Peter Bromby took Briton Chris Law to five flights yesterday in an intriguing battle in the King Edward VII Gold Cup first championship round in Hamilton Harbour.

In a match that swung one way and then the other, the British former world number two, sailing with a Bermudian crew, finally got the better of Bromby in the final race, despite having to complete a penalty turn.

A disappointed Bromby, who the night before had forecast the starts would be a decisive factor in the races, was, however, generous in defeat.

"Chris made us look pretty ordinary on the starting line sometimes,'' he said. "My crew did a great job but I take my hat off to his crew -- some of whom have sailed with me before -- and I have to wish them all the best in the next round, even though it's painful to do so.

"They got a couple of breaks in the last race which allowed them to do the penalty and still stay in front.

"I'm just happy to have been able to take them to five.'' Bromby had taken a 2-1 lead at one point, but the Briton, who is looking increasingly determined to get his hands on a first Gold Cup, came back to clinch the fourth race by a margin of 34 seconds and the decider by 30 seconds.

Law's victory, however, now sets him up for a quarter-final battle with Germany's Markus Wieser, the number one seed -- and it could be the winner of that who goes all the way.

Wieser, although winning all five races in the Bermuda Commercial Bank challenge on Tuesday, has yet to be seriously tested. Yesterday, he easily saw off Britain's Jessie Cuthbert and her all-female crew 3-0. Cuthbert had failed to win any of her seven qualifiers and was always likely to struggle against the experience of Wieser.

But the German said: "We have been coming here for a number of years and we know these boats well. For Jessie it is the first time and you have to get used to them.'' While Bromby was pushing Law all the way, two of Bermuda's other competitors were not faring so well. Glenn Astwood was eliminated by fourth seed Bjorn Hansen, although after two flights he had tied the match at a win apiece.

However, the Swede had two comfortable victories in the following races to send Astwood home with a 3-1 deficit.

In the late afternoon rounds Adam Barboza slipped to 2-0 against another Swede, Magnus Holmberg. Barboza will have his work cut out to turn that around in the remaining flights early this morning.

However, Paula Lewin was still in with a chance of a quarter final place after she tied it up at 1-1 with American Andrew Horton.

"It'll be interesting,'' she said. "We'll just see what happens.'' Meanwhile Andy Green, of Britain, saw off the challenge of America's Bill Buckles by three flights to one.

Green will take on Hansen in the second quarter final to have been decided so far.

Racing begins this morning at 8.50.

Photos by Tony Cordeiro Cup rivals: Chris Law and his Bermudian crew (above) overcame local favourite Peter Bromby (below) in an intriguing battle.