Sailing: Standbridge plays it smart

Paul Standbridge was continuing to play the smart game as Toshiba protected an 18-mile lead on the sixth day of the fifth leg of the Whitbread Round the World Race from New Zealand to Brazil yesterday.

The American and his navigator Andrew Cape have twice made the moves which have given Toshiba the advantage as the nine-boat fleet worked hard to make the best of light winds since leaving Auckland.

Behind Standbridge is Gunnar Krantz in Swedish Match and then come four boats separated by only four miles. Meanwhile, Innovation Kvaerner, EF Education and Brunel Sunergy are all but becalmed at the rear.

WHITBREAD ROUND THE WORLD RACE (fifth leg, 6,270 miles, Auckland, NZ, to Sao Sebastiao, Bra): 1 Toshiba (US) P Standbridge 5,393 miles to finish; 2 Swedish Match (Swe) G Krantz 18 miles behind leader; 3 EF Language (Swe) P Cayard +32; 4 Silk Cut (GB) L Smith +32.5; 5 Chessie Racing (US) D Smith +32.5; 6 Merit Cup (Monaco) G Dalton +32.5; 7 Innovation Kvaerner (Nor) K Frostad 133.3; 8 EF Education (Sw) C Guillou +136; 9 Brunel Sunergy (Neth) R Heiner +187.