US varsity sailors Joshua Greenslade and Blake Burgess have further enhanced Bermuda's sailing reputation with a strong showing at the recent US Sailing Centre of Martin County Club 420 Association Midwinter Championships, held at Jensen Beach in Florida.

With Greenslade at the helm, the current national 420 champions placed second overall in a fleet of 72 boats at the end of three days of fleet racing in light and shifty conditions.

The Bermudian pair completed the nine-race series eight points adrift of regatta winners Antoine Screve and Will MacBride, with their best finish arriving in the third race when they placed third.

Burgess (15) and Greenslade (17) had All-State honours bestowed upon them last December after helping Christchurch School to VISA Fall Series Championship, MASSA Fall Fleet Racing Championship and Lawrence A.White Trophy honours to cap off a fine fall schedule of sailing in the US.

And judging by their most recent performances they appear to have picked up where they left off.

The former Optimist Dinghy sailors represented Bermuda at last year's Kiel Week in Germany, the Miami Orange Bowl Regatta as well as the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Youth Worlds in the 29er class.

Also competing in Florida earlier this week was Burgess and Greenslade's compatriot and Christchurch School team-mate, Jono Dill (16), who finished 51st, sailing with American crew Kaylee Schwitzer.

Last week Opti sailor Mackenzie Cooper finished 12th in a fleet of 102 boats at the Mar Del Plata Sailing Week Regatta in Argentina, while locally Owen Siese and Kalin Hillier dominated their American and European rivals during Bermuda Optimist Dinghy Association's (BODA) Advanced Opti Clinic in East End waters.

The trio are all members of Bermuda's 12-strong contingent who will compete at April's South American Championships in Salinas, Ecuador.