Life of Riley

She's the dawn of a new age in the world of competitive sailing. . . Dawn Riley, that is, a pit person for America', in competition for the position of Defenders in the 1992 America s Cup race. Even if the America' syndicate doesn't defeat reigning cupholder Team Dennis Conner, Riley will have been the first and only woman to actively cretv in an America's Cup event. No surprise to friends and relations of the twenty-seven-year-old Detroit native. Born into a family of sailing enthusiasts, Riley's been on the water since birth.

"My baptismal party was on a boat, " she notes, and she hasn't strayed far since. The America's Cup may present an unusual challenge for its first lady. If New Zealand's team wins the Louis Vuitton challengers' cup, Riley may be facing a familiar foe on the open sea: her boyfriend is a member of the Kiwi crew.

SHERYL LONGIN