Adam Barboza mastered the shifty conditions in Hamilton Harbour to take overall honours at the Bermuda Match Racing Championships held on Saturday.

Along with crew Gary Baron, Somers Kempe and Jesse DeCouto, Barboza put in a near flawless display of sailing to topple defending champion Blythe Walker 2-1 in the best-of-three final to lay claim to the coveted Bacardi Cup and earn an automatic berth in next month?s Investor?s Guaranty King Edward VII Gold Cup match racing series.

Walker also goes through to the Gold Cup.

Bermuda?s Olympic Yngling skipper and defending Bermuda International Women?s Match Race champion Paula Lewin rebounded from a semi-final defeat to Walker to sweep newcomer Pete Ramsdale in the petite (consolation) final and seize third place.

Barboza and runner-up Walker will now team up during the Gold Cup regatta as Team Bacardi.

In perfect conditions, Barboza still encountered plenty of drama.

First, in an early round robin race, he was involved in a collision with Lewin during an intense duel that extended beyond the weather mark. And in the first race of the final the skipper could only watch as Walker grasped the early initiative and protected his lead all the way to the finish on a shortened course, reduced after breezes dipped below eight knots.

However, after a quick re-assessment Barboza was able to capitalise on near perfect starts to place himself ideally inside the lifts and go on to clinch the day?s final two races after race officials restored the course to its original length once more favourable 12 knot breezes returned.

Walker, desperate to turn the tide, couldn?t match his rival?s blistering pace or find any passing lanes in either race.

After a disappointing showing at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece last month, Lewin managed to quickly put the past behind her with yet another sterling performance on familiar waters.

?We had some great races out there and they were quite close,? said Lewin, a five-time local Female Athlete of the Year currently ranked 21st in the Yngling class.

?It was very enjoyable sailing with a group of people I have sailed with over the years and more of a low-keyed ?let?s have some fun? regatta. But obviously we wanted to do well and although we didn?t beat Blythe (Walker) in the semi-finals, we still managed to sail well against Pete (Ramsdale) in the petite finals.?

As for the collision earlier with Barboza, according to Lewin, ?it was a pretty complicated affair with a lot happening at the time.?

Veteran Bermuda sailor and former champion Penny Simmons has placed second in the World IOD Championships sailed off New England. No further details were available at press time last night.