She knew she needed to be more mobile, but said: "I found it difficult to go straight into a fight without a preliminary round."A new system results in competitors of McIntosh's comparatively high standard having no opportunity to ease themselves in. At 6-3 she seemed to be waking up, but the Bulgarian continued to take the initiative, leaving McIntosh few opportunities to counter-attack. "I'm useless this early in the morning," she said afterwards "It was always going to be a tough fight The Bulgarians are better than their seedings show Georgieva was tall and awkward Also, she was left-handed. Britain's Glyn Charles and George Skuodas were 15th.In the Soling class, Britain's Andy Beadsworth, Barry Parkin and Adrian Stead hung on to finish seventh in a race won by America's Jeff Madrigali, followed by Russia's Georgi Shaidukov and Ireland's Garrett Connolly.. But it's an achievement just getting here." McIntosh rallied slightly in mid-fight after soon falling behind.

The 36-year-old Scot lost 15-4 in the first round which took place at 8.15am She had no complaints. Britain's interest in the Olympic fencing competition ended early yesterday morning. Too early for Fiona McIntosh, who was still yawning as she began her fight with Ivana Georgieva, of Bulgaria, in the foil event. He started well in the two-man Star keel boat, but the bad conditions forced an abrupt end to his race, won by Canada's Ross MacDonald from Brazil's Torben Grael, with Davis, in New Zealand's colours once more, third. A third consecutive day of storms hit the opening races of the Olympic sailing regatta in Savannah, with half the classes - both boards, Lasers and Europes - unable to start, at first because there was no wind, and then because they were sent running for cover to the Day Marina as thunder and heavy rain rolled in. The Tornado catamarans started their race but had to abandon it. The camera does not present such a problem in the bigger boats..

Officials are considering whether to retain the 2lb cameras, remove them or just switch them off. When it lost a length at the first quarter mark they cruised to the repechage where they will have to beat one of Ireland, Austria and Spain, all of whom was faster yesterday.Competitors in the single sculls events are unhappy about the miniature television cameras attached to the stern of each boat. They had the advantage of some shelter from a slight cross head wind and lost half a length in 20 strokes which had extended to a length after 500 metres but they plugged away and overtook the Ukraine while the Dutch spreadeagled the field.The men's lightweight four, with three former world champions, has emerged from a strenuous selection procedure out of one of the toughest lightweight groups in the world, but has not combined to show the pace its pedigree suggests. Ali Gill the stroke admitted afterwards: "We had a terrible start." They dropped six seconds in the first quarter and finished 15 seconds off the pace in the slowest time of the day.The men's eight had a bad result starting in lane one against the world's best this year, the Netherlands. Thereafter, a direct place in the semi-final was out of reach. Strange has a rib injury and has been out of the boat for a week, and probably wanted to avoid further risk.The women's eight has not beaten the United States and Romania this year but have the chance of a bronze if it can stay ahead of Canada and Germany, both of whom were in the same heat.

The men's lightweight double scull, Andy Sinton and Nick Strange , had a tough draw. After 500 metres they was narrowly in front but in the next quarter the whole field swept past them and they were just under three seconds off the lead at half-way. Substitutes used: F van de Kieft, N Koolen, S Plesman, S van der Wielen.Umpires: P Buckley (Australia) and Mi Ok Lee (Korea).. The glories of the first day for the British crews at the Olympic regatta on Lake Lanier gave way on the second to some grim truths when the four contenders finished last or second last in their opening heats. Usually one crew will qualify from the heat direct to the final or semi- final with the remainder to progress through the repechage. As a result crews will decide early on that they cannot win and will work on saving energy for the next round allowing others to take the psychological edge as well as a day off. Among yesterday's casualties were two potential medal-class boats.