Youth and Sports Minister the Hon. Pamela Gordon, who judged the competition, said she was happy with the number of people who came out.

"The turn-out was slightly smaller than last year,'' she said, "but I am pleased with the way people have participated in the competition and the activities.'' Southampton brothers Morris and Larry Moniz congratulated each other as they successfully launched their eight-foot spinning wheel-patterned kite to win the giant-size category.

It was the first time they had managed to launch one of their huge creations in the last three years.

But it wasn't without a fight.

The kite had been airborne for less than five seconds when Morris began screaming for help as the kite began pulling him and elder brother Arthur across the beach.

Several other men ran to their aid and together they managed to secure the kite to a post.

Cheers and clapping erupted from a small group of spectators who watched the drama unfold.

"That's the worst it has ever pulled,'' Morris said afterwards. "Larry hoisted it, but I can't believe how much it was pulling. There must be some wind up there. The string even cut into my gloves.

"We had an eight-foot kite four years ago but it didn't pull like that.'' Henry Tuffney, a waiter at the Sonesta Beach Hotel, who was one of several men who rushed to Morris' aid, received a deep rope burn on his right hand.

"The guys were having trouble, so I thought I would give them a hand,'' he said. "I used to do a lot of fishing, so instinctively I wrapped the rope around my hand. That's how I got cut.

"It's nothing serious though, I don't think it will bother me that much.'' The kite, which took the brothers 120 hours to build, was covered with a protective layer of plastic.

"My brother Larry and I made it, using seven sticks cut from a sheet of clear white pine,'' said Morris.

"We used a whole painter's drop cloth to make the tail and we had to take out our sliding glass doors to be able to take the kite out.

"Then we had to get four people to help carry the kite from our house (at Turtle Bay) down to the beach.

Though elated with the kite's performance, Larry lamented what he believed was the slow death of the Bermudian kite-making tradition.

"People have got to make more of an effort to keep up this tradition,'' he said.

"It would be nice to see more people involved. I learned how to make kites when I lived in Cedar Park, but it seems as if people are too busy nowadays to take the time to make kites and that's a shame.'' Daemon Hanley and Jahmillah Khabir shared first prize for the smallest kite, while Mathew Marshall and Jamie Leaf won the most beautiful kite in the children's category.

Hughie Smith won the most beautiful kite in the adult category and Ernest McCallan won the prize for the most original.

HANGING ON -- Morris Moniz (left) looks on as his eight-foot kite drags Michael Jackman, Henry Tuffney and his brother Arthur across the sand.

FLYING HIGH -- Larry Moniz (left) hoists the eight-foot kite he helped to make with his brother Morris. The kite was judged most beautiful in yesterday's competition.