Bermuda's Alexander Kirkland, who returns home today for some well deserved rest, continued to impress overseas among the Laser fleet.

Kirkland placed ninth among a strong racing fleet at the Europa Cup Laser Regatta in Arhaus, Denmark which concluded over the weekend.

The Bermudian will now rest up before heading off to next month's Pan-Am Games in the Dominican Republic where he hopes to medal.

Kirkland is currently ranked 163rd according to the latest standings issued on July 2 by the ISAF, and after yet another solid performance in Denmark last week, the young skipper could very well move up a few more places in the standings.

Kirkland placed 14th, eighth and 13th in the final three races of the regatta, a performance which moved him from 11th position among the fleet of 34 boats to a respectable ninth overall.

Denmark's Anders Nyholm won the regatta while Kiwi David Weaver placed second and Britain's Mark Powell third.

"It was very shifty and I was able to hit some of the shifts," said Kirkland from Denmark yesterday.

"The races took one hour and 15 minutes with the beats (weather marks) taking about 25 minutes to complete."

Kirkland reckons he still has room for improvement.

"I guess I have no excuses if I can get an eighth. Must be partly a mental thing in the breeze," he added. "But I do need to get stronger to jump up a level."

Meanwhile, on local shores, Elizabeth gained a bit of ground on current points leader Contest in the race for the Coronation Cup during Fitted Dinghy action over the weekend.

Emerging as the high point boat of the day, Elizabeth, with skipper Mike Lewis at the helm, seized line honours in two of the day's races and also a second place finish in the Great Sound.

Barely staying afloat during the first race in gusty conditions, Lewis managed to withstand the elements and come away with a second place finish behind Somers Kempe at the helm of Contest. Rivals Challenger and Victory, however, endured that sinking feeling.

Lewis was then able to maintain a sizeable lead throughout the day's second race to seize line honours while Victory rebounded to place second and Contest third.

Fittingly, in the day's third and final race, it would again be all smiles on the faces of Elizabeth's crew as she chalked up another bullet. Victory placed second and Challenger third.

Fitted Dinghy action resumes on July 27.