fleet of 72 in the wind-ravaged Spa Regatta, which finished in Holland yesterday.

Gale force winds meant that all races scheduled for yesterday and Saturday, the final two days of the five-day regatta, were cancelled.

Only seven races in the 15-race series took place and Wright's series of 19-26-27-DNF-24-13-27 left her with 136 points.

Margriet Matthijsse, of Holland, won the regatta, ahead of Denmark's Kristine Roug and Britain's Shirley Robertson.

Wright has spent around two months on the European regatta circuit, where she has been able to pit herself against tough competition, including many of the opponents she will face in Sydney.

Before the Spa, she competed in Spain, France and Italy, and now she moves on to Germany for two more regattas in Kiel.

Wright, who was incommunicado yesterday, had gone into the Spa with moderate expectations because of difficulties with sails.

She had discovered the problem while training with the Italian Olympic team on Lake Garda earlier this month.

"I was training with the Italians but I wasn't going as fast as them,'' said Wright earlier in the week. "The Italian coach had a look at my boat and he found that I have only one sail that is okay for my mast -- and that sail is a bit old. I was losing power and that was why I wasn't getting good results. So I have ordered new equipment.'' Wright, who heard a month ago that she had been awarded a wild card entry into the Europe dinghy competition at Sydney 2000, has been focusing all her efforts on Olympic preparations.

The 31-year-old, who took up the sport only four years ago and won a silver medal at the Pan-American Games last year, is expected to return home from Europe in July.

Sara Lane Wright: continuing her Olympic Games preparation in Europe.