Sailing: Enza eats up miles

PETER BLAKE and Robin Knox-Johnston yesterday reported a 24-hour run of 477 miles in the 85-foot catamaran Enza New Zealand. At just under a 20-knot average, this chopped 150 miles from the lead of their French rival, Bruno Peyron in Commodore Explorer, in the attempt to sail around the world in 80 days for the Jules Verne Trophy.

Co-skippers Blake and Knox-Johnston described the day as 'the most fabulous but hair-raising sailing any of us has done'.

Into the 25th day, there is good reason to hope for even better performances. Enza has averaged 14.41 knots for the 8,300 miles so far.

Meanwhile, Alain Gautier, in the 60-foot monohull Bagages Superior, has extended his lead in the Vendee Globe single-handed non-stop round the world race to 894 miles over Philippe Poupon, in Fleury Michon.

BRITISH STEEL CHALLENGE Second leg (Hobart to Cape Town): Position, with miles to the finish: 1 Group 4 3,558; 2 Commercial Union 3,588; 3 Nuclear Electric 3,600; 4= Rhone-Poulenc, Hofbrau 3,609; 6 British Steel II 3,618; 7 Heath Insured 3,626; 8 Coopers & Lybrand 3,629; 9 Interspray 3,631; 10 Pride of Teesside 3,646. Information supplied by BT.