Bermuda's top Optimist sailor, Sam Stan, moved up in the standings at the South American Optimist Championships being staged in Uruguay when he had a 16th place, a fourth place and a 35th place in yesterday's racing.

Stan is now sitting in 41st place overall in the massive fleet of 165 sailors – after Monday's third race of the championships he was in 67th place.

And although the conditions on the course in the Punta del Este are historically tough with very strong winds and high waves – conditions that Bermuda's young team have trained in over the winter in the Great Sound – sailing manager Paul Wollmann said yesterday from Uruguay: "The wind has been unusually light. Punta del Este is known for winds over 20 knots and also big seas. Our Bermuda team were very prepared for the heavy stuff – but that's sailing."

In fact on Monday the organisers could only get in one race because of the light winds and shifty breezes of about three to four knots and there was also the problem of a strong of current.

There were two attempts to sail race four (second of the day) on Monday but the wind died soon after the start of the first group so the race was abandoned a few minutes after the start. The race committee decided to schedule a fourth race for yesterday in addition to the original three in the programme.

Today the team racing is scheduled to get underway.

Wollmann said: "Last year Team Bermuda came second losing to Team USA in the finals. The format for Wednesday is 16 teams in double elimination. The semi-finals are a best of three series and the finals are a best of five series.

"The favourites this year will be the teams from the USA, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Bermuda. Sam (Stan) will captain the Bermuda team. The races will last about 10-15 minutes and will be held close to shore so spectators can watch.

"The teams will consist of four sailors and one substitute. Our coach Pablo (Sanguinetti from the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club) will select Team Bermuda tonight."

While Stan ended up in 41st place after yesterday's racing, Bermuda's remaining sailors were further down the list although Ceci Wollmann moved from 161st place to 127th place with three good finishes yesterday – 32, 25 and 45.

Ferdinand Arnold sits in 131st place with yesterday's finishes of 49, 35 and 51 while Rory Caslin is in 140th place after yesterday's finishes of 38, 30 and 45.

Nine-year-old Mikey Wollmann is in 149th place with yesterday's finishes of 53, 50 and 48 while Ellie Wollmann is close behind in 151st place after her finishes of 24, 34 and a DNC (did not complete) yesterday.

Leading the regatta is Peru's Javier Arribas while Brazil's Martin Lowy is second and Argentina's Ignacio Varisco is third.

n The deadline for submitting an application to enter the the 2010 Newport Bermuda Race is 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 1. Almost 190 boats are entered. The race starts on June 18.