returned to Hamilton Harbour, with Challenger extending their advantage atop the Coronation Cup standings, but having Echo remain within striking distance.

Under strong 15 knot breezes Challenger set the tone early, literally sprinting to victory in the opening race for the Hurst Cup.

But she would have to settle for third in the finale, one which saw the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club entry -- and defending champion -- Contest take top honours.

Two new faces graced the helms of Port Royal and Victory , with leading Etchells sailor Tim Patton plotting the course for the former, while Brian Hillier deputised for regular skipper Michael Oatley in the St. George's boat.

Such was the confidence of Patton that he went so far as to guarantee victory for the White syndicate craft, however, he ultimately fell a notch short of that goal the first time out, settling for second behind Paul Fisher and Challenger .

The first race got off to a fair start, but notably absent was Blythe Walker's Bloodhound , which capsized under excessive sail, 300 yards from the leeward stake boat.

Meanwhile, Challenger trailed Victory through the first two legs as the skippers cautiously battled the elements.

Nevertheless, by the end of the second windward leg Fisher had usurped Hillier and began to pull away from the fleet.

A tactical error, where they appeared to tack rather than jibe after rounding the windward mark during the third leg to leeward, allowed Patton to close, but superior boat speed -- and no further mistakes -- ensured their position.

Behind Royal in third was Echo followed by Victory and Contest .

Elizabeth experienced a harrowing moment when her mast snapped "toothpick-like'' midway through the race, forcing her withdrawal. They were said to have had a new mast on board the container vessel Oleander , which ironically came to port at day's end.

There were some fireworks in the form of a heated discussion over starting position between Patton and race director Cyril Cooper preceding the start of the final race -- Cooper won.

Once off it was Andreas Lewin taking Contest to the position she occupied much of last season...at the head of the fleet.

The race was more or less settled by the end of two legs as Lewin and his crew handled the dark-blue hulled dinghy with surgical precision, never giving their opponents a window to peer through.

Peter Bromby, who sailed Echo to a pair of victories two weeks prior, was unrelenting in his attempt to catch the leader, but all attempts proved futile.

Patton, long out of the running this time, continued to grouse about an unfair start, noting how all three of the leading boats had began on the same side of the stake boat...his words though fell on deaf ears.

The final results saw Echo place second, with Challenger third and Port Royal fourth.