Cup hopes sinking

Press, 12 August 1985, Page 4

Cup hopes sinking

NZPA special correspondent London New Zealand's chances of success in the Admiral’s Cup yachting series looked to have foundered yesterday as Britain < and West Germany fought for the lead in the Fastnet race, the final in the series. Going into the 1000 km race, j West Germany led the series with 1161 points, 75 more than Britain and 134 ahead of thirdplaced New Zealand. The leading yachts in the Admiral’s fleet were almost across Lyme Bay in south- , western England this morning, and heading into 40 to 50 knot winds. * The race, which began on ‘ Saturday, takes the yachts to Fastnet Rock off southern Ire- ■> land, and then back to Cowes, • Isle of Wight. Overnight reports had the Brit- , ish trio of Panda, Jade and Phoenix first, second and fifth J on corrected time with Diva, ‘ Outsider and Rubin holding fourth, twelfth and fifteenth - for West Germany. * New Zealand's Exador, Epic and Canterbury were seventh, tenth and thirty-seventh — too > far back to challenge the position of either West Germany or Britain. The race organisers had no report of the progress of the 1 round-the-worla yacht Lion ’ New Zealand, which is competing in the maxi section of the > Fastnet.