Gosling's day to forget

Sailing

The fortunes of the reigning world champion Adam Gosling took a knock in the Hackett Etchetts National Championships yesterday. Sailed in near perfect conditions in Christ- church Bay, Gosling, who has persuaded the other half of Annabel Croft, Mel Tolman, to dig out his racing oilskins again, was leading after the first two completed races on Wednesday.

In yesterday's first race he was again in the money, scoring a second but, in the next two, the last being a resail of the opening race abandoned in Wednesday's fog, he slipped down the order. He had been pipped in the first race by Graham Bailey, who was always in the top four, and it is Bailey who goes into the final race today with a three and half point cushion over Poul-Ricard Hoj-Jensen, who won the final race. Behind Gosling in third-place is Eddie Warwick.

Desperately trying to kick his championship hopes alive is Tim Law, who had to scramble to avoid sinking after being holed in a collision ahead of the start of the second race. He is asking for average points and is trying to repair his yacht overnight.