Lennon is made to wait

Sailing

The showdown between Britain's national champion, Mike Lennon, and Italy's Giorgio Zuccoli in the Melges 24 European Grand Prix here was put on hold yesterday as the breeze in the Mediterranean faltered and died.

Lennon, winner of the Cowes Week series, and Zuccoli, winner at Kiel, Germany, are competing for top points and the chance of representing Europe at the Key West Regatta in Florida next January.

The event, in a class which has taken over as the Europe-wide first choice of sports boat, has attracted 47 boats from 10 countries and a level of competition that is highly professional.

The Olympic silver medallists John Merricks and Ian Walker are using it as part of their transition from dinghies to keelboats. They also hope to be in Britain's Admiral's Cup team next year, probably in a Mumm 36.

"Everything depends on whether the 470 dinghy stays in the Olympics," Walker said. "We have put a helluva lot of work into that and would sail together again, including at the World Championships in Israel next August."