contention in the 74th annual Bacardi Cup in Miami after placing 21st in the penultimate race of the six-race series.

That finish left them struggling in tenth place overall in the regatta with 40 points going into yesterday's final race.

Consistency has been the problem for the pair in the Star Class event at the Coral Beach Yacht Club.

Having started the regatta with a first -- a neck and neck encounter with Ian Walker and Mark Covell of Britain -- they dipped to 22nd and 16th in the next two races before posting a second in the fourth.

Walker and Covell, who have a record of 2-12-1-8-6, were in second overall before yesterday, a point adrift of leaders, Mark Pickel and Thomas Auracher from Germany.

The German pair have yet to win a race but two thirds, a fourth and a sixth -- in combination with a 36th place that can be discarded -- have put them on top on 16 points.

Also waiting to pounce should there be any mistakes further up the standings are defending champions Ross MacDonald and Kai Bjorn of Canada. They lie third overall on 20 points.

Bromby is competing in his tenth Bacardi Cup against 94 other teams from 19 countries.