It wasn't the flying start Bermuda's sailors had hoped for.

But skipper Peter Bromby and crew Lee White shouldn't have been overly disappointed after a tenth-place finish in the opening Star-class race of the Olympics off Wassaw Sound yesterday.

However, if they weren't, national sailing coach Chuck Millican certainly was.

"This better be their worst race,'' warned Millican. "If they want to medal, they can't afford any more tenth places.'' With ten races still to go, it may be a bit premature to assess anybody's chances at this stage, and a smiling Bromby appeared anything but down as he boarded his bus back to the Games Village last night. But he declined to talk to The Royal Gazette , saying: `You'll have to speak to Chuck. He's the team leader.'' Another violent thunderstorm, similar to the squall which swept over the various Olympic courses during Sunday's final practice races, severely curtailed yesterday's much-anticipated first day action.

Bromby, White and the rest of the 25-boat Star fleet were restricted to just one of two scheduled races. But that was one more than many of the other classes, as both Bermuda's Paula Lewin in the Europe Dinghy and Malcolm Smith (Lasers) endured a frustrating day which ended with postponement of both races.

Weather permitting, Lewin and Smith will finally begin their campaign today while what had been expected to be a rest day on Friday will now see the sailors back out on the water to make up for lost time.

However, today's forecast isn't promising with more thunderstorms predicted.

Victory in the Stars yesterday went to the Canadian pair of Ross MacDonald and Eric Jespersen on a course which had to be shortened because of a storm which rumbled menacingly across the course in mid-afternoon, producing a spectacular show of lightning followed by a torrential downpour.

Brazilians Torben Grael and Marcelo Ferreira placed second while Kiwis Rod Davis and Donald Cowie were third.

Inititally delayed for over an hour and half because of a wind blowing less than five knots, the race began with Davis, the gold medallist in Los Angeles 12 years ago when he represented the US, surging into a big lead, followed by the Australians and Greeks.

But by the first mark, MacDonald had clawed his way to the front with Brazilian Grael also edging past Davis. And it was in that order that they passed the final windward mark and eventually the finish line.

Bromby never got closer than seventh. But there were other big names who fared worse than the Bermudians with Australians Colin Beashel and David Giles slipping to 12th and Italians Enrico Chieffi and Roberto Sinibaldi 16th.

Gold medallists four years ago, Americans Mark Reynolds and Hal Haenel were fourth.

After the storm temporarily knocked out electricity at the Games marina, causing mayhem among results officials, a provisional listing for the Star race failed to mention Bromby and White. But that list was quickly amended, with every country below Bermuda dropping one place.

Meanwhile, the afternoon squall proved a final nail in the coffin for the Europe and Laser classes after they had bobbed about on the Sound for more than three hours, suffering four successive postponements because of the windless conditions.

As the storm clouds gathered and the wind picked up to, at one point, more than 30 knots, both fleets were sent scurrying back to the marina where an hour later they were informed all racing had been cancelled for the day.

Said Smith: "It was a little bit frustrating. The start got postponed, and then we waited an hour and were just 30 seconds away from starting when there was another big windshift and they postponed again. We went through that procedure three times and then the storm came up ... that was the fun part.

Smith said he didn't think the delay would particularly affect either he or Lewin's preparation.

Bermuda at the Olympics YESTERDAY Star Class: Peter Bromby/Lee White, Race one, 10th; Race two, postponed.

Europe Dinghy: Paula Lewin, Races one and two, postponed.

Laser Class: Malcolm Smith, Races one and two, postponed.

TODAY All times Bermuda Star Class: Race two, 2 p.m.; Race three, 4 p.m.; Europe Dinghy: Race one, 2 p.m.; Race two, 4 p.m.; Laser Class: Race one, 2 p.m.; Race two, 4 p.m. All races in Wassaw Sound, Savannah ELSEWHERE: Swimming controversy, US gold, weightlifting records, and more chaos. Page 21.

SAIL ON -- Canadians Ross MacDonald and Eric Jesperson (right) lead the Brazil pair during the Star-class yacht race at the Olympic Games yesterday.

Bermuda's Peter Bromby and Lee White were tenth after the first race.