himself clinging to a the overall lead after the third day of racing of the International Star Masters Regatta in the Great Sound.

Maurer -- with crew member Jurg Saner -- entered yesterday's race with second and first-place finishes under his belt after two races and the Swiss yachtsman has now accumulated eight-and-three-quarters points. That adds up to a slim lead over Barton Beek of the United States, who is in second place with 10 points. In third place is Kim Fletcher, also from the US, with 11 points.

Maurer is racing in Bermuda for the first time.

But it was Eckart Wagner of Germany who once again sparkled with a first-place showing under windy but ideal conditions yesterday. It was his second time at the top and he now finds himself in fourth place with 151 points.

Wagner did not start on Tuesday because of problems with his sail, but could be a major threat in the remaining three races. He will undoubtedly discard Tuesday's result (racers will choose their best five results of six races), but the pressure will be on them for the two races today (beginning at noon) and tomorrow's finale.

Peter Erzberger of Switzerland, with a strong local flavour, is tied for fifth spot with Robert Van Wagnen of the US at 18 points.

With an all-Bermudian crew alternating between Lee White, Peter Bromby and Paul Fisher, Erzberger has roared back from a disappointing ninth-place showing on Monday and has improved with fourth and fifth-place finishes respectively during the last two days.

The only other skipper with a Bermudian crew member is David Kollock of the US in Stephen West, now in 10th place with 29 points.

In seventh place is Niels Bleese of Germany with 21 points, while Hans Fendt, also of Germany, is tied with Hank Rowan of the US for eighth place with 23 points. Deadlocked with Kollock for 10th is American Mead Batchelor.

At the bottom of the rung are Americans Emil Karlovsky in 12th position with 34 points and Tom Londrigan in 13th with 35 points.

White, who will be a member of Bromby's crew for this class when they endeavour to reach the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, was the crew member for Erzberger on Tuesday while Bromby handled those chores yesterday.

In fact, a group of Bermudians got into the act yesterday when the veteran racers allowed them to hold their own exhibition-style race with Bromby coming in first, just nipping Alan Williams and Francis Carter at the line. Other notable locals -- Blythe Walker, Peter Shrubb, Martin Purser and Derek Ratteray -- also got their first chance at sailing in these Olympic-class yachts.

There are 13 skippers participating in the regatta, one of the most popular classes to watch around the world. Star Master skippers must be over 50 years of age, and that age together with the crew member's must not total over 80 years.