Bermudian sailor Sara Lane Wright finished ninth overall in the Laser Radial class of the Laser Midwinter East regatta which concluded in Florida yesterday.

"Considering I hadn't been training for this regatta because I was taking a break, I feel pretty good.

"This regatta was kind of frustrating for me. I wasn't feeling fresh and I was just getting back in my groove while many other people had been training for it," said Wright, who was in her first major competition since last July.

Results posted on Saturday evening indicated the Bermudian had finishes of fifth, fourth and eighth in her third, fourth and fifith races respectively to be in sixth place yesterday morning, the start of the final day of the four-day regatta being held at Clearwater Yacht Club.

"We had two more races today (yesterday) and I had a bit of an unfortunate time. In the first race I broke my outhaul when I was in third place and I had to withdraw. So I recorded a DNF and was placed last (77th). Then I was seventh in the second race.

"At the end we were allowed to throw out one race and I threw out the 77 but I still had a 30th placing from Thursday and that pulled me down to ninth overall," she explained.

Looking ahead, Wright anticipated her 2002 season would be "very busy", including two world championships - the Laser Radial Worlds and the International Sailing Federation Worlds - as well as the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Championships.

However, her most immediate goal is to return home to raise sponsorship to meet her expenses for this year.

"I am coming home to work on sponsorship. I want to do a lot this year plus qualify for the Pan-Am Games which is next year. It's going to take a lot of money," she said.

Meanwhile, in the Full Rig Laser class at the same regatta, Wright's husband, Brett, finished 26th out of a fleet of 80 and their compatriot Zan Kirkland, 22nd.

The latter had been 20th going into the final day of competition and Brett 24th.