they had on the opening day of the dinghy season the previous year.

Reigning Coronation Cup champion Challenger began her overall title defence in style with a victory in the opening race to reclaim the Heritage Trophy she won back in 1990.

Paul Fisher and his crew then made it two victories in a row, when they sailed home in front to retain the Anniversary Cup.

But it was Somerset stablemate Echo who took Masters Cup honours in the final race of the day.

May 24th's trio of races always provides plenty of entertainment for the crowds that congregate in St. George's Harbour, and this year was no exception.

There were two sinkings in the opening race, with less than a minute separating the four boats that made it to the finish line.

Challenger , with Fisher at the helm, led from the start but was hard pressed throughout by Victory , Contest and the 1991 winner Echo .

Bloodhound and Elizabeth -- fellow strugglers last season -- both came to grief.

Fisher, a member of Bermuda's Olympic sailing team, was delighted with the performance of his crew in the opening encounter.

"This was only our second practice,'' said Fisher, who will be bidding to bring home a medal from Barcelona where he and Peter Bromby will be competing in the Star Class.

Victory 's second place in the Heritage Trophy race gave the local supporters high hopes for the rest of the afternoon, but the lone challenger from the east could not improve on her opening race showing despite some fine efforts by Michael Oatley and his crew.

In race two, it was Contest who came closest to Challenger , but could do little more than watch as the Somerset boat opened up a big lead after catching a wind shift.

It was a somewhat pedestrian procession that followed home the west-end pace-setter, with Elizabeth bringing up the rear.

Elizabeth 's 1991 skipper Billy McNiven -- this year at the helm of Bloodhound -- at least had the satisfaction of finishing ahead of the boat in which he enjoyed so little success last season, even if he could only manage fifth.

Echo , who nearly sank at the start of the Aniniversary Cup race, did well to pull her way back up to fourth place -- matching her Heritage Trophy finish.

But her moment of triumph came in the Masters Cup encounter when she opened up a big lead and was never challenged.

The victory, by Martin Siese and his crew, guaranteed a party at the Sandys Boat Club to celebrate the Somerset clean sweep.

Contest , with Hughie Watlington at the helm, kept up the pressure on Challenger with another second place -- the 1992 season beginning as the last one had ended.

And just to maintain the status quo, Bloodhound sank again and Elizabeth trailed in last under new skipper Bill White.

CHALLENGER II -- Won Heritage Trophy and Anniversary Cup races on Sunday.