Cup regatta, with locals Blythe Walker and Peter Bromby each enjoying perfect outings.

Bromby and Walker were two of just three skippers to record four triumphs on the day -- Frenchman Thierry Peponnet was the other -- and became members of the eight unseeded skippers, who advanced to tomorrow's first round, where the seeds come to play. They also collected $300 for their efforts.

For Bromby, competing in Group Two, it was a study in contrast from day one where he failed to collect a win from three attempts during action in light breezes.

However, as the wind increased yesterday in Hamilton Harbour so did Bromby's fortunes and the man regarded as Bermuda's premier sailing talent and its most serious threat to Russell Coutts' throne arose from the depths, displaying talent and grit in winning four consecutive races.

The results gave him an overall record of 4-3, the same as Japan's Robert Fry, but the Bermudian won the tie-breaker based on a win in their head-to-head match.

"Yesterday, we couldn't catch a thing. Today, everything was biting,'' said a noticeably relieved Bromby at the post-race Press conference. "Our key to success today was keeping out of trouble, and not getting a lot of penalties and good crew work on board.'' Ironically, Fry had appeared a cinch to make it through to the first round after breezing to three straight victories on day one. But he, too, suffered a change of luck ... all for the worse.

The bald-headed Fry, a shore boss for the Nippon Challenge at the 1992 America's Cup and shaping for another go at yachting's premier prize, had absolutely no answers to his challengers ... or the surroundings.

He first found difficulty with Barr's Rock, on which he became hopelessly grounded during pre-race manoeuvres with Canadian Scott Morgan, and by the time he was able to finally free his craft the distance lost proved insurmountable.

Further setbacks to Bromby and Jim Brady of the United States effectively sealed his fate and Fry was left with only a meaningless triumph over winless John Lovell during the final flight.

Brady won Group Two based on six wins against one loss -- that to Bromby -- and will face Britain's Eddie Warden-Owen, a winner of the event in 1991.

Other match-ups include Peponnet taking on Dutchman Roy Heiner, Morgan squaring off against Rod Davis and Bromby being paired with Peter Gilmour of Australia.

Bromby though was undeterred about going up against the man ranked second in the world and seeded accordingly at this regatta.

"Well, the rest of Bermuda's job is to make sure he stays here as long as possible and to make sure he has as good a time as possible ... I hope to make it as short and miserable as I can,'' he said.

Meanwhile, Walker, who emerged as the winner of Group One ahead of Markus Wieser, Terry Hutchinson and Makoto Namba, was similarly confident of his chances against rising American star Kevin Mahaney in the next round.

"Kevin who?'' joked Walker, before adding: "I understand that Kevin's tactician, Jim Brady, is racing somewhere else, so maybe I'll have a little luck.'' Local knowledge may have helped Walker yesterday as he was able to choose the more conducive wind shifts, allowing for increased boat speed.

Most of the qualifiers' thoughts for the next round bordered on arrogance, with many predicting favourable 3-0 results against their more fancied opponents.

Namba, perhaps the biggest underdog, as he is set to duel Coutts, had the day's best quote, saying: "I'm sure he'll have to contact his travel agent soon.'' HEADED FOR THE BIG TIME -- Peter Bromby, left, seen duelling against Scott Morgan of Canada yesterday. Both qualified for the first round where they will face a seeded skipper.