title in style yesterday, recording a pair of firsts, while sounding a clear warning to those wishing to challenge him.

Cordero, racing in the A Division -- there are four divisions -- made maximum use of his ability to garner superior speed during the downwind legs as he dominated both morning races.

Victims included Donnie Martinborough of the Bahamas, a multiple Bermuda International Race Week champion, who was second in the first race, but capsized in the second, causing him to lose several places.

Top local in the morning series was Stevie Dickinson, coming in with fourth and sixth place finishes to his credit, although he, too, had difficulty in the second outing when he was literally blown out of his craft.

But the day belonged to Cordero and the Venezuelan was later optimistic of his chances of again seizing the championship.

"I'm feeling okay, a little bit excited to win the first race. I think I can hold my title,'' said Cordero. "But this is very tough. You have about 10 boats at about the same level and the smallest mistake could make a big difference.'' Cordero is trying to accomplish what no other sailor has done, winning consecutive championships.

"It's very important,'' said Cordero. "I want to be the first sailor to win a sunfish title (twice) in a row, nobody has done that before.'' Although hopeful of winning, Dickinson had no such illusions about his prospects, especially since he has been away from competition in the boats for several years.

"My expectation is to come in the top five, I'll be very happy with the top five, because there's a lot of competition down here, some really good guys...but I'll get them,'' said Dickinson, who recently has been competing in several overseas regattas.

"I feel very well about it (placings). I mean, I've not been in the boat that long. I sailed it years ago, but to get back in it and do as well as I did today I'm happy, very happy with it.'' The afternoon witnessed just one race being sailed involving the combined C and D divisions, with Houston's Bruce Mahoney emerging on top of the heap after a solid start gave him an early advantage, one he never relinquished.

Mahoney battled countryman Ash Beatty for three-quarters of the race before a disastrous final beat dropped the latter to fourth, allowing Bermudian Malcolm Smith to claim second, while former champion Bruce Sutphen was third.

Asked what was key to his performance, Mahoney pointed to the start as being the most important factor.

"Good clean starts, clean air. (When) you get out ahead of the pack you tend to sail your own race, you don't have to sail in people's bad air,'' said the long-haired Texan.

Meanwhile, Smith, who has come close to winning the title on more than one occasion, said that he was as hungry as ever for the title.

"It's been a few times that I've led the world championships and lost it with two races to go or one race to go, so I'm hungry as ever, the desire's there to win it,'' said Smith, beaten by Cordero in the final race a year ago when he was within a whisker of the championship.

"(Today) I was real happy with my boat speed, a little slow on starboard, but on port tack going really well.

"All the boats are very even and makes it fair for everybody, there's very little we can do to the boats, so in a sense it's basically down to your skill and knowledge of the boat and handling, which really helps you.'' Racing continues this morning from Spanish Point Boat Club.