Olympic sailors resumed their training in the water Friday after Hurricane Bertha bypassed the Georgia coastline.

The 500 athletes were allowed to resume practices after missing a half-day Wednesday and a full day Thursday.Hurricane warnings were discontinued early Friday from Savannah south to Brunswick, but remained in effect from north of Savannah to the Virginia-North Carolina border.

The Savannah area had cool, windy weather Friday with 20-foot waves offshore.

"There are big waves, but that makes it just more challenging," said Genevieve White, a spokesman for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Softball

Golden Park, Columbus, Ga.

Olympic softball, debuting in 1996, is the fast-pitch variety. Fast it is - U.S. pitcher Michele Granger, one of the world's best, has a "riseball" that tops 70 mph. That translates to a 96-mph major league fastball.

The Game

How it differs from baseball

- The ball is larger and up to 2 ounces heavier.

- Bases are 60 feet apart.

- Pitcher's mound is 40 feet from home plate.

- Seven innings, not nine

- Pitches are underhand.

Who to Watch

Since 1986, the United States team has won every tournament it has entered, including three world championships, in 1986, 1990 and 1994.

The only major obstacle the U.S. team faces en route to gold is China, the only team to defeat the United States in the past decade.

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Television

To date, no coverage is planned.

A collaboration of The Associated Press; El Periodico, Barcelona; El Mundo, Madrid

Sources: Summer Games Access, Barcelona and Atlanta organizing committees, Eyewitness Books Sports, The Grand Encyclopedia of the Olympic Games

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