Bermuda’s sailors found the going tough on the opening day of the Team Racing World Championship in Newport, Rhode Island.

The island’s two teams held high hopes heading out onto the water but failed to take a point from their first four round-robin matches against rivals Italian Team, Kiwi Racing, Newport Harbor Yacht Club and West Kirby Hawks.

They will now look to get their campaign on track when the two versus two team racing event resumes and can ill afford further setbacks if they are to progress beyond the round-robin stage.

West Kirby Hawks were the top team on the opening day of the championship after taking points from their opening four round-robin matches to make early inroads in their title bid.

Bermuda is being represented by two teams led by Benn Smith and Sophia Dias. Competing alongside Smith are Jason Saints, Julia Lines and Meghan Sherwin, while Dias is being accompanied by Alan Frith, Katrina Williams and Trystan Hocking.

All teams consist of between six and eight sailors with a minimum of two women and two men required on each.

The Team Racing World Championship is being held on Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island and contested in the one design Sonar keelboat.

The regatta is being sailed out of the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court in Newport and organised by the New York Yacht Club in conjunction with World Sailing.