American Optimist Dinghy championships yesterday.

American team-mates Kitty Lovelace and Erik Storck sit first and second in the open competition after five races.

Lovelace won the only race held yesterday before a heavy squall forced postponement of the following three races.

The tiny dinghies and their skippers were towed back to Hamilton Harbour shortly after the second race started around 12.30 p.m. when thunder and lightning forced organisers to call it a day.

Storck came home second in the morning race in the Great Sound followed by Bermudian Alexander Kirkland.

American Graham Mergenthaler, Kirkland and American Peter Young complete the top five in the championships.

The regatta, which ends on Saturday, was originally scheduled for 12 races and the mandatory three have already been completed. If seven races are held, sailors can drop their worst result and if 10 races are completed, two results can be dropped.