Blustery winds, stormy seas and slick roads left Bank of Bermuda Triathlon officials with an easy decision to call off yesterday's big race.

Now they're left with a tougher one about whether to reschedule it.

Members of the organising committee were to meet today to try and come up with an alternative date -- one that didn't conflict with a host of top-flight sports events taking place in Bermuda over the next month.

"There's a lot of things going on,'' said spokesperson Liz Ward, rhyming off the likes of the Brut Gold Cup, Merrill Lynch Shoot-out, Schroders Bermuda Squash Open and Bermuda Rugby Classic. "We don't want to interfere with any of those, so we could even be looking at the end of November, but by then we'd be concerned about the coldness of the water.'' While a decision to cancel the event entirely would undoubtedly rankle most triathletes, there was no second-guessing yesterday, as the Island was pounded with some four inches of driving rain.

"It was just too hazardous,'' said Ward.

One hundred and 13 triathletes were entered and many were novices attracted by the shorter distance (a half-mile swim, 12-mile cycle and three mile run). It was with them -- and spectators -- in mind that officials, with the concurrence of the Marine Police, finally pulled the plug at 6 a.m. on Sunday, said Ward.

Going with the triathlon was a five-kilometre fun walk, scheduled for the same time (8 a.m.) as the race.

"From a public relations point of view, the walk would've been useless,'' said Ward.

The weekend storm also put a damper on a full slate of Bermuda Football Association matches.

Of the eight soccer games scheduled yesterday, only one was played -- a First Division clash between Southampton Rangers and Devonshire Cougars (see Page 25). Saturday night's matches were also called off.

Tennis also took a hit, with matches from All Bermuda Club's Open postponed.