Sailing: Competitors help British Steel

BRITISH STEEL'S fellow competitors, Group 4 and Heath Insured, have come to the aid of the dismasted boat deep in the southern Pacific to transfer much- needed supplies of diesel fuel, writes Stuart Alexander.

After the weekend a rendezvous at sea has been arranged with the NZ Pacific, a P & O ship leaving Littleton for Zeebrugge today. She will bring 1,000 litres of diesel to ensure the 67-footer has enough fuel for the 2,400 miles to New Zealand. The skipper, Richard Tudor, and his crew are also working on a makeshift jury mast to carry cut- down sails to help progress. Tudor said the crew are 'very determined about the next two legs'.

Back in the lead in the race is John Chittenden, who has taken a more northerly, conservative route, with second-placed Richard Merriweather, in Commercial Union, leading a southerly group.

BRITSH STEEL CHALLENGE ROUND THE WORLD RACE (Second leg, Rio de Janeiro to Hobart) Leading positions (with miles to finish): 1 Nuclear Electric 2,678; 2 Commercial Union 2,692; 3 Hofbrau 2,827; 4 Coopers and Lybrand 2,909; 5 Group 4 2,925; 6 Heath Insured 2,929; 7 Pride of Teesside 3,020; 8 Interspray 3,158; 9 Rhone-Poulenc 3,459. Dismasted: British Steel II.( Information supplied by BT)