```

[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 76 (Tuesday, May 9, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S6301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                             YOUNG AMERICA

  Mr. COHEN. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
captain and crew of Young America, which as many of my colleagues know, 
is the yacht that came very close to winning the Defenders' series of 
the America's Cup competition on April 26.
  Young America, owned by the Maine-based PACT '95 syndicate and 
originating out of my hometown of Bangor, was very strong in the 
competition but was beaten in the finals by America's Cup veterans and 
past victor, Dennis Conner and his boat, Stars & Stripes.
  While Young America's captain, Kevin Mahaney, did not have Dennis 
Conner's experience, he sailed boldly and impressively and displayed 
the kind of leadership and perseverance for which Mainers are renowned. 
Kevin had captured the silver medal in sailing at the 1992 Olympics, 
but it was his first America's Cup competition. He and his crew sailed 
with excellence throughout the competition.
  Last summer, before Kevin even had a boat to compete in, he started 
to assemble a crew with John Marshall, head of the PACT '95 syndicate. 
Marshall was an experienced sailor and former crew mate of Dennis 
Conner in past America's Cup bids. Even so, many people on the sailing 
circuit did not assign much credibility to their efforts and saw little 
threat from their entry. However, Mahaney and Marshall and the crew 
they assembled soon made yachting enthusiasts begin to take notice of 
the boat from Bangor.
  This is not to say that Young America encountered smooth waters 
during its assent to the top ranks of yachting. Mahaney had to rely 
heavily on the tenacious crew that he assembled to overcome obstacles 
and make it as far as they did.
  Young America's bid for the cup was threatened last January when a 
tornado ripped through the compound where it was stored, causing 
extensive damage to the boat. In March, bad luck struck again when 
Young America suffered significant structural damage while being towed 
through heavy waves. This damage was particularly ill-timed, and the 
crew had to rush to make repairs in the final days before the Defender 
semifinals. John Marshall saw the silver lining in these clouds and 
commented that the times of hardship were when the crew really came 
together as a team.
  Ironically, the crew that worked so hard to bring Young America to 
the forefront of the yachting world had the bittersweet experience of 
now seeing their boat compete against New Zealand in the America's Cup 
finals without them aboard. Shortly after his victory, Dennis Conner, 
full of admiration for Mahaney's triumphs, asked John Marshall if he 
and his crew could sail Young America in the final competition. 
Diplomatic to the last, Marshall honored his request. He said that both 
the crews from Stars & Stripes and Young America will emerge as victors 
if the Americans beat New Zealand.
  The quiet but determined efforts of Kevin Mahaney and his crew 
justifiably make Mainers proud. While they are not manning the boat 
that is competing against the New Zealand vessel this week, everyone's 
mind will be on the come-from-behind boat known as Young America.

                          ____________________
```