The performance of Bermuda's young Optimist sailors at the World Championships in Martinique bodes well for the future, according to team leader Paul Doughty.

Although the five youngsters who took part in last month's 15-race regatta over eight days all finished in the bottom third of the standings, there were some promising race placings.

Jesse Kirkland, 11, and A.J.Black, 15, were the Island's top performers finishing 161st and 162nd respectively in the 220-boat fleet.

Jonathan Kempe, 12, was 190th, while 12-year-old Hussayn Brown was 206th, one place ahead of 13-year-old James Doughty.

The Optimist is the international youth boat for under-16s and Black is in his last year of competing in the class.

But the other four all have more world championships to look forward to -- starting with next July's event in Spain -- and the experience they gained in Martinique will be valuable.

Highlights for Bermuda were 10th and 14th-placed finishes for Black, an 11th and a 12th for Kempe and a 15th for Kirkland.

Paul Doughty said: "While they are not yet consistent, our young sailors showed their ability to finish well and we had five finishes in the top 15.

"The conditions favoured the older sailors, but our team performed admirably,'' added the team leader.

"They managed the stress of an international event well despite their young age and all showed considerable improvement. It is especially difficult for such young athletes to deliver under stress over an extended period of time, such as eight days.'' Reid Kempe, Jonathan's father, who helps to coach the team, said: "A football match is only one-and-a-half hours and a tennis match about the same, but these little fellows had to keep up their concentration for eight days and that is pretty taxing.'' He added that sailing in fleets of typically fewer than 10 boats in Bermuda had not been ideal preparation for the worlds.

"In Martinique, they were lining up with 75 to 80 boats and there was a lot of manoeuvring around. With everybody trying hard not to collide with each other, it's easy for them to lose concentration.'' Kempe added that there were plans to expose the youngsters to more international competition and bigger fleets, thanks to spin-off benefits from meeting so many other Optimist sailors in Martinique.

Sailors from Peru, Argentina, Colombia and the US were keen to visit the Island and take part in training clinics and an informal regatta.

And the youngsters have also been invited to a similar clinic/regatta in Argentina in February.

Experience was a crucial element in the sport, added Kempe.

"You need to put in thousands of hours on the water. It's all about tactics, making quick decisions, adjusting the rigs -- you have to immerse yourself in it.'' Kempe added the team members were grateful for financial support given by Harrington International Insurance Ltd.

The Optimist is the largest and fastest-growing sailboat class, with 150,000 boats raced worldwide.