Avenging last year's 3-0 defeat in the final, Peter Bromby last night wrested the Bacardi Cup in an absorbing five-race final against three-time defending champion Adam Barboza, winning 3-2.

In a prolonged day of sailing in Hamilton Harbour, the 38-year-old prevailed in the finale to two days of IOD competition in which two places were at stake for next month's Bermuda Gold Cup.

Since Bromby already had a place as one of 16 unseeded skippers (chosen by resumes) in the Gold Cup, Glenn Astwood, who placed third in the Bacardi Cup, will also go forward to the October event which is part of the nine-event Swedish Match Tour.

Astwood lost 3-0 to Bromby in the semi-finals but bounced back to defeat the other beaten semi-finalist, Blythe Walker, 2-0 in a best-of-three race-off for third.

In the final, Bromby took the first race but Barboza, not at all quick to give up his crown, won the next two races.

However, as dusk and rain fell over the harbour, Bromby pulled off two more wins to emerge victorious around 7 p.m.

"It was a replay of last year's final and fortunately we came out on top this time. Adam and his crew did a great job and my crew was fabulous. Every time we got in a bit of trouble they managed to get the boat going a little faster and get us around the track. I think their trimming upwind was what made the difference. It's all thanks to them," said the 38-year-old champion who was first in Saturday's round-robin preliminaries.

Despite being down 2-1 in the final, Bromby was always confident he could "come back" into contention. Now, he noted, he and his crew will "polish our act" and await the foreign competition in the Gold Cup.

Despite defeat, Barboza was pleased to achieve his goal of a Gold Cup berth and felt no real disappointment in relinquishing his title.

Explaining that he had not been feeling well in the week leading up to the competition, the 34-year-old said he did not practise and was "just fortunate to get through to today (yesterday)".

"I felt better today and I was more aggressive. It was go, go, go all day. I have to compliment my crew. They did a great job and held me in it when we were out of a lot of races. Competing against Peter (Bromby) is always a great match," said the runner-up.

Astwood too felt "quite happy" to cop third in the Bacardi Cup and, by extension, the open spot in the Gold Cup.

He noted that in the two days of sailing only Bromby had beaten him as he was second in the round-robin preliminaries and then lost out to Bromby again in yesterday's semi-finals. Barboza won his semi-final 3-1 against Walker.