Francis Joyon set to beat Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race record

Sailing

Francis Joyon, with 635 miles to go, looks set to beat the Single- handed Trans-Atlantic Race record of 10 days nine hours, set by third- placed Loick Peyron in 1988, by over 24 hours. Giovanni Soldini still leads the mono-hulls with Yves Parlier second and Pete Goss third.

Russell Coutts yesterday won the Coupe Brut De France by beating Marc Bouet 3-1 in the final at Sete.

Graham Bailey's Arbitrator, John Garrett's Garretty and Tom and Vicky Jackson's Sunstone have sealed the three places in the England South Commodores' Cup team following the final trial race, the Morgan Cup, to Alderney.

John Merricks and Ian Walker took a break from Olympic 470 preparation to race Hoya in the Ultra-30's at Cowes but could not stop a Lawry Smith in dominant form winning every race but one.

FRONTERA ULTRA 30 GRAND PRIX (Cowes) Final results (after six races): 1 Frontera (Lawrie Smith) 35 pts; 2 D B S (Russell Peters) 24 pts; 3 Team Mobil (Pete Newlands) 20 pts; 4 Team Hoya (John Merricks) 19 pts; 5 Debra (Roger Yeoman) 15 pts; 6 Mike McIntyre 14 pts.

HACKETT ETCHELLS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (Cowes) Race Two: 1. J Smith (US); 1 D Gundy (US); 3 P Conde (Aus); 4 D Lowe (GB). Overall: 1 Conde, 13.7; 2 Smith 16; 3 Gundy 20; 4 E Warwick (GB) 23.4