If Cameron Pimentel falls short of his objective at next month’s Pan American Games in Toronto it will not be for a lack of preparation.

The Bermuda Laser sailor has travelled to Toronto ahead of the event to scout the conditions and take part in an intense training camp to bolster his chances of success on his Pan Am Games debut.

“The past few weeks I have been training at the competition venue for the Games getting used to the wind, waves and the cold water temperatures,” Pimentel said.

“The conditions in Toronto are really tricky and I have been training with several elite sailors who will also be competing at the Pan Am Games.”

Among the elite sailors attending the camp is Argentina’s Julio Alsogaray, who is a two-times Olympian and Pan Am Games gold medallist.

“Training with Julio and other elite sailors from several countries has really helped up my game,” Pimentel said. “I feel as though I am reaching my best form before the Pan Am Games.

“This training camp has really been intense because all of us will be competing against one another, which is what I needed as we don’t really have this calibre of opposition in Bermuda.”

Pimentel is ready for the tough competition he will face at the Games. Among the fleet is Robert Sheidt, of Brazil, who has won five Olympic medals, including two gold.

“The fleet is top class so I am expecting a challenging event,” said Pimentel, who won the Laser title at last year’s Bacardi Bermuda International Invitational Race Week.

Sailing at the Pan Am Games will be held in Toronto Harbour and Lake Ontario from July 12 to 19 and will feature ten different classes.

Prior to the Pan Am Games, Pimentel will compete at the Laser World Championships in Kingston, Ontario, where he hopes to improve on his previous showing.

“My first Worlds was really tough,” he said. “I finished 118th out of 150.

“My division only got to sail four races because of terrible wind conditions, so I never got to improve on my position after day two of five.

“It was also my first time up against the elite guys, so it was very difficult. But I’m looking to improve big time.”

Cecilia Wollmann will also represent Bermuda at the Pan Am Games. She will compete in the Laser Radial.