abbreviated schedule of races but doing little to dim the illuminating star of Bermuda's Blythe Walker.

Walker was a picture of perfection during the morning flights, going undefeated in three outings, thus qualifying for the first round and creating a match-up with world number three ranked racer Ed Baird of the United States.

The blond haired Bermudian entered the day with an even 2-2 score and needed to win all three of his races in order to bolster his chances of qualifying.

He didn't disappoint, first seeing off first day leader Terry McLaughlin of Canada and following with easy victories over Sweden's Helena Strang and Christian Wahl of Switzerland to qualify third at 5-2 on the basis of a count-back -- four skippers ended level at 5-2.

"What was the key? Going into today with a clear mind and doing our best, having good starts,'' explained Walker, who earned the right to compete after winning the BGA National Championships a little more than two weeks ago.

"Yesterday we didn't have the greatest starts, so that was one thing we concentrated on improving today and we didn't lose one so we were pretty happy about that.'' Still, the mountain only gets steeper and more hazardous with the onset of the seeded skippers and the spectre of Baird, a member of Team Brut and the highest ranked of all American skippers.

Unfazed, Walker looked eagerly forward toward the challenge, one he figures he can win despite carrying the underdog status.

"(We) just need to keep up the good work, take one race at a time and go lick 'em,'' said Walker, adding that there was little advantage in his having probably more experience in the International One Design yachts.

"I think when you get up to the top level the advantage sort of disappears.

These guys have sailed everything from dinghies to the America's Cup yachts and they know how to tune just about every yacht they hop into, so I think the advantage disappears and we're pretty much on an even par, (but) it doesn't hurt us having sailed these boats.

"I've never actually raced against Ed, so it should be an interesting match-up.'' But while Walker took more of a `wait and see approach' there was no such restraint on the part of crew Mike Tatem, who boastfully stated: "He (Baird) can pack his bags now.'' Also finishing at 5-2 were the US Virgin Islands' Peter Holmberg, John Cutler of New Zealand and Britain's Andy Beadsworth.

Holmberg was adjudged to have won the group. However, his triumph was not without incident as he was forced to endure a harrowing moment in the final flight when he nearly lost it all.

A broken boom suffered at the beginning of the final run to leeward forced Holmberg's crew into a frenetic scramble to keep the boat going and with John Kolius (2-5) pressing hard from the rear a mere three feet separated the two at the finish.

"That was fate,'' said Holmberg, whose place at the regatta stood in jeopardy up until a week before the event after he was cut off from communication lines due to his homeland being ravaged by Hurricane Marilyn.

"We were winning the race, everything was cool and we do that one jibe and then the boom breaks and there's nothing you can do but just to hang on.

"We had a little lead, so it was just a matter of how much slower we would be with a broken boom and my boys worked hard. Dennis Correia -- the Bermudian -- went out and hung over the water and worked to hold the sail out over the water and we finished ahead of the fella.'' Aside from Kolius, Holmberg counted a triumph over Cutler against a loss to Beadsworth and heads toward a first round match against seventh seed Thierry Pepponet of France.

The other fixtures have Beadsworth with the unenviable task of facing number two Peter Gilmour of Australia, while Cutler drew number six, Sweden's Magnus Holmberg.

Yesterday afternoon saw action delayed as first the weather -- high winds and rain -- and later the influx of two cruise ships, caused a three hour wait.

When action finally resumed at 4.30 p.m. Bermuda's two other representatives Paula Lewin and Adam Barboza did not fair nearly as well as on day one, each losing and falling to 2-2 with three races remaining.

Lewin stumbled against the genius of Britain's Stuart Childerley (2-2), while Barboza found another Brit Chris Law (4-0) too hot to handle.

Also recording wins were Markus Wieser (3-1) of Germany and Canada's Ross MacDonald (3-1).

Action resumes today with the completion of the Group One racing to be followed by the Commercial Bank Challenge featuring the eight seeded skippers.

ON COURSE -- Blythe Walker (right) and two crew members Steven King (left) and Mike Tatem relax during a lull in the action yesterday. Walker became the first local to qualify for this Gold Cup first round.