Sailing

Dick Daniels slipped his MacGregor 65 Joss off by itself and took the early lead at the start of the biennial Long Beach-to-Cabo San Lucas race.

While Hal Ward’s Cheval led the fleet of nine faster ULDB 70s hard into a nine-knot southwest wind, Joss stayed closest to the beach of all the 15 second-day starters. Trailing in a pack were Evolution, Cheetah and the new Victoria.

Cheval started at the leeward end of the line off Belmont Pier, followed closely by Joss. Cheetah had good position and speed at the windward end and allowed Victoria, steered by 1988 Olympic bronze medalist John Shadden, to squeeze through to windward from a difficult position.

Donald Smith’s Andrews 40 Falcon from Oklahoma City was the overall leader among eight smaller boats that started the 804-nautical mile race Friday, but winds were reported light at Saturday morning’s roll call.