the 1993 IOD World Championship with second and first-place finishes in the two races sailed in the Great Sound yesterday.

The results spurred him to a seven-and-a-quarter points lead over American Bill Widnall after three races in the seven-race series, with another US entrant, Jim Bishop third on 13 points and local Penny Simmons (15 points) fourth.

While Bromby was consistent in his approach, mostly choosing a line to the right of the course for the upwind legs, Widnall, a nine-time winner of the regatta, embarked on several high-risk tactics, often veering well to the left in search of stronger winds.

These moves proved effective during the day's first race, an exciting see-saw affair in which he defeated Bromby. But the result the next time out was somewhat less than desirable, when he ended up sixth.

"They paid the price for the first race in the second race,'' explained Bromby, relaxing following an eventful day of racing. "When you shoot the corners like that, you win some and you lose some.

"We were leading (the first race) and he was about fifth and took a flyer.

"At one point I thought he was trying to go into Mangrove Bay through Watford Bridge, he was so far left. And then he came out of there with a puff and got back in the race.'' "In the second race he went back into the same corner and got killed ... so he got what he deserved over in that left corner in the end.'' Widnall's reasoning for the strategy was somewhat more diplomatic, although at the time it indeed seemed one of desperation, as he languished near the rear of the fleet.

The legendary yachtsman representing the hopes of Marblehead, Massachusetts, chuckled when asked if it was a "boon or bust'' situation he found himself in, before saying: "We were going to play the shifts on our own race course, keeping our air clear from the boats that were ahead of us.

"It's tough sailing up through boats that are right up on your rim, so you do have to spread a bit when you're behind .... but there weren't many shifts to work with.'' Third in the opening race was Bishop followed by Simmons.

Martin Siese, the third Bermudian entrant, suffered the disappointment of a broken mast that forced him out when well placed and at Press time his placing was unknown, as it had to be decided under the rules of the competition governing breakdowns.

If the first race resembled that of a marathon, the second was more like a inter-continental voyage, lasting the better part of three hours as the winds dropped appreciably to around three knots and competitors floundered almost motionless in the depths of the Sound.

Still, Bromby had little difficulty completing a wire-to-wire triumph and the real battle was for second.

That witnessed John Burnham of Fisher's Island, New York, second through five legs of the modified Olympic course, finally cave in under relentless pressure from Simmons, who passed him on the final beat to windward.

Siese rebounded to place fourth with David Rockefeller fifth and Widnall sixth.

Nevertheless, none of the leaders were looking too far into what had transpired over the first two days of racing, emphasising the fact that there was a lot of racing left and much room for improvement.

Each agreed that consistency was the key and that correct reading of the wind shifts was vital.

"It's going according to plan right now,'' added Bromby. "We were just glad to get out of today with some good results, the conditions being the way they were. The breeze was light and shifty all day.

"I think the guys were trying to work the boat as much as they could and maybe did a little better job than some of the others.

"We're quite happy with where we are, but we're not even halfway yet.'' Today has just a single race being sailed in the morning and the originally scheduled afternoon race has been postponed due to the local election.

WHERE'S THE BREEZE -- Nine-time champion Bill Widnall (22) and his crew seen struggling in light winds during action in yesterday's third race of the IOD World Championship. In the background are fellow competitors Jock Kohlas (14) and Gilmour Manuel (2).