Seven of Bermuda's young Optimist sailors are currently in Salinas on the Pacific coast of Ecuador, where they will begin competition this weekend in the South American Championships.

The 12-race regatta will be more than a warm-up for the Bermuda Worlds team of Jonathan Kempe (14), Edward Thompson (14), Geoffrey Smith (15) and Jesse Kirkland (14) as they face some 160 sailors from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Venezuela, USA, Italy and Guatemala.

Given the forecast of light winds, the focus will be on performance in competitive large fleet traffic and not results as Bermuda's Worlds team are made up of heavier sailors with the exception of Thompson and Kirkland.

Joining the team will be Bermuda's two lightweight flyers, Elijah Simmons (11) and Sean Bouchard (11).

Simmons is making a name for himself in North America, having won his age group at the 2001 US Nationals and having finished second at the 2001 Orange Bowl.

Locally, Bouchard was the Most Improved Sailor and second overall in the Optimist Dinghy Fall Series.

Island coach Pablo Weber from Argentina believes the Worlds team must experience the intense competition and the "little ones" gain experience in what is likely to be a light air regatta.

Local coach Paul Doughty has been leading the sailors in extra sessions.

The South American event is regarded as the most competitive Optimist regatta in the world after the World Championships which this year take place in Corpus Christi from July 4-13.