BERMUDA’S sailing team for the Pan American Games were given an 11th hour boost this week when two more sailors were added.Originally former Pan Am silver medallist Malcolm Smith in the Sunfish along Laser sailor Brett Wright and Laser Radial sailor Sara Lane Adderley were chosen for the team to fly the flag in Rio starting a week today.

Then Adderley dropped out leaving only Smith and Wright. A couple of weeks ago Katrina Williams, who had also qualified for the Games, was added to the squad to take the place of Adderley.

Then late on Wednesday night the Bermuda Sailing Association added the Snipe team of Stevie Dickinson and Leatrice Roman.So now Bermuda will be represented in four different classes — Sunfish, Laser, Laser Radial and Snipe.

Smith, probably the best bet for a medal at the Games, has been in fine form recently in the lead-up placing second in the Sunfish North American Championships.

Deb Gravelle, the programme director of the BSA, said yesterday: “This is great news for sailing in Bermuda. I am so happy.”

And she praised the performance of Dickinson who is representing Bermuda at the island Games in Rhodes. “He is doing so well over there,” said Gravelle.

In fact Dickinson won the silver medal for Bermuda yesterday in the Laser Radial class. “Although he will be sailing in a different class at the Pan Am Games, the fact that he has been competing in Rhodes will definitely help him,” said Gravelle adding that Dickinson and Roman have sailed together before — most notably at the Snipe North American Championships last year.

Gravelle said that Wright has been getting some great experience this spring and summer travelling to Holland and South America for Laser events and Williams, who is the the BSA OMEGA female Sailor-of-the-Year, had a terrific first year of sailing for Old Dominion University.

“Malcolm (Smith) will be travelling to New England this weekend for a last regattas before heading to Rio,” added Gravelle.

She also noted that with Bermuda’s bigger sailing team, the island will be able to bring more officials to the Pan Am Games.

More sailors for Bermuda’s Pan Am Games team