FLAGS OF COMPETING COUNTRIES; YACHTSMEN PREPARE FOR RACE; CANADIAN ENTRY; GOLDSMITH PUSHING OUT YACHT; VARIOUS SHOTS OF RACE; CAPSIZED U.S. COMPETITORS. (NATSOF).




Initials AH/VS/JH/BJ


SPORT: YATCH RACING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: American yachtsmen took the first four places in the World Lightning Class championships which ended in Buenos Aires on Friday (November 28). The United States challenge was headed by Bruce Goldsmith, who carried off first place in Snoopy despite breaking his mast in the final race.

Competitors from 12 countries, including Switzerland and Holland, have been competing in the championships, staged over an Olympic course on the River Plate.

A 21-24 m.p.h. (35-40 km/h) wind produced choppy conditions, in which only 19 of the 28 starters were able to complete the final race.

Despite his mishap, Bruce Goldsmith had amassed a 14-point lead in the first five races, and his total of 204 points was sufficient to give him overall victory.

U.S. competitors also carried off second, third and fourth positions in the final placings. James Crane, who finished third in Thursday's final race, pipped fellow countryman Thomas Allen for second place in the Championships with a 199 points total.

Allen, another victim of a broken mast in the final race was third with 190 points. And William Shore finished two points behind in fourth place.

The U.S. monopoly of the first ten Championship placings was only broken by two Argentinians, Mario Isola and Carlos Keller Sarmiento, who finished fifth and sixth.