Sailing: Dolphin & Youth reaches Rio

The tactical gamble of hugging the Brazilian coast put the Italian yacht Brooksfield in the lead of the fifth leg of the Whitebread Race yesterday, writes Stuart Alexander. Skipper Guido Maisto had a one- mile advantage over Ross Field in Yamaha and 20 miles over Britain's Lawrie Smith on Interim Justitia. While Pierre Fehlmann, despite two injured crewmen, continued to lead the maxis in Merit Cup, both Grant Dalton, 49 miles astern in New Zealand Endeavour, and Eric Tabarly, a further six miles behind in La Poste, reported they had to carry out emergency repairs following delamination of the hulls on the starboard side. Already carrying out similar repairs in Rio de Janeiro is the British W60 Dolphin & Youth, whose skipper Matt Humphries hopes to rejoin the race tomorrow. But Chris Dickson's dismasted Tokio was still heading for Santos.