Peter Bromby and Lee White sailed into contention for an Olympic medal after a gritty but often frustrating outing on the fickle waters of Sydney Harbour yesterday.

At day's end following a slew of protests which went their way in both races they found themselves tied for third in the thick of what promises to be an intriguing Star Class medal chase.

But it could have been, oh, so much better.

As the pair stepped back on shore at the Rushcutter's Bay dock east of the city to be met by sailing manager Timmy Patton and coach John MacCausland, neither showed more than a hint of a smile.

Both were no doubt acutely aware that a stuttering finish in the day's second race -- the fourth in this 11-race regatta -- in which they slipped from second at the second mark, and third at the sixth mark to eventually place ninth may ultimately prove costly.

But there was good news for the Bermuda pair several hours later when a protest Bromby lodged against overall leaders Spain in race three was upheld, and then protest decisions in race four improved Bermuda's position in that race to eighth.

Following a superb third in yesterday's first race, another top three in the afternoon coupled with their opening race finish of fourth would have hoisted Bermuda into the silver medal standing.

And with two of the 11 results still to be dropped, theirs would have been a position of considerable strength.

As it is, Bromby and White are still just two points out of second place, tied on 25 with Italians Pietro D'Ali and Ferdinando Colaninno. Surprise leaders were the Spanish team of Jose Maria van der Ploeg and Rafael Trujillo on 17 points followed by Atlanta gold medallists Torben Grael and Marcelo Ferreira of Brazil (19) and home town favourites Colin Beashel and David Giles (23).

But that all changed late yesterday when Bromby's protest against the Spaniards in race three was upheld. A jury decision ruled that Spain had failed to keep clear of Bermuda as they both tacked at the second windward mark and they were disqualified from that race, dropping to fifth overall.

Bromby and White had been confident all along that the protest would work in their favour.

"We're tied for fourth and we could go up,'' said Bromby, who would not have been made aware of the jury's decision until this morning. "The results of the protests can only help us.

"We're protesting Spain in the first race who in turn are filing a protest against Brazil. But I was on starboard, I can't lose. I didn't hit him.'' Bromby, however, admitted they had allowed a golden opportunity to slip late in the afternoon's second race.

"We just came unstuck,'' he said. " We were running second, and conditions were very tricky and we couldn't keep that position. But that's what happens.

"It's a little disappointing because we should be in a solid medal position.

Instead we're still in the thick of things, but we coughed up six points during the course of both races today. Over two days we've now lost 12 points in the last third of the day's last race. But we're competing with them, and we're happy that we're competing with them. We just need to have our day.

Maybe we're going to have it still.'' Conditions yesterday, as they have been for much of the last week, were mild with the wind blowing little more than eight knots under overcast skies.

And Bromby admitted he'd be happy with more of the same.

"To tell you the truth these conditions suit us. More breeze is forecast for tomorrow and we'll take it as it comes, but if I had to choose, this is just fine.'' Yesterday's opener saw Bermuda steadily improve as the race progressed. After rounding the first mark in eighth place, they quickly moved up to sixth and by the third mark were in third position. They then began to make inroads on second-placed Germany, trailing by just seven seconds as they went over the finish line.

Leaders after four races: 1 Torben Grael/Marcelo Ferreira (Brazil) 19.00; 2 Colin Beashel/David Giles (Australia) 23.00; 3 Pietro D'Ali/Ferdinando Colaninno (Italy) 25.00; 3 Peter Bromby/Lee White (Bermuda) 25.00; 5 Jose Maria van der Ploeg/Rafael Trujillo (Spain) 26.00.

In the hunt: Skipper Peter Bromby (rear) and Lee White, who were tied for third place after four Star class races in Sydney harbour.