Local skippers mastered shifty breezes and white water chop to dominate yesterday’s opening day of the 2007 Bermuda International Race Week in the Great Sound.

Not surprisingly pre-race favourites Peter Bromby (Etchells), Malcolm Smith (Lasers) and Trevor Boyce (J-24s) topped the leaderboard in their respective classes. Another local skipper, Somers Kempe, however, might have raised a few eyebrows in grasping the early lead among a highly competitive IOD fleet containing current and past world champions.

Aided by a well-oiled crew, Kempe sailed consistently in yesterday’s conditions, posting two seconds and a first to open a one-point lead over former IOD world champion John Burnham who scored two bullets to remain among the early pacesetters.

“My crew were telling me to go in the right directions for most of the day. It was really a good day all round,” Kempe said.

After placing second and first in the opening two races, however, the local skipper found himself in a spot of bother during the day’s third and final race.

“We got into a little bit of trouble at the start of the third race, but we dug ourselves out of the hole rather nicely to finish with a second that we were very happy with,” Kempe said.

“We’re just going to focus on consolidating out in front and see what tomorrow (today) brings.”

Dan Faria rebounded from a ninth-place finish in the first race to hold down third spot heading into today’s second day of racing in the Great Sound, while current world champion Anthony Houston remains in seventh position after enduring a rocky start to this week’s invitational regatta.

Boyce is currently tied for first in the J-24 fleet with England’s Stuart Jardine after both skippers posted identical opening race scores (one first and a second). Canada’s Jamie Storey is four points adrift of the leaders in third spot.

Defending KF Trimingham Trophy winner Bromby was nearly impeccable at the start line and was able to read the shifts and cover the fleet throughout yesterday’s opening three races among the Etchells.

Bermuda’s 2008 Olympic hopeful placed second in his first two races before going one better in the final race to close out the day on a strong note.

“It was a fun day. We got three great starts and Peter (Bromby) did a great job there. And that helped us get our bow out and gave us a few more options. We stayed at the front end of the fleet all day,” commented Bromby’s crew member Andreas Lewin.

“It was tight racing and throughout the day there was always a lot of boats around you. It was quite shifty which is nice as it gives you something to work with. But it wasn’t so shifty that crazy things happen like going from last to first or first to last. But it was shifty enough where we had a lot of tactics and strategy involved.

“The moment you made a mistake you lost a few places and if you did something right you gained a few places. So conditions were ideal and not too windy. And there was enough breeze to get us around the course fine.

“But it’s a long regatta and so hopefully we can stay in the top three for every race to put ourselves in a good position for the end of the regatta.”

Bermuda’s 2007 Pan-Am Games qualifier and defending champion Malcolm Smith also worked the shifts to his advantage on the Bravo course, posting two bullets to lay down the gauntlet in the Laser fleet.

In both races Smith capitalised on costly mistakes by others and kept clean air on his sails to claim day one honours. The opening race saw the Bermudian skipper overtake leader Tracy Usher at the first leeward mark and cover the fleet before seizing the first of his two wins.

“He had a bit of trouble rounding the mark and I was able to pull away from the rest of the fleet at that point,” said Smith, visibly exhausted following a gruelling day on the surf.

The former World Sunfish champion also executed great starts at the line to remain in the top half of the fleet hiking to the windward mark.

“It was tough. But I had two good starts today,” Smith said.

Usher again led the fleet in the second race, but capsized on a run downwind, paving the way for his local rival to claim a second bullet for the day.

“We were both pushing hard and he (Usher) caught a bad wave and went over. He rounded (windward) in front of me probably about three or four boat lengths, but I caught him up and then he capsized. I then managed to pull away and cover the fleet going back upwind,” Smith said.

“You really had to be focused off wind also because there was a lot of waves and chop. Waves were coming from all different directions.

“But he sailed very well to get two seconds for the day, and I guess I just capitalised on the two mistakes he made.”

Smith also relied upon his vast knowledge of local conditions.

“You really had to sail into the shoreline and get the shifts off the shore,” he added.

Right on Smith’s heels is Usher, who earned two seconds yesterday, as well as compatriots Brett Wright (third), Rockal Evans (fourth) and Sarah Lane-Adderley (fifth).

Race Week continues today in the Great Sound with both the Snipes and J-105s making their first appearance in this year’s regatta.