"We were prepared that we were going to sit until after 2 p.m.," said Cory Sertl (Rochester, N.Y.), who started off her series with an impressive victory that saw her Team Lucy finish at least five boat lengths ahead of the fleet. About the performance, Sertl explained, "We cleared to the right and had a nice lane. It's easy when you're out in front; you don't have to worry about the other boats."

Sertl's theory was seriously tested in the second race, when a so-so start made it necessary for her to tack six times in the first minute to get a clear lane. It was a struggle to finish ninth in that race, and the combined scores for the day left her in third overall, while Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wis.), sailing Team Seven, moved to the top of the scoreboard.

Barkow, who had finished third in the first race, took off like a bullet in the second. The span between her boat and the fleet at the finish was many times over what Sertl had accomplished. "Our start was good in the first race, at the boat end, but the boats that got to the right of us made out. In the second race, we were halfway down the starting line and pulled the trigger at the right time. We had good speed off the line and better wind in that race."

Barkow, who is defending champion here with the same crew that sailed with her in 2003, said she is more relaxed this time around. "That's because we have more confidence in our talent. That comes with sailing full time as a team since then. Phenomenal crew work is what it comes down to." Barkow and crew are aiming to be at the Olympic sailing event in Beijing in 2008 and just flew in from France where they dominated 11 top-ranked international teams at the St. Quay International Women's Match Race.

"We might make it look easy, but it's really hard work," said Barkow, who with all but one of her four-woman crew sails an Olympic Yngling in a campaign that takes the team around the world. "We love the J/22. It's easy for us to jump in it and go." There are 42 of the J/22s competing in the biennial event, which for its last three runnings has been sailed on Chesapeake Bay.

Directly behind Barkow, with 13 points, is Jody Swanson (Buffalo, N.Y.) , with Cory Sertl (Rochester, N.Y.), aboard Lucy, following in third with 15 points. Swanson and Sertl, as Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Award winners, have the clout of Heisman Trophy recipients, and the foreign team sitting in fourth is comprised again of Olympic aspirants, the skipper being Sharon Ferris of New Zealand and her boat name being TeamOneNewport. Ferris represented her country at the 2004 Olympic Sailing Regatta, sailing to seventh in the Yngling class, and has announced her intent to win a berth for the 2008 Olympic Games.

"We're one of the only two teams that have beaten Sally in a race here," said Ferris' tactician Raynor Smeal, "so she is beatable." Smeal recounted that they finished second to Barkow's team at the 2005 Yngling Worlds, so the heat will be turned up as such. "We'll try to throw her a few curves, at least, if we can."

Smeal added that she keeps an eye on the top ten boats and the local Maryland teams, of which there are 14. "We know if we are near them, we're going the right direction."