Sporting Digest: Sailing

GRANT DALTON in NZ Endeavour is still the leader as the Whitbread Round the World Race heads for the doldrums, but his Maxi rival, Pierre Fehlmann, in Merit Cup has moved into second place. The US Women's Challenge has run into trouble after a spinnaker halyard sliced a four-foot gash down the front of the aluminium mast.

WHITBREAD ROUND THE WORLD RACE First leg: (Southampton to Punta del Este, Uru): Leading positions, with miles to finish: 1 New Zealand Endeavour (Maxi) 3,281; 2 Merit Cup (Swit, Maxi) 3,316; 3 Tokio (Japan, W60) 3,329; 4 Galicia (Sp, W60) 3,331; 5 Winston (US, W60) 3,355; 6 Intrum Justitia (Europe, W60) 3,377; 7 Yamaha (Japan/NZ, W60) 3,392; 8 La Poste (Fr, Maxi) 3,395; 9 Dolphin and Youth (GB, W60) 3,459.

GLYN CHARLES, Stuart Childerley, David Evans and Martin Payne have qualified for the second stage of the BT National match racing Championship off Pwllheli, north Wales in the First Class 8s. In yesterday's opening rounds Charles led Group A with four wins from Childerley with three, while Evans won group B with Martin Payne second.