New Sweden Wins Fourth Straight in 12-Meter World Championship

LULEA, Sweden —  New Sweden, the surprise boat of the 12-meter World Championship, Tuesday moved closer to a berth in the final by getting its fourth straight victory after two days of semifinal matchups.

The Swedes defeated both entries from Australia, Kookaburra III and Steak’n Kidney.

The most important victory was against previously undefeated Kookaburra III. New Sweden took advantage of light winds.

After trailing by as much as five minutes in a race that had two course changes and a protest, New Sweden, representing Sweden, gambled for and found a wind direction change to reverse its fortune dramatically on the fourth leg.

Trailing by 5:06 after the third mark, New Sweden moved to lead by more than 17 minutes after the fourth leg. During the fourth leg, one of seven on the course, the second course change was made, which brought a formal protest from Kookaburra III. The protest was dismissed.

Two other match races being held simultaneously to the New Sweden-Kookaburra III showdown were abandoned because they exceeded the three-hour limit because of light wind that never ranged faster than 6 knots.

New Sweden leads the semifinals of the match racing with four victories, one more than Kookaburra III. Bengall III, Nordstjernan and Crusader each have two. Steak’n Kidney has one.