The smile on Stevie Dickinson's face and confident tone after yesterday's pair of races gave clear indication of where the International Race Week Comet Class title is headed...east.

Winning allows for such self-assurance and with two superb victories on a day of light and shifty winds, the St. Georgian placed one hand firmly on the prize, leaving the rest of the fleet in a quandary over what they might do to usurp the raging juggernaut.

Clear indication of Dickinson's irrepressible form came in the first race when he came from well back to win during the final run.

Left befuddled by such amazing prowess were American Mark Hess and local Rudy Bailey, but more disappointment was to come as they set out a second time.

The trio battled in close quarters throughout, with Hess leading during the middle portion, but Dickinson poking ahead when it mattered most.

"Things went really well for me today,'' said Dickinson, re-teamed with crew Wesley Tucker after a four year split. "The first race I think I was very lucky because the last leg to weather I rounded the weather mark eighth, but ended up getting a little private breeze of my own and won the race on the run. "But in the second race I was real fast, I was very consistent, I stayed out in front and won the race.'' Dickinson stands at 101 points -- excluding discard -- and leads second placed Hess by four and three quarter points, with defending champion Howard Lee (153 ) third and Bailey (20) fifth overall.

Unlike in the past, where he was apt to become frustrated and take unnecessary risks under light air conditions, Dickinson stuck to his game plan.

"I'm ten times better now (in light air)...and I think that's what scares them,'' he said, a matter of factly. "I have a lot more patience and that's what light air is all about, having patience.

"Tomorrow I'll go out there and sail aggressively like I've been doing all week. There's no change of thought or anything like that, just go out there and sail.'' There appears no clear cut front-runner among the highly competitive Snipe Class where local favourite Malcolm Smith continues to be given all he can handle by a quintet of Americans, Alex Pline, Don Bedford, Jerry Thompson, Gonzo Diaz and Pedro Lorson, as well as local Guy Eldridge.

Smith's has been a roller coaster week and the ride continued as he followed a first, where he directly benefited from Jerry Thompson's disqualification, with a seventh placing the next time out when Lorson grabbed first.

Ever consistent Pline continued to top the tables after a pair of thirds, meaning that Smith and crew Damian Payne will have to be at their mercurial best today.

Pline has 83 points compared to 143 for Smith, with Bedford (21) third followed by Eldridge (26), Lorson (363 ), Kiki Bosch (37) and Thompson (393 ).

However, the gap tightens considerably when discard races are factored in.

"I knew this was going to be a tough fleet with 27 boats and the consistency is what's going to pay in the end,'' said Smith, last year's Laser Class champ.

"My starts haven't been really good, we haven't been sailing in the major Snipe regattas for two or three years and the boat has a different feel than a Laser or single-handed boat. So you have to work a little harder to get on the line and get good starts, which is part of my problem right now.'' Tom Dailey and crew Kate Brennan had endured a perfect regatta until yesterday afternoon when they placed fourth in the JY15 Class, but still appear on course for their first ever Race Week crown, their 61 points leading David Eck (73 ) and John Niewinhouse (15).

Still the pair were taking nothing for granted.

"It's really close right now because Dave is only a point and a half behind us, so (today's) going to be real interesting, especially if we have two races and he can make up a point and a half by being first twice or by putting a boat in between us,'' said Dailey.

Adam Barboza stands atop the Laser Class, with Craig Davis second and Christian Luthi third.

Racing out of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, Henry Amthor captured first in the 505 Class, after completing a sweep of all six races. Second was Ali Mellor followed by Barry Kuehl.

Greg Mancusi-Ungaro continued to threaten Penny Simmons' treble bid among the IODs with a first and second compared to a fourth and first for the Bermudian.

Bob Bell became the new leader in the Etchells followed by Paul Fisher and Andreas Lewin, while John Alofsin stayed in control of the J-24 fleet.