If Peter Bromby has one wish for his 40th birthday today, it?s for an encore of yesterday?s performance or even better.

Finally coming good after a torrid first half in the Star Class regatta at the Athens Olympics, he and Lee White placed sixth and fourth in races seven and eight yesterday.

This has boosted the Bermudian pair to 13th out of 17 crews with 67 points and maintains their outside chance of a medal with the USA ? currently holding down bronze-medal position ? on 42 points with three races to go. Torben Grael of Brazil still has a stranglehold on first place with a low score of 20 points while Canada?s Ross Macdonald is second on 39.2 points.

Noting yesterday?s results were ?like the sleeping giant finally awoke?, Bromby said he was ?not too unhappy? with how they placed but greater improvements are vital.

?We had the second-best day out of everybody. Truthfully, we needed to do a little better if we are to really stand a chance of getting on the podium,? he stated.

?It?s still not impossible but it?s a very long shot now. As I said we?re treating this as two regattas and just trying to see how well we can do in the second half.?

He pointed out that ?funny things? happen at the end of high-stakes regattas and ?opportunities can arise when boats attack each other?. This, plus his view that he is due some birthday luck, gives him hope for today.

?We?re looking for three more races decent races. I don?t see how we can get anything other than two bullets tomorrow (today). It?s my birthday. Certainly God has got to take pity on me for turning 40,? he said chuckling.

All jokes aside, though, that would ?still give us a shot going into the last race?, he said soberly in the tone of a man who refuses to fully relinquish his grip on a long-cherished dream.

Conditions again varied wildly in the seas off Athens, initially being breezy in the mid-afternoon before the winds died out. Luckily for the Bermudians, there was just enough time for the Stars to complete their second race ? and a very good thing too.