start of yesterday's Bermuda Team Triathlon paved the way for team-mates Neil De Ste. Croix and Mark Perry to complete what ultimately was a comfortable and convincing victory.

Insley didn't have things all his own way over the one mile swim out and back from the Southampton Naval Annex -- in fact, he was pipped for individual honours by Bermuda's Olympian Michael Cash.

But the two and half minute cushion he provided for cyclist De Ste. Croix over perennial individual champion Greg Hopkins proved decisive.

When Hopkins took over from wife Mary, who swam superbly in the choppy conditions to emerge out of the water among the top ten in this 142-strong field, his defending champion team was always playing catch-up.

And while both he and runner Brett Forgesson made inroads into the two and half minute deficit, their hopes of repeating last year's win always appeared slim.

Their only consolation was at the end of the day the course record of 1.28.57, set last year, was still intact.

In windy, but otherwise relatively pleasant conditions, Insley, De Ste Croix and Perry clocked 1.29.03 -- just six seconds outside that mark.

Insley, who last year beat his nearest rival out of the water by a clear minute, this time found Cash more than his match. Cash led the field around the half-way marker in 10.35 and while Insley closed the gap towards the end, as the two swimmers scrambled over rocks exposed by the low tide -- which were later to claim more than a few casualties -- it was the young Bermudian who made it to the beach first in 20:59 with Insley following four seconds later.

Cash's team of father John and brother David were soon to fall out of overall contention, although they did place second in the family division. But De Ste.

Croix, taking over from Insley, quickly showed the form which only two weeks ago earned him first place finish among the Bermuda squad which travelled to the World Triathlon Championships in Canada.

His lead over Hopkins was still more than two minutes after two laps of the five lap (15 mile) course and when he handed over to Perry, winner of the recent Labour Day five miler, the gap was 1.19.

Forgesson managed to narrow that margin by 19 seconds without ever threatening to reel in his road running rival.

"Kevin gave us a good start and after that we just wanted to keep our noses in front,'' said De Ste. Croix afterwards. "I knew after two or three laps that I had a handy lead over Greg because people in the crowd were shouting.

"I felt I was cycling well but I wanted to give Mark as good a lead as possible.'' "I was running scared,'' admitted Perry. "It's always difficult to run from the front, and I probably went out on the first lap too fast. I wasn't sure how far I was in front, so I just had to keep pushing.'' Greg Hopkins said afterwards the race was decided in the water, but was full of praise for wife, Mary.

"She didn't swim badly, it's just that Kevin had a great swim in those conditions. They were always the team to beat.

"If we could have kept them down to one a half minutes in the water it might have been different. But over 15 miles I was never going to pull back enough on a cyclist of Neil's calibre.

"It was a great event, and they deserved to win. We have no complaints. Our consolation is that the record we set last year still stands.'' Meanwhile, in a women's race devoid of the talents of cyclist Lynn Devine and runner Sandra Mewett, the team that placed fourth a year ago this time found themselves in the winner's circle.

Swimmer Megan Franklin, cyclist Claire Sousa and runner Lynn Kynoch blitzed the 19-strong ladies field, finishing more than a minute a half ahead of their nearest rivals in a time of 1.45.10.

"I think we led all the way,'' said a delighted Franklin. "I was out of the water in about 26 minutes, Claire increased our lead to about two and a half minutes on the bike, and Lynn went out very fast on the run.

"She slowed down a bit on the second lap, but by that time we had a good lead.'' Anna Eatherley finished strongly on the run to earn her team of swimmer Mandy Oatley and cyclist Ann Spurling second place ahead of a fast finishing Karen Adams who had combined with swimmer Nicola Lawson and cyclist Alison Stimpson.

As usual the event produced its fair share of mishaps. Top cyclist Clark Tear suffered a puncture, having been placed in a handy position after the strong swim of Huw Morris. And that left star runner Tracy Wright with too much to make up, although their Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Parks team did win the company division.

At one stage it appeared the Bank of Bermuda team of Roland Lines, Vance Stevens and Brian Peck were on course for that title...until it was discovered cyclist Stevens had completed only four of his five laps.

In the Men's Masters division, Reeve Trott, George Sutherland and Jeremy Ball finally ended the two-year reign of Duncan Newby, Ron Lucas and Harry Patchett, beating their rivals by 44 seconds in a fast time of 1.45.57, good enough for sixth overall.

CHAMPION TEAM -- Neil De Ste. Croix, Kevin Insley and Mark Perry.