Coutts

On February 7, 2004 CARL HEINZ, of Elkridge, beloved husband of June Wedeking (nee Faulk) and the late Leonora Coutts Wedeking; devoted father of Carole, James, John Patrick, William and L. Kathleen Wedeking, stepfather of Jerry Arnold, brother of Hans Wedeking. Also survived by ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.A Graveside Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday at 11:00 A.M. at Crestlawn Memorial Gardens. Following the service, the family will receive friends at 9314 Millbrook Rd., Ellicott City.

SAN DIEGO -- Three days into the Louis Vuitton Cup, there already was talk of a critical race yesterday between Team New Zealand and Win New Zealand, each of which was undefeated in the challenger trials for the America's Cup.It may seem absurd that such an early race carry much, if any, importance in a four-month regatta.But yesterday Team New Zealand constructed an early yardstick by which every challenger syndicate in town can measure its progress.In winds from 5 to 6 knots and unsettled seas, Team New Zealand and skipper Russell Coutts started the second race of the day 10 minutes behind the first pair, oneAustralia and Sydney '95 -- and finished the 18.55-nautical-mile course ahead of Sydney '95 and less than a minute behind oneAustralia.

Team New Zealand won the championship of the Cadilla Columbus Cup yesterday with two convincing victories over Team Denmark in the final series sailed at the mouth of the Patapsco River.lTC New Zealand skipper Russell Coutts and Denmark's Valdemar Bandolowski entered the best-of-three series with 5-1 records. Denmark's loss had come against top-seeded New Zealand on Friday.Before the 11 a.m. start, the spectator fleet numbered fewer than the boats fishing for striped bass off the south shore of the Patapsco.

SAN DIEGO -- With seconds ticking down to the start of Race 3 yesterday, as Paul Cayard tacked around to try to pin New Zealand early over the line, he made an urgent cry to his port trimmer:"Speed, Bill! Speed!"It was a dramatic moment for Cayard and both teams as they fought one of the toughest prestart duels yet in the America's Cup.But less than half an hour later, it was as clear as it had been in the two previous races: "Speed" is an element that the Young America boat just cannot deliver to Cayard and his crew.

Last week, the state Department of Natural Resources and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center agreed on a managed deer hunt this fall on the center's 2,300-acre tract off the Rhode River in Anne Arundel County.The hunt, which will allow as many as 20 hunters per day on the property, will take place during Maryland's firearms season for deer, from Nov. 27 to Dec. 11.The Smithsonian estimates there are 1,000 deer on the property, which has a natural carrying capacity of about 100. The overpopulation has forced the deer to eat crops and ornamental shrubs of local landowners because the research center environment cannot feed them all.Hunters will be selected through a lottery to be held Nov. 16. To apply, hunters should send a 3-by-5 card complete with name, address, work and home phone numbers, hunter safety certificate and current hunting license numbers to the DNR Wildlife Division offices in Upper Marlboro.

With July 4 falling on Thursday, boaters will have a chance to set up a long weekend on Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay and the state's many rivers and creeks, and a few simple precautions will help ensure that the fireworks are limited to staged displays.According to U.S. Coast Guard statistics, July is the most dangerous month for boating mishaps, perhaps because the onset of warm weather encourages virtually everyone with a boat to go out.The National Marine Manufacturers Association urges holiday boaters to follow three basic rules:Designate a skipper who won't drink alcoholic beverages while operating the boat.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Team New Zealand, skippered by a 26-year-old first-timer, retained the America's Cup today with a clean, 5-0 sweep over the Italians, sending this nation of sailors into party time. It was the first successful non-American defense in the Cup's 149-year history, with the Kiwis repeating the 5-0 whitewash they gave Cup veteran Dennis Conner in San Diego in 1995 to win sailing's most prestigious trophy. Dean Barker replaced veteran Russell Coutts, 38, at the wheel of the Kiwis' boat, Black Magic, for its final race.

Skipper Russell Coutts and his savvy Numbers crew finished their domination of the nine-race inshore series of the Chesapeake Grand Prix yesterday with another masterful demonstration of the basics. They started with good boat positioning and mixed fine crew work with superior boatspeed, something not easy to do in these identically matched 48-foot Reichel-Pugh-designed sailing boats. The results were two wins and a third-place showing, a performance good enough to stretch its lead over the George Collins-owned Chessie by 11 points.

FINALSCitizen CupRace 7Mighty Mary, Leslie Egnot, vs. Young America, Kevin Mahaney, ppd, light winds.Louis Vuitton CupRace 6 Black Magic 1, Russell Coutts, vs. def. oneAustralia, John Bertrand, ppd, strong winds.STANDINGSCitizen CupL Young America, 3 points; Stars & Stripes, 3; Mighty Mary, 3.Note: By agreement of the syndicates, Young America began the round with two bonus points and Mighty Mary with one.Louis Vuitton CupTeam New Zealand, 4 points; oneAustralia, 1.TODAY'S SCHEDULECitizen Cup12-race seriesRace 7Young America vs. Mighty Mary.