Sara Lane Wright looks to have struck up a winning combination ... that is if first impressions are any indication.

Sailing in the Laser Radial Class, the tandem of the Bermudian and Mexican coach Alejandro Terrones had their way at the Mid-Winters East Championship in Clearwater, Florida, seizing the female crown and placing an astonishing fifth in the Open Division for men and women.

The competition is rated as a top-level regatta, along the lines of the North American Championship and US Nationals, with competitors from all across the continent. Some 47 took part, including a strong Canadian contingent, testing themselves against each other while navigating challenging courses and conditions that had fluky three to 16-knot breezes as a feature throughout.

Yet, Wright stood stoutly against all challenges presented, staking herself as a leader in the class.

"It was just a really good, very competitive regatta, with some tricky conditions,'' said Wright, a member of Bermuda's 2000 Olympic sailing team.

"There were some very strong sailors there in Florida, which really tried your tactics on the race course.

"This was the first of 15 regattas I'll being doing this year, not all will be in the Laser Radials, as my main focus for the Olympics is obviously the Europe Dinghy, but the Laser Radials will be a part of the CAC Games and the Pan Am Games which I'm also looking forward to being a part of.

"What these regattas do is allow me and my coach to work on our tactics.'' Wright met Terrones by chance at the Pan Am Games and the two struck up a friendship that eventually led to the latter, who had coached the Mexican Olympic team, becoming her coach.

The pair have embarked on a four-year plan with the ultimate goal of a medal in the 2004 games in Athens, Greece.

"Basically we're focussing on a very intense, four-year programme,'' explained Wright. "We're focussing on every single aspect in order to produce a well-rounded sailor so that when it comes to the Olympic Games I'm totally prepared and all we have to do is show up.

"Last year was my first year sailing the Europe Dinghy in Europe and I found it very difficult without a coach. A lot of the regattas I went to the conditions were very strenuous and even treacherous, and without a coach on the water it was difficult to say the least.

"Often, between the races, I like to do a lot of talk and discussion work regarding tactics, and if I have a coach out there I then have a person I can use as a sounding board.

"Regatta conditions are always different, so you really need to have someone there with you to help work on whatever you're having problems with, and Alejandro gives me that option.'' Next up for Wright is the Mid-Winters West Championship in California, which, like the east version is part of the North American Laser Grand Prix Series.