The fast and agile 18-meter (Loa) U.S. catamaran beats the giant 36-meter New Zealand monohull in the "Deed of Gift" challenge, contested after a legal battle. The America's Cup had come before the New York Supreme Court (which has jurisdiction) after Michael Fay, a New Zealand banker, interpreted the Deed of Gift in such a way that he was able to present a 'rogue challenge' to the San Diego Yacht Club, with the 90-foot (27.43-meter) monohull New Zealand. The skipper was David Barnes. Based on this free interpretation of the Deed of Gift, Dennis Conner responded with the 55-foot (16.76-meter) catamaran Freedom. This was the first time Challenger and Defender were set to compete in the same conditions, as imposed by the Deed of Gift, without the traditional modifications established by Mutual Consent Protocol. When Conner announced that he would defend the Cup with the catamaran, Fay protested in court, arguing that the Defender should have raced in a similar boat to the Challenger. But the law agreed with the Americans.