It?s not as prestigious as an Olympic medal but Paula Lewin?s quest to salvage her year begins today with her defence of the International Women?s Match Racing Championship.

The 2002 and 2003 winner of the women?s qualifier for the King Edward VII Gold Cup faces a stiff test from the best of Sweden, the USA, the Netherlands, France, Japan and Italy in her bid for a hat-trick of titles.

Undaunted and looking to rebound from a horrific Olympic campaign in the Yngling class, Lewin has assembled a somewhat new-look team with her older sister Megan Lewin and Leatrice Roman replacing Carola Cooper and Christine Patton from last year?s crew while her twin, Peta Lewin, and Lisa Neasham are back for a third time.

?We are excited and looking forward to the event and although there is some good competition this year we still consider ourselves one of the top teams. Hopefully it goes well and we?re looking to win it,? said the skipper on the eve of competition yesterday.

?It would be great to win three in a row. It?s always fun to do well in Bermuda. We have an incredible amount of support from the public.

?It doesn?t mean everything to win but it would be nice and we?re going to try to win and to enjoy it.?

Given the sport?s highs and lows, the 33-year-old feels well equipped to deal with any pressure that comes with being hometown favourite. In addition, she has great faith in her talented crew.

?Four out of five of us have sailed ten years together so there?s a lot of experience in our team.?

While quietly confident of repeating her success, the lone Bermudian in the regatta is aware that all seven opposing crews are serious threats, particularly the Swedes who have excelled in match-racing of late and who, with Jenny Axhede at the helm, were last year?s runners-up.

Also eager to lift the winner?s 4th Cruiser Squadron Bowl is American veteran Betsy Alison ? one of Lewin?s international rivals ? who fancies her chances.

?This year we have done pretty well so far in match racing. We were second at the World Championships and then fourth at the Swedish Match Ladies? Cup so we feel pretty good going into this event,? said the 44-year-old.

?We have done well here in the past. We were fourth last year and we?re really looking forward to a good performance this year.

?I think we have as good a chance as anyone to win the event and that?s what we?re striving to do ? give it all we?ve got with all the firepower we can. To get into the second round against the men would be fabulous.?

Alison has put together a mixed but strong crew for this event with two members of another match-racing team ? Sandy Hayes and Chafee Emory ? joining herself, her Olympic team-mate Lee Icyda and newcomer Genny Tulloch. The latter was the female college Sailor of the Year in 2003 and this is ?her introduction into the big leagues of match racing?.

The skipper thinks ?good boat-handling and control? will be the key to conquering Hamilton Harbour, considering that windy conditions are expected on the first few days. In fact, weather forecasts have predicted gusts of 30 or 40 knots as well as rain.

Sailing savvy will also be vital and Alison sees Lewin, Axhede and Claire Leroy of France as the ones to beat.

At just 24, Leroy is making waves in international sailing as she and her youthful crew ? all under the age of 25 ? have placed in the top three in a string of regattas this year. The result is that she is now the world?s number-two match racer.

?We hope to go to (the) finals because we want to race against the boys,? declared Leroy, alluding to the fact that the winner and runner-up advance to the Gold Cup proper next week.

The Frenchwoman cited Lewin as her main rival, noting the Bermudian knows the International One Design (IOD) boats best and is a skilled sailor.

American Cory Sertl ? the last of the eight skippers to book a place here ? seconded Leroy?s perspective on Lewin against whom she has sailed several times.

?She is a great competitor and in her home waters she will be especially hard to beat with her experience in these boats.?

However, the 45-year-old, who just won the US Women?s Match Racing title, thinks she too has a team solid enough to wrest the championship.

The regatta, now sponsored by Cicada, will see the eight skippers competing in a round-robin format over three days. The top four advance to the semi-finals where the round-robin winner selects her opponent while the remaining two skippers battle each other. The semi-finals and final take place next Tuesday.

The qualifying round for unseeded Gold Cup skippers will also be held this weekend. Bermudians Blythe Walker and Adam Barboza are among 16 competitors vying for top-six finishes to progress to the Gold Cup?s first round.