The Island's top Sunfish sailor, Malcolm Smith, is running hot at just the right time.

As his build-up towards the Pan-American Games in August nears its crescendo, the veteran is recording some heartening results and is seeking to continue in this vein at the upcoming North American Championships before heading to the Pan-Am meet where he is the defending silver medallist.

Fresh from a second successive runner-up finish in the South American and Caribbean Sunfish Championships in Martinique, Smith is confident about his chances in the Dominican Republic where the Pan-Am Games are being held.

"I think they are pretty good. I'm sailing well. Anything can happen. Over the last year my results have been consistent: third in the Worlds last year, second at the North Americans last year and two seconds at the South American Championships, last year and again this year.

"You have to go out there and do your best and if you come out on top, then great."

His main threat is expected to be Eduardo Cordero of Venezuela who has thwarted the Bermudian's quest for further glory on many occasions. Cordero, the defending Sunfish world champion, has just also retained his South American title with a low score of eight points to Smith's 19 points at the annual regatta last weekend. A competitor from the Dominican Republic was third with 29 points.

The 31-boat fleet competed over nine races (five on the first day and four on the second) and were given two throw-outs. Smith's results were 3rd, 3rd, 1st, 10th, DNF (disqualified for being over early), 4th, 2nd, 4th and 2nd.

"I discarded the 10 and the DNF which helped my score quite a bit. I ended with 19 points but he had too much of a lead.

"After the first three races I was in a good position to make a run at Eduardo but then I ended up with a 10 and the black flag so I had to be a lot more cautious on the second day with my starts.

"You know you'll have two throw-outs but you can't afford another bad race. Three people were black-flagged in the race in which I got the black flag and there was a race prior to that where two or three people also got black flags.

"Overall it was a good regatta. A good warm-up regatta going towards the Pan-Am Games. Good, shifty winds. I didn't mind sailing in those conditions," said Smith.

The 44-year-old, two-time world champion also excelled in a New England regional regatta, winning the June 7-8 meet ahead of 39 other boats. In the July 9-12 North American Championships in Mississippi he will be aiming to maintain this good form ahead of the Pan-Am showdown.

"That's the final major regatta before the Pan-Ams and it should bring out more of the sailors competing in the Games. I am sure everybody will be there so it should be a good final warm-up to the Games."

Thereafter Smith, who will be in his fifth Pan-Am Games, is hoping to get down to the Dominican Republic early to get some practice. He will be in familiar territory but he knows it will take all his experience and guile if he is to move up to the gold medal.

"I've sailed there twice. We did the Worlds there in 1996 in the same bay that the Pan-Am races will be in. I also did the South American Championships there last year. I was second to Mr.Cordero both times.

"Him and I have some good battles, excellent races. I've come out on top in one or two but the majority of the time he's had the edge.

"By the time we get to the Pan-Ams think I'll have made some inroads on him. I'll get closer to him. I've beaten him before and I can beat him again."