Bermuda?s hopes of success at next month?s prestigious King Edward VII Gold Cup match racing series in Hamilton Harbour have suffered a major setback with the news that Olympic skipper Peter Bromby will not be competing.

Bromby, who finished eighth among a star-studded Star Class fleet in last month?s Athens Games in Greece, yesterday conceded how the rigours of competing overseas over the last four years had taken their toll ? physically, mentally and financially.

In recent years the 40-year-old skipper has made significant inroads in the premier sailing regatta, contested by some of the world?s top match racing skippers.

Bromby etched his name into the record books two years ago by becoming the first local skipper to advance into the semi-finals of the Gold Cup.

?Match racing has always been secondary to me and so if I am going to take a break from sailing, then I think this is the obvious time for me to do so,? said Bromby.

?To be quite honest I don?t really consider this as a break . . . I just won?t be taking part in one event. And it won?t be the first time I missed a Gold Cup.?

In the meantime Bromby intends to ?stick close to home? and take care of his ?business interests? before deciding when to return to competition.

?My plan is to get back into Star racing at some point in time and get back to what I have been doing over the past few years,? he added. ?There have been other times I haven?t taken part in the regatta (Gold Cup). But usually it has been because of another regatta getting in the way.

?So I decided to skip this year?s event to tend to my business (trucking) at the moment because all of this sailing over the past few years has taken its toll.?

Bromby, ranked fourth (5706 points) in the world among the Star class fleet, exited last year?s Gold Cup regatta in the first round after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Jes Gram-Hansen.

In the lead-up to this summer?s Olympic Games Bromby was among the hot favourites to medal after taking line honours at the Spa regatta in the Netherlands in May and then at the Kiel Week regatta in Germany last June.

Meanwhile, International One Design (IOD) skipper Blythe Walker will defend his Bacardi Cup title during today?s Bermuda National Match Racing Championships in Hamilton Harbour.

Once again Walker is expected to be put to the sword as he squares off against 2003 runner-up and 2004 IOD Class Match Race champion Adam Barboza.

Walker won by a 3-1 margin in last year?s regatta to lay claim to the coveted trophy.

However, the defending champion could find his work cut out as J-24 Class match race champion Pete Ramsdale ? third last year ? and Bermuda?s 2003 Women?s Match Race Champion and this summer?s Olympian Paula Lewin are also among the pre-regatta favourites.

The winner of the Bacardi Cup, designated as the Bermuda National Champion of Match Race Sailing, and the runner-up will receive various prizes immediately following each race.

In addition, the top two finishers will automatically qualify for the Investor?s Guaranty presentation of the King Edward VII Gold Cup in Hamilton Harbour next month.

Comet skipper Stevie Dickinson clinched last weekend?s FC Outerbridge regatta in St.George?s harbour. Dickinson?s perennial rival Rudy Bailey finished second while veteran skipper Howard Simmons placed third.