SAILING : Law Leads Congressional Cup

Britain’s Chris Law ranks 11th on the Omega World Match Racing circuit, but he will move up significantly if he sails reasonably well the next two days.

Law leads the 30th Congressional Cup at Long Beach with 11 victories, two more than San Diego’s Peter Isler, with six races remaining.

“We have to play all the good guys yet, so it’s by no means over,” Law said.

Barney Flam has seen to that. Flam’s progressive computer seeding for the host Long Beach Yacht Club is refigured daily to keep the contenders away from each other as long as possible. Law received a late invitation when John Bertrand of Newport Beach dropped out a month ago. He scrambled to collect his five-man crew, starting with Flam’s son, Steve.

Steve Flam had sailed the circuit and has sailed in 12 Congressional Cups since he was 14, so he was a natural choice for tactician.

Kevin Mahaney, the 1992 Olympic Soling silver medalist, is third at 8-4, followed by defending champion Rod Davis and Roy Heiner of the Netherlands at 7-5.

No local sailor is close.