Ian Pinnell wins BT/RYA National Match Racing Championship qualifier

Sailing:

Ian Pinnell of West Hunsbury, Northampton, won the second qualifier for the BT/RYA National Match Racing Championship at Rutland yesterday to go through as a seed for the final at Weymouth in October. Joining him will be second-placed Nick Craig of Farnham and third-placed Simon Stonehouse of Oakham, Leicestershire.

New Zealand have agreed to drop their right to build four new boats as sole defender for the America's Cup in 2000 and will instead be restricted to two, the same as the challengers, represented in a new protocol by the New York Yacht Club.

INTERNATIONAL ETCHELLS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS (Solent): 1 Number 6 (E Warwick) 29.25pts; 2 Katemba (T Law) 33.0; 3 Insatiable (M Heeley) 37.5; 4 Yes (A Gosling) 43.5; 5 Manco Li Cani (N Razmilovich) 63.5; 6 Palaver (R Yeoman) 80.0.