Mackenzie Cooper, one of the Island's most promising youth sailors, will fly Bermuda's banner in the Optimist Dinghy class at the Mar Del Plata Sailing Week regatta that kicks off tomorrow in Argentina.

The fleet racing event will showcase the budding talents of one hundred Optimist sailors from seven countries and among them will be Bermuda's Cooper who finished 21st at last year's US National Championships.

In recent months the 14-year -old Warwick Academy student's career has blossomed and his meteoric ascent in the sport has not gone unnoticed as he was chosen as Bermuda Optimist Dinghy Association's (BODA) Most Improved Advanced Sailor Award last December.

He also won BODA's Fall Series and South American Trials last fall and currently leads the local Optimist fleet in the BODA Worlds and North American Trials by two points over nearest rival Dimitri Stevens, who is another of the Island's top future prospects.

During his stay in Argentina Cooper will get the opportunity to prime himself against some of the same rivals he will compete against at April's South American Championships in Ecuador as part of the Island's 12-strong team that also includes top acts Owen Siese and Kalin Hillier.

Cooper, the son of past Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC) Commodore Somers Cooper, is accompanied in South America by Argentine coach Pablo Weber.

The Mar Del Plata Sailing Week event, to be hosted by Yacht Club Argentino February 7-15, will also see fleet racing action in the 29er, 420, 470, Cadet, Europe and Laser classes.

Also competing in Argentina this week is US National Champion, Chris Williford, who was runner up at last October's Renaissance Re Junior Gold Cup.