Sailing: Americans put boot in Europe: Britain's inadequate preparations are exposed on second day of Commodores' Cup. Stuart Alexander reports

WHATEVER fun the England team of three boats were having on the second day of the Commodores' Cup was tinged with disappointment, and perhaps even a little despair, as the Americans stamped their much superior footprint on a pair of Church's Trophy Races in Christchurch Bay yesterday.

In the first race they scored two firsts and a third in the three classes for nine national teams. In the second race they improved to two firsts and a second. Having also been the comfortable winners of the first day, they are showing a superiority and consistency that not only looks unbeatable but also shows, in stark contrast, the gap in preparation by Europe, especially Britain.

The Germany Red team moved into second place above the Netherlands as both Francesco de Angelis, in the Class Two Omen, and Achim Griese, in the Class Three Mumm 36, settled to a difficult day's work in the light westerly winds. Their weak link is the old 50-footer Antibody in Class One.

There, the new Tripp 50, Donald Smith's Falcon, again led at every mark and won both races on handicap for the United States White team. Driven by the Olympic silver medallist, Peter Holmberg, they also have the British Olympic representative David Howlett to provide tactical support.

He is just one of many top British sailors featuring on foreign teams while England flounder, still sandwiched in eighth place between Jersey and Wales. England were not helped by having their Class Three Mumm 36, The Wall, steered by David Bedford, recalled for being over the line at the start of the second race.

Savannah has been confirmed as the venue for the sailing in the 1996 Olympic Games.

ROLEX COMMODORES' CUP (The Solent): Race Two (Class One): 1 Falcon (D Smith, US White); 2 Numbers (J Risley, US Red); 3 Fuga (A Tonconogy, Arg). (Class Two): 1 Flash Gordon (H Jahn, US White); 2 Omen (T Friese, Ger Red); 3 Aerosail Astro (J Schumann, Ger Green). (Class Three): 1 Aerosail 3 (A Griese, Ger Red); 2 Mercenario 3 (L Silva, Arg); 3 Pigs in Space (D Clarke, US White). Race Three (Class One): 1 Falcon; 2 Numbers; 3 Fuga. (Class Two): 1 Omen; 2 Flash Gordon; 3 Aerosail Astro. (Class Three): 1 Pigs in Space; 2 Aerosail 3; 3 Thomas I Punkt (T Dodson, Ger Green). Overall (after three races): 1 US White 8.75pts; 2 Germany Red 22.25; 3 Netherlands 23.75; 4 Germany Green 27; 5 Argentina 31.25; 6 US Red 32.5; 7 Jersey 33; 8 England 38; 9 Wales 52.

RESULTS FROM THE SOLENT

ROLEX COMMODORES' CUP (The Solent): Race Two (Class One): 1 Falcon (D Smith, US White); 2 Numbers (J Risley, US Red); 3 Fuga (A Tonconogy, Arg). (Class Two): 1 Flash Gordon (H Jahn, US White); 2 Omen (T Friese, Ger Red); 3 Aerosail Astro (J Schumann, Ger Green). (Class Three): 1 Aerosail 3 (A Griese, Ger Red); 2 Mercenario 3 (L Silva, Arg); 3 Pigs in Space (D Clarke, US White).

Race Three (Class One): 1 Falcon; 2 Numbers; 3 Fuga. (Class Two): 1 Omen; 2 Flash Gordon; 3 Aerosail Astro. (Class Three): 1 Pigs in Space; 2 Aerosail 3; 3 Thomas I Punkt (T Dodson, Ger Green).

Overall (after three races): 1 US White 8.75pts; 2 Germany Red 22.25; 3 Netherlands 23.75; 4 Germany Green 27; 5 Argentina 31.25; 6 US Red 32.5; 7 Jersey 33; 8 England 38; 9 Wales 52.

(Photograph omitted)