BARCELONA, Spain -- Japan's Yumiko Shige executed flawless tactics Tuesday in speeding her 470 through the Mediterranean course for the overall lead after two races in the Olymic yachting regatta.
The United States dominated the Women's Europe, Star, Tornado, Soling and Windsurfing, the only country to hold leadership in more than one class.
Skipper Shige and Alicia Kinoshita, who finished second in the 1992 world championship, whipped all 16 competitors in the light dinghy after almost half were disqualified from the first race for premature starts. All returned for a second race with a vengeance.
The French combination of Florence Le Brun and Odile Barre easily won the initial contest over the triangular course to emerge second overall followed by the Unified Team combo of Larissa Moscalenko and Elena Pakholtchik.
The Japanese supremacy was particularly disappointing for Theresa Zabell and Patricia Cabrera, the reigning world champions who ended up fifth.
The Spanish were among eight competitors disqualified from Tuesday's first Women's 470 race for premature starts,
Also eliminated were former world champions Jennifer Isler and Pamela Healy from the United States, who ended up in a dismal 13th place after finishing 10th in the second race. The Italians, British, Brazilians, Czeckoslovakians, Australians and New Zealanders also were disqualified.
'There's no more room for errors,' said New Zealand skipper Leslie Egnot, floundering in 12th place.
Medals in yachting are based on points tallied from the best six of seven races. Competition in all 10 classes was cancelled Monday due to insufficient winds, necessitating several double contests Tuesday in the 10 knot winds.
Equally jolting was the disqualification of Bermuda, Germany, India and Cypress for the same elementary error in the first Men's 470 competition.
Spain's Jordi Calafat and Francisco Luna finished first and second for No. l overall with Norway's Herman Johannessan and Pal McCarthy right behind.
Finland's Petri Leskinen and Mika Aarnikka held third.
The United States took the overall lead in the Europe, Star, Tornado, Soling and Windsurfing, but Spain grabbed first in the Flying Dutchman.
Julia Trotman sped to first and second place for No. 1 overall in the Olympic debut of the Europe, a Belgium-designed boat that is extremely responsive to the sailor's movements.
'It would be terrific for an American woman to win in a class dominated by Europeans for so long,' said Trotman, a Harvard University graduate.
Tabbing the Spanish entree as her strongest competitor, Trotman said, 'I'm just going to stick to the basics, and not get carried away.'
Denmark's Dorte Jensen followed with Spain's Natalia Via Dufresne third.
The U.S. Star team of Mark Reynolds and Hal Haenel, Olympic silver medalists at Seoul, held first overall after second and first-place finishes in the craft requiring the ultimate in technical and racing skills.
New Zealand's Roderick Davis and Donald Cowie took second and Portugal's Fernando Bello and Francisco De Melo third.
In the Tornado competition, the fastest Olympic boat, Randy Smyth and Keith Notary whipped their catamaran through a single race, followed by Denmarks's Lars Hendriksen and Anette Andersen. Italy's Giorgio Zuccoli and Angelo Glisoni trailed third.
The U.S. Flying Dutchman skippered by.Paul Foerster and teammate Stephen Bourdow sailed to first in the second race, rebounding from sixth for second place overall behind Spain's Luis Doreste and Domingo Manrique.
The Spanish duo, emerging with first and second place in the two contests, demonstrated unmatched teamwork, agility and strength in maneuving the dinghy commonly referred to as the 'Formula One' among centerboard boats.
Germany's Albert Batzille and Peter Lang were third.
Skipper Kevin Mahaney of the three-man U.S. soling team displayed eminence in sail trimming. Denmark's Jesper Bank and his crew emerged second and Germany's Jochen Schumann third.
Officials squeezed in three races for windsurfers.
America's Michael Gebhardt emerged first overall, followed by Israel's Amit Inbar and Italy's Riccardo Giordano.
'We just hung in there,' Gebhardt said.
France's Maud Herbert reigned over the women windsurfers. New Zealand's Dorien De Vries was second overall and Gibralter's Penny Way third.
Canada's Hank Lammens emerged first overall in the Finn contest followed by Brazil's Christoph Bergmann and Spain's Ploeg Van Der.
Lammens improved his fourth place in the first race to first in the second, while Brazil combined first with ninth.
Spain's Van Der Ploeg was third.
