BARCELONA -- National sailing coach Chuck Millican's worst fears came true yesterday as Bermuda paid double the price for Olympic debut jitters at the Olimpic Port.

As Monday's races were postponed due to lack of wind, the organisers decided to schedule two yesterday and all but the Tornado Class met that requirement.

In the end it appears that Reid and Jay Kempe may have got the best deal as they were saddled with a 19th-place finish out of 22 boats in their one race.

But the others, including top medal hopeful Peter Bromby suffered through lapses that could spell trouble later in the Olympic competition.

Bromby placed a creditable 10th in his opening race but dropped to 20th later in the afternoon and is 16th overall out of 27 Star Class entries.

He flew a protest flag in the first race for a port and starboard infringement by the Swiss boat, but the Europeans did their penalty turn during the race and Bromby's position remained the same.

Gold medal favourite Mark Reynolds of the United States already has the bull by the horns as he has compiled second and first-place finishes for a comfortable lead over the versatile Rod Davis.

Blythe Walker and Ray DeSilva started disastrously in the Men's 470 Class as they were disqualified for a premature start (PMS) in the first race.

He gave a good showing in the second race and was 10th at one stage before fading to 19th.

Walker, like Bromby, protested his second race and was successful in getting the Korean boat disqualified, though it did nothing to change his overall standing of 31st out of 37 boats.

Bermuda's lone female, Paula Lewin, was 16th and 19th in the Women's Europe Dinghy Class and lies 20th out of 24.

"I wish we had sailed yesterday,'' said Millican, minutes after emerging from Walker's protest meeting that went past 11 p.m. "We needed one race to get those first-race jitters out. But today they had to go right back out there and didn't have a chance to talk it out. They all know they can do much better.'' The Kempes have an interest in the leader board as their training partners Randy Smyth of the US and Dave Sweeney of Canada are running first and third respectively.

Julia Trotman of the US holds down top spot in the Europe Dinghy Class and Spaniard Jordi Calafat is first in what looks like being a wide-open 470 Class.

Meanwhile, in the second day of the equestrian three-day event at the Centre d'Hipica del Montanya, Nicola DeSousa finished the dressage test in 53rd place out of 82 riders.

The second series of participants forced Mary Jane Tumbridge, 14th overnight, to slip to 21st place. That is still close enough for her to make inroads as the women and their mounts head to today's challenge, the endurance test.

Germany's Matthias Baumann retained the lead but second is now held by Ian Stark of Great Britain while two-time defending champion Mark Todd of New Zealand is fifth behind Briton's Karen Dixon and Mary Thomson.

The showjumping test will be held at the Real Club de Polo tomorrow and Suzanne Dunkley will carry the Bermuda flag in the individual dressage on either August 2 or 3 (to be determined by the draw) as she hopes to qualify for the August 5 final.

Turn to Page 39 for more news on Bermuda's Olympians.

REID AND JAY KEMPE -- Suffered from nerves on their Olympic debut.