In a year in which Bermudians struggled on the world stage, it was only fitting that the biggest news occurred behind the curtains.

From the unusual to the controversial, 1997 had just about everything -- everything, that is, except international sporting acclaim.

In fact, Bermuda got the most world-wide media attention thanks to a guy who isn't even Bermudian.

Pat Rafter, the Australian tennis sensation, purchased a condominium here three years ago and his sometimes place of residence got plenty of play as he romped to the US Open title in August.

But overall, success was hard to come by, Paula Lewin, now the world's top match-racing female sailor, and sprinter Troy Douglas notwithstanding.

In a way, it was Douglas who typified 1997's goofiness when, following a spectacular year on the world athletics circuit, he decided he didn't want to be Bermudian anymore.

Seeking more money and more opportunities, Douglas, who was fourth in the world indoor championships, made the semi-finals of the world outdoors and set a national record in the 200 metres, turned in his Bermuda singlet for one that reads Holland.

Last we heard, triple jumper Brian Wellman was still Bermudian but he didn't have the year Douglas did, thanks largely to a series of injuries. Still Wellman was fifth at the world outdoors and joined Douglas and surprising 1500-metre runner Terrance Armstrong with a bronze medal at the CAC Championships.

Probably the biggest outbreak of national fervour occurred at the Southampton Princess, when Bermuda's gutsy Davis Cup team of Ricky Mallory, James Collieson, Michael Way and Donald Evans defeated Costa Rica and OECWS to climb up from the bottom of the world tennis ladder.

The Federation Cup women's team wasn't so fortunate, going 0-18 before defeating Antigua/Barbuda in their final tie.

But even tennis didn't escape the bizarre, with one of the Island's top players, Mike Curry, drawing heat -- and suspension -- after arriving for a tournament match intoxicated.

There was nothing controversial about the XL Bermuda Open, though. Just surprising, as relative unknown Johan Van Herck of Belgium won the annual tournament at Coral Beach.

The story of sailing was, of course Lewin, although she was crushed in head-to-head competition by Peter Bromby at the national match-racing championships. No disgrace there; Bromby finished eighth in the $60,000 Bermuda Gold Cup, won by world champion Peter Gilmour, and was third in the world Star class championships.

Penny Simmons won another IOD World title while Germany's Roland Gaebler took the World Tornado Championships, hosted by the Island.

While Akka took line honours in the Marion to Bermuda race, another boat, Greenwich Propane set a record for fastest Newport to Bermuda crossing.

Also finding speed on the water were Luis Martins and Andrew DeCosta, who won the Round the Island powerboat race in the closest finish in the event's 35 years.

This was only slightly faster than Lisa Blackburn and Stephen Troake, a pair of swimmers who combined to set or re-set almost 20 national records during the summer. In an odd twist, Blackburn was born in Bermuda but left as a child, making waves in Canada before taking aim at the Island record book.

Changes also came to golf, with Gillette, the shaving cream people, coming in to launch a one-day challenge at Mid Ocean involving top players from the PGA, Senior PGA and LPGA Tours. It was won by the trio of Jim Colbert, Kelly Robbins and Nick Price -- Colbert's first tournament since he underwent surgery for prostate cancer.

Jack Nicklaus also made an appearance on the Island, not to play but to build.

He was named architect of the new course to be built at the former US Naval Station in Southampton but even this didn't come without a fight from folks who felt Renaissance's Morgan's Harbour bid paled in comparison to others.

As usual, the $50,000 Bermuda Open attracted a field of top international golfers and again it was a polite young North Carolinan named Andrew Pitts who won it. Ken Green, a five-time winner on the PGA Tour, didn't exactly enjoy the experience; getting your personalised clubs stolen from Port Royal will do that to a guy -- even if the thief left behind the woods.

And what golfing year would be complete without a Bermuda attempt at breaking the world record for fastest round of golf (under ten minutes). They didn't make it.

Cricket and soccer both took on new bosses (see separate reviews, Page 31) and so did rugby, with Peter Shillingford grabbing the reins from Keiron Peacock.

The national rugby squad certainly started strongly, winning another Caribbean championship and thumping Barbados and Trinidad by a combined 104-9 in World Cup qualifying before taking one on the chin from Chile, 65-8.

Bermuda rugby suffered another loss, when Andrew Correia called it quits because of a neck injury suffered in a league match. At the World Rugby classic, the vaunted New Zealand team also met its end, their crown usurped by the Lions of England, Wales and Scotland.

Sports in 1997 featured much of the same cast. More Elliot Hubbard, this time cycling as a pro in Italy, more Kavin Smith, who set a Marathon Derby record of 1:09:49 for the 13.3 miles, and more Dwayne Pearman, who won a landslide in the Bermuda PGA Championships.

At least triathlon had brand new faces. Kris Hedges, 17, and Tyler Butterfield, 14, burst on to the scene and the two made reigning champion, and new BTA president, Neil de Ste Croix an also ran.

De Ste Croix did win one race, albeit on a technicality. He successfully protested a Hedges victory that left the youngster in fifth place -- and caused him to question his future in the sport.

In fact, Hedges skipped all the remaining Island triathlons, concentrating on cycling and representing the Island at the World Junior Championships. It was a humbling experience but Hubbard could have told him that it would be. The Island's top cyclist, Hubbard's move among the sport's elite was hampered by measles, a stomach virus and other forms of bad luck.

As might be expected in the year of the unusual, local cycling was dominated by Jeff Payne, who is 58 years-old. Even officials at the World Cycling B Championships this month didn't believe it.

The ITU World Cup Triathlon came and went and once again it was Emma Carney who stole the show. At least the men's race had some intrigue, with France's Philippe Fattori picking up his first win in a year.

Mostly 1997 might be remembered for one thing: It was the year the Island got tough on drugs.

In a startling and history-making development, national sports groups agreed to a policy that, beginning in April 1998, will see virtually every athlete in every sport subject to testing for illicit drugs.

Next thing you know, Bermuda will send somebody to the Winter Olympics ...

which, come to think of it, they will, with Patrick Singleton qualifying in the luge for the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan.

We told you it was a strange year.

PAT RAFTER -- victory at the US Open.

TROY DOUGLAS -- Holland is now home.

ELLIOT HUBBARD -- racing Europe's best.

PAULA LEWIN -- on top of the world.

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