Don Wagoner found a miracle ... Bruce Dyson found more magic ... and both Americans found their way to the winners circle, as International Invitational Race Week came to a climactic close yesterday.

With the other classes virtually settled going into the last day the J-24 and IODs took centre stage in the amphitheatre setting of the Great Sound, with Wagoner and Dyson producing show-stopping performances.

Wagoner's was the most stirring, as he managed to claim victory in the J-24s by just one-and-a-quarter points -- 21.75 to 23 -- overhauling overnight leader Sean McDermott with a second place finish in the first race and denying the Canadian a spot in the top eight while ending no more than a single boat behind his rival in the second.

For McDermott, his decision to focus on beating Wagoner rather than continue in the sailing pattern that had served him well all week proved his ultimate undoing, as he collapsed, recording ninth and 10th finishes.

"God only knows what happened,'' said McDermott. "In the first race we got on the wrong side of two shifts, we tried the left side when the right was favoured and then the right when the left was favoured, it was just stupid, we fell apart ... we choked big time.

"What we had to do in the last race was put the Philadelphians a place behind us and finish no worse than eight because we screwed up the first race so badly. And we were doing fine, we had full control of them, but came back to the fleet too late to eke back into eighth position, so we lost the regatta quite nicely.'' Wagoner did not deny his good fortune on the day.

"Our words were that nothing short of a catastrophe would stop him,'' said Wagoner, who gave great credit to his crew. "But we went in with confidence, we've been sailing consistently all week. He (Sean) did have a great regatta, but we had our turn today.

"We were hoping for two races today (yesterday), so we were glad the committee gave us two after talking about one last night (Thursday), because we knew we needed two to catch Sean.

"It's terrific to have won on our first time in the regatta. We've been sailing this week and every day we say, `Hey, we're racing in Bermuda', and today we can say that we raced in Bermuda and won, so it's a great feeling.'' Meanwhile, Dyson was crowned the overall winner in the IOD Class, seizing his second Vrengen Gold Cup which he can place alongside the `A' Series trophy won earlier in the week.

The American squeezed past Courtenay Jenkins by a one point margin -- 16.5 to 17.5.

"The first time was probably .. . I wouldn't say more difficult, but it was certainly a thrill, and this time it was very, very close,'' said Dyson, who won the treble of the `A' Series, Norwegian `B' series, as well as the overall in 1999.

"The last 200 yards of the race told the tale. At 250 yards from the finish we were in fifth, which would have given the regatta to Courtenay, and we were able to pick up a nice shift, a little pressure, and being able to play the starboard tack advantage at the finish line gave us the third.

"The whole regatta was in doubt in our eyes right up until about one second before the finish.

"My crew was fabulous. We made some mistakes, but I think the way you judge a boat race is he who makes the fewest mistakes wins, and I think we just made the fewest mistakes and that can be attributed to the long time we've sailed together and good teamwork.'' Taking the `B' Series was Rich Pearce, while Peter Bromby wrapped up the Etchells, Stevie Dickinson claimed the Snipes, Malcom Smith triumphed in the Sunfish, Brett Wright stood tallest among the Lasers and Ali Mueller completed his sweep of the 505s.

King Stevie: Stevie Dickinson once again distinguished himself as king of the Snipe class, as he and crew Heath Foggo waltzed away with the title at International Race Week.