Sport in Short: Sailing

THE Spanish Fortuna syndicate, owned by the state tobacco company, is hoping to sign Lawrie Smith, the leading British helmsman, for the Whitbread Round the World Race which starts in September. Smith, who was skipper of Rothmans in the 1989-90 race and had hoped to have his own British maxi this time, seems to have abandoned hope of heading a leading British contender.

BRITISH STEEL CHALLENGE Third leg (Hobart to Cape Town: Positions with miles to finish): 1 Group 4 2,088; 2 Nuclear Electric 2,207; 3 Commercial Union 2,216; 4 Hofbrau 2,226; 5= Rhone-Poulenc, British Steel II 2,242; 7= Coopers & Lybrand, Heath Insured 2,274; 9 Interspray 2,327; 10 Pride of Teesside 2,475. Information supplied by BT.