Two lapses cost Peter Bromby top spot in Miami on a day where he led every race but had to settle for a solitary victory.

Although disappointed at not grabbing a hat-trick of wins at the Rolex Miami Olympic Class Regatta, Bromby was more than satisfied with a first and two fifths yesterday that moved him and crew Martin Siese up from fourth to second overall in the Star class standings.

"Ironically, at one point we led every race today so we are a little disappointed with the two fives," said the Olympian, who won last week's Biscayne Bay Trophy at the same location. "In the first race we were leading at the first leeward mark and fell out of pace with the shifts up the second beat and managed to sail back to a fifth.

"Then in the second race we gave them a horizon job. We got out in front and just kept going and actually won the race by almost 100 yards."

Things looked good for a triumph in the final race of the day as well, which was sailed in winds of 15 knots out of the east, south-east. "We came off the starting line, crossed everybody and had the lead and overstood just slightly but enough to let three or boats get around in front of us," Bromby said.

"Then we just stayed there and didn't gain or lose for the rest of the race. Again they were there for the picking in the third race and unfortunately we let them get away."

Mark Pickel, from Germany, leads the regatta having improved on his third place overall following a win and two seconds.

But Bromby knows it should have been him.

"It is little blunders like that that at the end of the day make the difference. We have just got to cut them out," he said.

However, Bromby said he had to be more than happy with their performance because of the weight disadvantage they were sailing under.

"There is no weight limit in place for this regatta and of the teams that are up with us none of them are conforming to the weight limit, whereas we do," he said. "If you were to take a few pounds off these guys I think we would be easily head and shoulders above them."

With some important races left to sail Bromby knows he is very much in the hunt.

"We are still only three points out of the lead as we stand now. It's all very close and anything can happen," he said.

"I am quite happy to be where we are, to be quite honest. We are just over halfway and we have just got to keep hammering the top fives in there and the strong will survive and be there in the end."

Bromby believes today's conditions might favour he and Siese.

"The forecast is for slightly less wind and I think that will help us," he said. "Today we had three exceptional starts. We are really getting off the starting line very well and I am really pleased with it. Tomorrow with a little less breeze that might help us."

As far as strategy is concerned Bromby said the Island pair had to sail their own races - for the time being at least.

"At this point we are only just over 50 percent of the way through the regatta," he said. "It is still too early at the moment but this time tomorrow we will be starting to take a good look at who we have to keep an eye on, depending on what kind of a day we have."

There was no word at press time last night how Bermuda's two other sailors at the regatta, Paula Lewin and Brett Wright, had fared during yesterday's racing.

Competing in the Yngling class with crew Peta Lewin and Lisa Neasham, Lewin had entered yesterday's fifth race in eighth place after finishes of 11th, fourth, seventh and tenth on the opening day.

Wright, meanwhile, had been in 51st place in the Laser class after finishing just two of his three races - in 36th and 39th place.