Scott Snyder's Team USA 194 took two bullets in J24 racing yesterday to lead the 11-boat fleet with a stellar performance during the opening day of the Bermuda Invitational International Race Week.

"We didn't get to practice and we had not sailed together as a team before today," said Snyder.

Snyder's home club, Lake Dillon Yacht Club is the US's highest yacht club at 9,017 feet above sea level, in Summit County, Colorado. The lake is still frozen solid, so this is his first time on the water this year. This is his fifth Race Week – the third as a skipper.

"We got the points on the board," Snyder said, "and are happy with the way we sailed. We drew a good local boat and didn't really have to do much tuning. We were sorry that only two races were scheduled."

The crew for USA 194, Greg Schertz, Brian Simkins, Tim Wilkes and Michael Dannecker, is truly a national team with members of The Denver Sailing Association in Denver, Colorado, the Centerpoint Yacht Club of Long Island, New York, and the Canandaigua Yacht Club near Rochester, New York.

Following Snyder in yesterday J24 Class standings were Bermudian Trevor Boyce, 2009 J24 champion, standing in second place with a 4, 2 for 6 points and Sean McDermott in third with 2, 5 and 7 points.

Sailing on the keelboat course Alpha got off to a slow start with a delay waiting for the wind to build and settle in at 280º. The wind built all day with an approaching frontal system and gradually shifted to the southwest.

The J105 class was first to start and sailed a longer course than the smaller keelboats. They sailed 1.5-mile weather legs versus 1-mile weather legs.

In the opening race for the J105's, James MacDonald's Passion led all around the four-leg course. He got away from the fleet on the first beat and opened up a big lead. Allan Williams in Not Mine was fourth in race 1 then the winner of three straight Race Weeks in the class came in first in race 2 and race 3. He and MacDonald are tied with 6 points. Chuck Millican in Elusive is third with 2-4-2 and 8 points.

Bermudians hold the first three places in the Etchells Class. Malcolm Graham-Taylor has a steady 3, 3, 2 and holds first place with 7 points. Tim Patton, last year's winner in the Etchells, is second with 2,1,5 with 8 points. Martin Vezina had 4,3,1 for the day and is third with eight points as well.

Bermuda's IOD ace Penny Simmons, multiple Race Week and five time IOD World Champion, leads that 13 boat fleet after three races. After coming second in race 1, Simmons hit his stride and took two bullets in a row for 2, 1, 1 and 4 points. Giles Peckham and Milo Carver's UK Daring team are second with 7 points after scoring 3, 2, 2. Standing third is John Pulverman of Canada's Chester IOD fleet with 1, 8, 4 and 13 points.

On course Bravo the Lasers got in three races – one more than the schedule called for.

Perennial winner Malcolm Smith came first in races 1 and 3. He was leading in race 2 when he tangled his mainsheet in his lifejacket and capsized. He still managed to finish fifth. He leads the day with 1, 5, 1 and 7 points. Bermuda Olympic hopeful Rockal Evans is second with 5, 1, 4 and 10 points. Brett Wright is third with 6, 4, 2 and 12 points.

High winds are expected for Bermuda today and tomorrow. Forecasters predict gusts of 35-40 knots each day so racing may be delayed and the sailors may have to use the time off scheduled for Wednesday for racing.