SAILING CONGRESSIONAL CUP : Grillon Keeps Chase Tight Heading to the Final Day

Steve Grillon, finding himself in the fast company of sailors contending for the Congressional Cup match-racing championship at Long Beach, asked Rod Davis over coffee Saturday morning, “Are you as nervous as I am?”

Grillon, a successful fleet racer, is a first-time competitor from the King Harbor Yacht Club. At day’s end, he was still in the chase, tied with France’s Bertrand Pace at 11-4, behind Davis and Roy Heiner of The Netherlands, each at 12-3.

The last three rounds of the championship will be sailed today.

Davis has won the event in four-year intervals since 1981, which could mean he is due again. But he has the difficult task of sailing against each of the other three contenders, none of whom has won on the World Match-Racing Circuit.

“I can remember when I had everything to gain and nothing to lose,” Davis said, “and, Steve, everybody including me is as nervous as you are.”

Davis, sailing for the Akarana Yacht Club of his adopted New Zealand homeland, needed all of his wits and skills to win all three of his races Saturday in the tricky light and shifty winds between the beach and the Queen Mary. He beat Spain’s Pedro Campos, San Diego’s J.J. Isler, and Wales’ Eddie Warden-Owen.

But more important were Grillon’s victories over Heiner and Pace to keep contention tight.

No sailoff is scheduled after the double round-robin, but Barney Flam of the host Long Beach Yacht Club has computer-juggled the seedings all week to set up a tight finish. Davis and Heiner will meet in the last race of the day.

Flam’s son, Steve, is sailing as Heiner’s tactician.

Light winds are forecast again for today, but the race committee is determined to hold the races within view of shore, rather than farther out where the winds are stronger and steadier. “This is really difficult stuff to sail in,” Davis said, “a bit of a lottery.”