start in the Santa Maria Cup, an international women's match racing championship being contested in the waters off Annapolis, Maryland.

Facing competition from the USA, Canada and Croatia, Lewin posted the opening day's best record when she defeated 1990 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Courtenay Becker-Dey, who was the navigator aboard Mighty Mary in the recent America's Cup defender series, and then beat top Annapolis sailor Sandy Grosvenor.

Also unbeaten on Thursday was 1989 Rolex winner Jody Swanson of Amherst, New York, who had a bye in flight one before defeating the home town's Melinda Berge in flight two.

The second of two round robin phases was scheduled yesterday, from which results were not available at press time, and the semi-finals are slated for today.

Lewin, who grabbed a Pan Am bronze in the Europe Dinghy class, headed for Annapolis immediately after competing in Wednesday's season-opening fitted dinghy races in St. George's Harbour.

Paula Lewin