America's Cup opener is postponed until Wednesday | Sailing

Sailing

Light, unsteady wind delays race for at least two days: Having two of the fastest, most technologically advanced sailboats ever built doesn't do much good if there is not enough wind to sail them.

It is almost as if Mother Nature pulled a fast one on the two bickering billionaires contesting the best-of-three America's Cup in Valencia, Spain.

The opening race of the eagerly anticipated showdown between two-time defending champion Alinghi of Switzerland and American challenger BMW Oracle Racing was postponed from Monday to Wednesday because of light, unsteady wind.

The giant multihulls USA and Alinghi 5 were towed out of port before dawn to get to the starting line about 28 miles off the Valencia coast. They floated idly for nearly four hours in the cold before the race was called off.

According to team officials, the USA hull took 150,000 hours to build in Anacortes; the mast was built in Rhode Island and Anacortes.

Alinghi's Ernesto Bertarelli and BMW Oracle Racing's Larry Ellison poured money, time and effort into sustaining a court case for 2 ½ years and building their massive boats.

Soccer

Beckham academies shuttered: The David Beckham Academy in Carson, Calif., and another location in Greenwich, England, have closed, although the Los Angeles Galaxy superstar reportedly is working to develop another coaching program for children.

Galaxy's Mathis has surgery: Midfielder Clint Mathis of the Los Angeles Galaxy will miss from four to six weeks after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.

Team officials said Mathis, 32, was hurt in training last week, had the surgery Friday in Santa Monica, Calif., and is expected to be ready for the March 27 opener against New England.

College athletics

Appeals court says women wrestlers can sue UC Davis: A federal appeals court said it appears UC Davis violated federal law meant to promote gender equity in college athletics when it eliminated its women's wrestling program.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated a lawsuit filed by three female wrestlers after the school essentially eliminated their sport by making them compete against males of the same weight after the 2000-01 academic year.

The court turned aside the school's argument it had cut significantly from its men's programs at the same time, ruling the Title IX law requires institutions receiving federal funding to show they are actively trying to expand women's athletic opportunities.

Olympics

Some U.S. athletes arrive in British Columbia: The Vancouver Games begin Friday and U.S. athletes representing six sports were formally processed at a Richmond, B.C., hotel. Medical checkups were part of the check-in process, but so was the availability of free gear.

From sweaters to T-shirts to boots with red laces to the opening-ceremony uniforms, athletes had plenty of options.

Rogge expresses concern about Russian doping cases: Jacques Rogge, International Olympic Committee president, urged Russia to get tougher on drug cheats, voicing his concern at the high number of doping cases among Russian biathletes and cross-country skiers.

Four days before the start of the Vancouver Games, Rogge said he raised the matter in recent meetings with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Russian sports officials.

More than half a dozen Russians have been suspended in the past year for using banned blood-boosting drugs.

Mountain passes test: Cypress Mountain passed a major test, as freestyle skiers completed their first pre-Olympic practice sessions and Games organizers kept dumping snow on competition courses in unseasonably warm weather.

Heuga dies: U.S. skier Jimmie Heuga, who won a bronze medal in 1964 and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis six years later, died in Boulder, Colo. He was 66.

College hockey

BC wins Beanpot: Boston College beat defending national champion Boston University 4-3 to win the 58th Beanpot title in Boston.

BC goaltender John Muse was voted the tournament's most valuable player. BC has won the Beanpot 15 times, compared with 29 for BU.

WNBA

Lynx re-sign Augustus: The Minnesota Lynx have signed two-time All-Star Seimone Augustus, 25, to a multiyear contract, though team officials did not disclose specifics. The forward, who had knee surgery in June, averages 21.2 points.

Seattle Times news services