ebbed in the last few years due to the loss of launching facilities at the Naval Annex, it is nevertheless the longest-standing Olympic class in Bermuda and has produced Olympians in three successive Olympic Games: 1984 -- Alan Burland/Chris Nash; 1988 -- Glenn Astwood/Eddie Bardgett and; 1992 -- Reid and Jay Kempe.

The class was started by Ed Williams in 1977. The very first supporters included Colin Clarke, Alex Reaper, Stephen West, Alan Burland, Chris Nash, Eddie Bardgett, Steve Martin and Derek Mitchell.

The standard of racing grew steadily through the participation of World and Olympic champions in Bermuda Race Weeks, and Bermuda's hosting of the North American Championships in 1983, 1988 and 1994, and the World Championships in 1986.

As a result, Bermuda's Tornado sailors have made their mark at the highest level of international competition.

Burland/Nash won the US Nationals in Tampa in 1984 and placed fifth in the 1984 Olympic Games; Astwood/Bardgett place highly in the 1988 North Americans in Bermuda; and the Kempe brothers won the Marblehead Olympic Classes Regatta in 1991 and placed fifth in the 1992 North Americans in Houston, Texas.

In Bermuda, as in any small community, sailing classes face the challenge of a small pool of individuals with the time, energy and resources to support and participate in the activities of that class.

With the hosting of the 1997 World Championships, the Bermuda Tornado class has demonstrated a renewed vitality which can only be of benefit to the future of sailing in Bermuda.

Glenn Astwood (left) and Eddie Bardgett represented Bermuda at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.

SAME STORY APPEARED IN MID-OCEAN NEWS TV GUIDE 7.11.1997 SAILING SLG