test his mettle against the best North America has to offer.

Zander Kirkland recently left the Island to begin training ahead of three highly acclaimed youth regattas, with a goal of penetrating the top tier of singlehanded sailing in the next few years.

The 17-year-old will be competing during the course of the summer at the Laser Radial US Nationals, North American Championships and the Canadian Olympic Training Regatta (CORK).

"This will provide invaluable experience for him,'' said Malcolm Kirkland, Zander's father. "He's set some goals to be in the top 20 at the US Nationals and North Americans and by the time CORK rolls around he aims to be a contender for that.

"It's a new boat for him and it will take some time for him to get up to speed.'' On the water, speed has rarely been a problem for the younger Kirkland, whose talents earned him the 1999 and 2000 Bermuda Government Youth Development athletic grant.

Having emerged from the Optimist programme, Kirkland last year trained with a Canadian team and finished second in the inaugural Byte Class World Championships and was the top youth performer. This year the grant enabled the purchase of a new Laser dinghy for campaigning in North America, although Kirkland will race using the lighter Radial.

However, he will not be alone on the continent, as he will be joined by fellow Optimist graduates William Thompson and Ben Wicks, the latter taking part in Byte dinghy class racing in Nova Scotia.