A Last-Place Finish Leaves Stars & Stripes in Jeopardy

PORTO CERVO, Italy — The boat and skipper that won back the America’s Cup were on the edge of elimination after finishing eighth and last in Tuesday’s fifth fleet race of the world 12-meter championships off Sardinia.

Plagued again by light winds of 4 to 8 knots, Dennis Conner’s Stars & Stripes was no match for boats it had beaten easily in the strong winds off Fremantle, Australia.

New Zealand’s KZ-7 won the race, with former Eagle skipper Rod Davis of Coronado, Calif., serving as tactician for helmsman David Barnes. The race was delayed for 1 1/2 hours and then shortened from 8 to 6 legs in dying wind. Australia’s Kookaburra II was 2 minutes 58 seconds behind, with Stars & Stripes 12:55 in arrears.

The result left Stars & Stripes in a tie for fifth with Sfida Italiana and Sweden’s Entertainer 12 going into today’s final fleet race, three points behind Britain’s White Horse. Stars & Stripes would have to finish four places ahead of White Horse to reach the match-racing semifinals, which start Saturday.