Bermuda's Optimist sailors made their presence felt during team racing action at the North American Championships in the Dominican Republic over the weekend.

The Island's team of Owen Siese, Connor Astwood, Kalin Hiller, Dimitri Stevens and Mackenzie Cooper held their own competing against some of the world's elite youth sailors at this level to secure an impressive top five finish after bowing out in the semi -finals.

"The boys sailed well and should be proud of their performance," was the way Bermuda Sailing Association (BSA) president Somers Cooper summed things up.

Bermuda entered the team racing event ranked seventh based on the top four individual team member scores after the first five races of the fleet racing regatta held earlier in the week.

The Island's young representatives made a positive start when they defeated eventual winners Chile in their opening flight and gathered more momentum by edging past a watered down Argentina in their second flight before going down to defeat against Curacao in their third flight.

However, with two wins under their belt Bermuda hopes of advancing in the competition remained intact and a win against Japan in the fourth flight propelled the young Islanders through to the semis where they eventually lost to beaten finalists Argentina.

If it was any consolation, Bermuda was among the top two teams from the North American region to advance the furthest in the competition.

Fleet racing was due to resume yesterday in Andres Bay. Hiller currently leads the local fleet and remains in ninth overall with Siese – who has recorded Bermuda's only two bullets so far in the Dominican Republic – a further ten positions adrift in 19.

There are nearly 200 sailors from 23 different countries currently competing in the Dominican Republic.

n Cameron Pimental, Bermuda's current Youth Sailor of the Year, will be the lone local entry at this week's 39th Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in Buzios, Brazil.

Pimentel will be competing in the Laser Radial Class, which has attracted the largest number of entries ever in the boy's single -handed class, with a record number of 54 entries.

Pimental is fresh off an eighth place finish at last week's Laser Radial North American Championships in Ontario.