Hayama, Japan-November 12, 1998-Peter Holmberg and his all-St. Thomas crew are slowly working up the leader board in the World Championship of Match Race Sailing taking place here through Sunday.  At the end of the first of two round robins, the USVI match Racing team is in seventh place with a record of 3-6.   Race Sailing taking place here through Sunday.  At the end of the first of two round robins, the USVI match Racing team is in seventh place with a record of 3-6.

"We're in the hunt," said Holmberg after today's racing.  "Our record is indicative of the fact that we haven't sailed well to this point, but I think we're working the boat a little better and I look for some real improvement in the next series.  We're just three points away from the guy (Chris Law from Great Britain) in second place, and with nine matches in the second round, we have a lot of opportunity to make a dramatic move."

Holmberg and his crew of Morgan Avery, Maurice Kurg, and Chris Rosenberg need to collect enough wins to place them among the four highest point scorers to advance into the semi-final round.  Right now the skipper in fourth place is Frenchman Bertrand Pace who stands on five points, just two more than the Virgin Islanders.