breeze was made to order for Liberty. And Dennis Conner, who is probably the world's finest 12-meter skipper, handled his boat masterfully. He won the start from Bertrand by 6 sec. and never let up, skillfully covering the Australian, repeatedly pouncing on the wind shifts he needed to carry him ahead. After two shifts on the first leg, Conner declared, "God works on Tuesdays." Bertrand admitted his error...
With such a victory over his American colleagues, Ezra Getzler, like John Bertand, the skipper of Australia II, gained a victory for his native land by doing the unexpected...