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■ SAILING
Kiwis get break as winds fail
Trailing 4-2 and one defeat away from losing the America's Cup against Swiss team Alinghi, New Zealand needed a break. It got one, although one neither team had in mind. Racing was canceled for the day when the winds failed, and the seventh and possibly deciding race in the first-to-five 32nd America's Cup was postponed until Tuesday. "It's probably a good thing for us to have a break at this stage," New Zealand strategist Ray Davies said. "It gives us time for reflection, to bounce back and come out firing on Tuesday." For the Swiss, just one win away from repeating their 2003 triumph, it means putting their champagne celebrations on ice. "It's not a big deal to wait a couple of days," said Grant Simmer, design team coordinator for the Swiss. "We've been waiting three or four years for this, so we can wait a day." New Zealand won the cup in 1995 and successfully defended it in 2000, only to lose it 5-0 to Alinghi in 2003, making the Swiss the first European crew to ever claim the cup. Now the Kiwis see the Swiss foaming through the sea like a specter from four years past. Although the series is already one of the four closest in the regatta's 156-year history, Alinghi has won three straight, overcoming a 2-1 deficit for a 4-2 lead in the best-of-nine race series.

■ OLYMPICS
Panama suspended
Panama's national Olympic Committee was suspended on Sunday by the international Olympic movement following a lengthy dispute. The Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced it had appointed an IOC member, Mario Vazquez Rana of Mexico, to carry out a probe that could take months. Panama's athletes will be able to compete internationally under the flag of the Pan American Sports Organization until the issue is resolved.

■ GOLF
Bateman wins Buick Open
Brian Bateman birdied the final hole on Sunday to break a four-way tie and become the improbable winner of the Buick Open by one stroke. Bateman, who entered the tournament 240th on the US tour's order of merit, closed with a three under to finish 15-under 273, the highest winning score at Warwick Hills since 1997, to claim his first victory on the US tour. He had finished third in two previous tournaments. "I didn't really have any expectations," he said. Jason Gore (67), Justin Leonard (67) and Woody Austin (69) finished tied for second. Jim Furyk (70) and Scott Verplank (71) were in a group of five that were two shots behind Bateman. In a tournament that started in 1958, Bateman was just the second player to birdie 18 for a one-shot victory. Rocco Mediate did it in 2000.

■ BASEBALL
Hargrove quits the Mariners
Mike Hargrove resigned as manager of the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, saying his "passion has begun to fade" for baseball even though his team is the hottest club in Major League Baseball (MLB). Hargrove managed Sunday's game against Toronto and will be succeeded by John McLaren, his bench coach. McLaren's first game as manager was yesterday against Kansas City. "Over the past several weeks, I have come to the realization that to be fair to myself and the team, I cannot continue to do this job if my passion has begun to fade," the 57-year-old Hargrove said in a statement. Hargrove was in the middle of his 16th season in MLB. He led Cleveland to two World Series, in 1995 and 1997. He had six consecutive losing seasons in Baltimore and Seattle.


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