Sailing: Law has qualifying success

DEFENDING champion Chris Law yesterday beat co-favourite Gavin Brady in his final pair of qualifying matches at the Hoya Lymington Cup. For good measure, Law then caught the man who had been second overall, Bertrand Pace, in their pre-start manoeuvres.

It was the French former world champion's second such mistake of the day, the first conceded to Brady, as the 14 rounds of knock-out matches for the 12 competitors were completed. Law then won the match at a trot. These three topped the rankings to find the top six who sail each other for today's semi-final places.

There was a delay to allow the light south-westerly to develop on the 600-yard track inside Hurst Spit, off Keyhaven. Britain's Andy Green was knocked out, but Ian Williams, made the cut behind Per Petterson of Sweden and Murray Jones of New Zealand. Law's pace was then disrupted as he lost to Williams in his first semi-final qualifier.