The stormy weather that forced postponement of all local sailing competition over the weekend appears to have trailed Peter Bromby and Lee White all the way to Europe, with their opening race in the World Star Championships also abandoned yesterday.

After being initially greeted by favourable 12 mph Atlantic breezes off Spain's northern coast, Bromby and the rest of the 76-strong fleet were rudely taken aback two-thirds of the way through by an intruding frontal system packing winds upward of 35 mph.

And as if the high winds were not enough, competitors were also treated to a thunder and lightning display.

Amidst the conditions, during which several masts were destroyed and many sails shredded, race officials quickly took action to suspend the race with only one turn remaining. Two races will be held today in order to restore a schedule that calls for six races -- the last planned for Friday.

Bromby was one of those fortunate not to sustain any damage, his brand new craft emerging unscathed from yesterday's episode.

"It was nice and then it just blew like hell,'' was Bromby's simple description of the day's outing.

However, the Bermudian appeared happy that the race was prevented from reaching a conclusion.

It could well have had something to do with the fact that he and White were at the time struggling while making their way through the field, sitting somewhere in the mid-20s.

A slow start was blamed for the mid-fleet position, something Bromby mentioned as needing to be rectified if he is to challenge the stellar cast assembled.

Featured at the event, hosted by the Real Club Nautico de Laredo, are the likes of Australians Colin Beashel and Rod Davis, a medallist at the Barcelona Olympics and defending Gold Cup champion, top German duo Frank Butzmann and Alex Hagen and past champions Torben Grael and Ross Macdonald.

Hoping that some of the championship lustre might wear off on him, Bromby is rooming with Macdonald, a Canada native who won last year.

Still, Bromby was modest in his aspirations, saying: "We're aiming to do a little better than last year -- 12th -- and just move along further.

"I think things are coming along. We're in the last year before the (Olympic) Games and have 10 months to work things out. There are still a lot of things we have to sort out and get together before we reach Savannah.'' And the competition will not make it easy for Bromby, who no longer competes under the shroud of anonymity as in previous years.

He now commands respect among even the world's best. "Yeah. You can say we're in there...,'' admitted Bromby, trying to downplay the situation. "It doesn't make it any easier.

"Now they're looking for (us) and paying a lot of attention on the race track which makes it tougher to get around.'' This year has been Bromby's most active on the overseas circuit, with the Bermudian having left his mark along the waterways of North America and Europe.

He won the Bedford Pitcher Regatta in Westport, Connecticut back in August and ended in the top 10 at quality regattas in Georgia and Massachusetts and most recently finished sixth at the European Championships in Portugal.

Many of those involved in the European Championships are also in Spain, which Bromby said makes for an intriguing spectacle.

Yesterday's fitted dinghy and offshore races were postponed due to the effects of Hurricane Luis.

The dinghy races will now be held next Sunday in Granaway Deep or Hamilton Harbour. It was not known whether the Bermuda Offshore Cruising Association (BOCA) would reschedule their event.