Whitbread

Status: Day 1, Leg 8Standings:Boat .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Nautical miles to finish1. EF Language .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .3181.72. Chessie Racing .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .3181.23. BrunelSunergy .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..3190.14. Silk Cut .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .3191.25. EF Education .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3193.16. Toshiba .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..3197.67. Innovation Kvaerner .. .. .. .. .. .. ..3197.78. Merit Cup .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ...3198.2(as of 00: 03: 02 GMT)

Annapolis officials blamed downpours and the threat of gridlock for the underwhelming crowds that showed up for the prestigious Whitbread Round the World Race, an event they had hyped as the biggest ever in the historic sailing town.The city spent more than a year bracing for an onslaught of 200,000 people, but fewer than half that number showed up. They ended up with surplus parking, too many police officers and streets emptier than expected.City police estimated yesterday that perhaps 40,000 to 60,000 people joined the four-day Whitbread festival, which ended Sunday when the nine race yachts sailed out of the harbor.

Gov. Parris N. Glendening, a passenger aboard the Coast Guard cutter Northland, had to be a fast learner yesterdaybefore he could fire the Whitbread starting gun."I'm going to get the weapons guy up there to show him how to do it," said Cmdr. Beverly Kelley, the ship's top officer, as she stood in the receiving line to greet the governor and other dignitaries. "He's going to have to get it real quick."And he did, receiving his certification -- an official letter signed by him and by Kelley and required for anyone who does a job on board -- just moments before he joined four costumed "Coasties" on the forward deck.

From the deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Northland yesterday, it was glittering water, fluttering flags and cheers for the Whitbread contestants as the big, graceful racers tacked and preened for spectators at the start line.Below deck, it was "The Box."The Box was the official designation for the protected area the boats moved through as they sailed down the Chesapeake Bay, starting Leg 8 of the 31,600-mile race that will end in England later this month.It worked, producing a smooth, accident-free race start.

With a floating audience of thousands and cheers from a die-hard crowd, sailors in the Whitbread Round the World race glided down the Chesapeake Bay yesterday, heading for Europe and an end to their nine-month adventure through the planet's oceans.Chessie Racing, the first-ever Maryland boat in the contest, crossed the line first when the cannon fired by the Bay Bridge at 1: 45 p.m. It held the top spot as the fleet headed to the Atlantic last night.Fans -- looking like specks as they stood on the Bay Bridge during the annual Bridge Walk -- whistled loud enough to be heard from the water as Chessie passed below.

Wearing bright red vestments, Cardinal William H. Keeler officially began yesterday's send-off of the Whitbread fleet at Annapolis' City Dock, where he sprinkled holy water on the boats as crew members bowed their heads and the crowd grew silent."

Chessie Racing wanted to "get back into the game" with a good performance on Leg 8 of the Whitbread Round the World Race, and yesterday the Maryland entry began with a bang, winning the start before a hometown spectator fleet of more than 6,000 vessels north and south of the Bay Bridge."

ABOARD THE CAPE WRATH -- Judy Goodwich got seasick on a motorboat touring Ocean City and the big car ferry from Delaware to Cape May, N.J. Her husband has been trying to persuade her to take a vacation on a cruise ship, but she flatly refuses."

The nine-boat fleet competing in the Whitbread Round the World race bid farewell to Annapolis yesterday, setting sail from the Chesapeake Bay for the start of Leg 8. The send-off was a success for the local entry, Chessie, which won the start before thousands of vessels anchored north and south of the Bay Bridge. The Whitbread boats, which landed in Baltimore on April 22, will race to La Rochelle, France, then complete the race in Southampton, England, later this month.Pub Date: 5/04/98

Thousands of people were in Annapolis this weekend for the Whitbread Round the World Race, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Walk and other festivities, but only a few injuries were reported -- among them an apparent suicide attempt, authorities said.At 1 p.m., before the Whitbread race restarted, a 17-year-old girl from Severna Park drove a van onto the three-lane westbound span of the Bay Bridge, which was not closed for the walk, which was on the older two-lane section. She stopped the vehicle and leaped over a railing in an apparent suicide attempt, said Capt.