Conner's Stars & Stripes was knocked out of the challenger series Friday after its loss to San Francisco's America True. A victory would have forced a sail-off against Italy's Prada for the second berth in the challenger finals.

Conner has won four America's Cups, but none since 1988.

"It's very hard to raise money in the United States if the event is in New Zealand," Conner said. "I have a lot of bills left to be taken care of.

"I have to see how Daintry feels about it. She's very important to me. She was having a great time until today, but she's our biggest and best super fan. She took this very, very hard. There's a bit of shock, she just can't believe it, that this is over. We really weren't ready to leave yet."

Conner's challenge was easily the best of the one-boat campaigns. Stars & Stripes was built late, without the tank testing and computer testing enjoyed by the better-funded syndicates.

It won as many races on the water as Prada in the semifinals, but missed a sail-off for the finals against San Francisco's AmericaOne after losing a point in the protest room.

Conner's crew was crushed at losing and bitter at Prada's off-water protests lodged Thursday night and Friday that were eventually withdrawn.

Conner said there were no prizes for being the best one-boat challenge.

"While it's nice to know we got a lot out of our program, the bottom line is to come here and win the cup," he said. "I think the story of what I can see so far in the America's Cup, is sails and spars really do make a difference.

"I am having a hard time feeling sorry for myself, though I'm very sad because we did have a wonderful program."

Conner's tactician, Tom Whidden, and helmsman, Ken Read, said Prada's late protest against a mainsail used by the challenge, claiming it was the design work of Young America, left a bitter taste.

When Prada team members clapped as Stars & Stripes returned to its Viaduct Basin base, the sailors turned away.

Whidden said he thought Prada's complaints were "frivolous."

"On the other hand, if the idea was to rev us up the night before an important race, I guess if you look at the result, maybe it did hurt us a little bit," Whidden said.

Read said his team thought it would win but picked the wrong side of the course at the wrong time.

"We died by the first (wind) shift today. Everything wanted left, we wanted left, every person on the boat wanted left, our weather guys wanted left, my wife wanted the left, everybody wanted left. The left was wrong, unfortunately."

Asked whether Prada or AmericaOne had the better boat, Read said he personally would have chosen Young America's boat, which had looked the quickest before almost sinking on the Hauraki Gulf in November.