Her results have not been the best in recent months but Paula Lewin believes her team may be peaking at just the right time for the Athens Olympiad.

A veteran of world-class competition at age 33, the Bermudian skipper thinks this ? her third Summer Games ? represents her best shot of returning home with a podium position.

Still the Yngling sailor would not be drawn on just how well she anticipates doing.

?That?s tough to answer and I don?t really want to put a number on where we will finish. I just would like to come away feeling that we sailed to the best of our ability and wherever we end up, we end up.?

Lewin is unruffled by the indifferent performances she has registered in major regattas lately and put the situation in perspective.

?Our situation was tough because we were using competitions as a training ground, as learning opportunities.

?We have been working to put our team together and we?ve had some tough times but I think we?re finally working together as a team. We?ve taken this long to get up to speed as a team.

?The results weren?t great but we had a lot of big moments within them all. I just want to draw on all the positives that we have accomplished over the last three years and try and string those accomplishments together.

?I believe this will be a good event for us and that we can do very well,? said the reigning Female Athlete of the Year who made a crucial change in crew at the end of last year.

While having competed in the single-handed Europe Dinghy Class in the Barcelona (1992) and Atlanta (1996) Olympics, Lewin will be banking on the cumulative skills of herself, twin sister Peta Lewin and Christine Patton on this occasion.

All three, she insists, are ready for the challenge.

?I am very excited to be finally going to the Games. We?re very much looking forward to it.?

Regarding her crew ? Peta on bow and Patton in the middle ? the skipper was full of praise about their progress.

?They have worked very hard and committed themselves to this campaign. They have both improved a lot over the last six months and they are really geared up for this.?

The trio have been inspired by their final training camp on Olympic location in Athens a few weeks ago. Not only did it afford them a priceless opportunity to scope out the area where medals will be decided but they also fared well on the water.

?We did a lot of racing and we did well. It was rewarding knowing it was pretty much the same race course as the Olympics. We felt like things were coming together.

?The last year has been difficult and this was a really enjoyable and progressive training camp,? disclosed Lewin, one of the first Bermudians in Olympic action next Saturday.

Cognisant of the reality that sailing is the Island?s best ? if not only ? medal hope is not bothering the local queen of that sport.

?I don?t think the pressure comes from that. It?s just the normal pressure that an athlete puts on themself when they feel they have a shot at something. A little bit of pressure is good but too much isn?t so I?m just trying to keep it balanced and block it out when I need to.?

She also revealed that Peta?s right hand ? injured in a boating collision in Spain in April ? had healed considerably and would not hamper their Olympic mission.

?It?s probably at about 60 percent mobility but she has worked around it,? noted Lewin who leaves the Island tonight for the Games.