Kempe, looking ahead to next week's International Race Week, in which Bermuda's 1992 Olympic Tornado hopefuls take on the defending champions.

Kempe, crewing for his brother Reid, heads to Barcelona this summer hoping to succeed where Burland and Chris Nash narrowly failed eight years ago in Los Angeles.

But, despite a series of impressive results, which earned them an Olympic berth, the Kempes are not writing off the chances of the reigning Race Week champions in the Great Sound next week.

"Alan always does well in Race Week,'' said Jay, who added that he and his brother would be using the regatta to practise with their new sail.

"We've never used it before so this will be a good chance to familiarise ourselves with it in a small fleet.'' Only about 10 boats are expected to compete for Tornado honours in the seven-race series, which starts on Sunday.

"If we can beat Alan with a new sail we'll be doing pretty well,'' said Jay.

The Kempes were runners-up in last year's regatta but since then have improved beyond recognition thanks to continued exposure to top-quality international competition.

They have benefitted from training alongside Canada's Olympic hopeful David Sweeney and American Randy Smyth, who booked his place in Barcelona with an emphatic victory in the US Olympic Trials in California last week.

"They have been doing a lot of training and a lot of sailing,'' said Burland, who has not sailed competitvely since bowing out of the Olympic trials due to work and personal commitments after the Marblehead regatta last year.

"If the wind is heavy we should do okay. Hopefully we should be able to give them some competition,'' said Burland. "We would like to be able to help the Olympic campaign in any way we can.'' Bermuda's Seoul Olympians Glen Astwood and Eddie Bardgett, who finished third last year, will be missing from this year's line-up.

Their unsuccessful bid to clinch Bermuda's Olympic spot in Barcelona kept them away from their jobs for long periods and they cannot afford to take more time off work.

The lack of overseas competition was also a factor in deterring the duo from taking part in Race Week, perferring to save some time to enable them to take a vacation later in the year.

Astwood, however, will be out on the water on Sunday, crewing for local hope Malcolm McBeath in the first two races. Gordon Burland will be McBeath's crew for the rest of the week.

"It should be between Alan, the Kempes, and Larry Woods,'' said Astwood.

Woods, the Canadian who finished fourth behind Bermuda's top three pairs last year, is the brightest hope among a small overseas contingent.

He will play a vital role in the regatta as he will be using the same Randy Smyth sail adopted by the Kempes. "He should be a good sparring partner for them,'' said Burland.

Bermuda's other representatives among the Tornado fleet are Nick Duffy and Martin Bolton; Allan Powell and Glen Clinton; and James McDonald and Stephen Smith.

The remaining challengers in the Race Week Tornado fleet hail from the US and Canada.

Two races are scheduled for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, with the final race set for Wednesday morning.

TESTING TIME -- Reid and Jay Kempe head into the International Race Week Tornado Regatta with a new sail and defending champion Alan Burland as a major concern.