intentions for the Nautica World Youth Sailing Championship with a pair of victories in the exciting Boys Laser II class yesterday.

Joining them as double winners were Petra Niemann of Germany in the Girls Laser class, Boys Laser expert Ben Ainslie of England and another German, Amelie Lux, who was first across the line in both races among the Girls Sailboard class.

Light conditions greeted the start of the opening race, but after standing 12th at the first rounding, Steel and Stevens clawed their way to the front of the fleet.

Increasing winds for the second race failed to alter the fortunes of the Aussies, who again took line honours. Second were Brits Nicholas Rogers and Pom Green followed by Vincenzo Flondra and Marco Gambardella.

For Bermuda, Megan Spurling placed 19th and 16th in the Girls Laser class and stands 19th overall out of 23, while on the boys' side Jesse DeCouto recorded placings of 12th and 16th to sit 23rd among the 36 member fleet.

The double handed team of Nicky Crane and Charlotte Watlington performed admirably in placing 11th and 13th among the female Laser II, while the male team of Duncan Simons and Kevin Zuill endured a difficult day finishing 20th on their first outing and failed to finish the second race.

GOOD SPORTS -- Bermudian sailors Duncan Simons (right) and Kevin Zuill show off the Prince Henry the Navigator trophy which they were awarded for sportsmanship after the World Youth Sailing Championships in Greece last year.

The trophy will be up for grabs again among more than 240 young sailors competing this week in the Youth Worlds which are being held in Bermuda for the first time. Simons and Zuill are sailing in the double-handed Laser class.