Olympic sailor Peter Bromby is to team up with crack America's Cup skipper Dennis Conner in California this weekend.

The Bermudian Star Class sailor has flown to San Diego for a training session on board Conner's newly christened yacht Stars and Stripes USA 66.

And if all goes well Bromby has not ruled out taking part in the Louis Vuitton Cup in New Zealand in some shape or form later in the year.

Conner and Stars and Stripes head to Auckland in October in a bid to earn the right to challenge America's Cup holders Team New Zealand in 2003.

Ten challengers representing seven countries will be vying for the Louis Vuitton Cup and although Bromby does not believe he will be sailing on the number one boat, he says he could find himself on board another yacht.

In the meantime, he is going to spend a few days with Conner's professional crew before taking part in the San Diego to Puerto Vallarta race.

"Dennis and I have become buddies over the course of the last couple of years and he has been trying to get me involved in the Stars and Stripes programme in some capacity for a while," said Bromby. "However, I haven't been able to give him the commitment he is looking for as I have been tied up with my Star campaign and I have also had a business to run."

Bromby said he did not believe this would be a one-off, although he did not know exactly what Conner had planned for him.

"I think at some point I may end up in New Zealand but I'm not sure exactly when and what he has got in mind. I certainly wouldn't have thought I would be sailing on the number one boat," he said.

The Islander said Conner had followed his progress for some time.

"He has said some very nice things about me in the press and I like to think I have earned it," he said. "It is going to be interesting because I have never done anything like it. I think the approach to it will be good for me, watching the pros to see how they tackle every day and hopefully I can put that into my Star boat."

It is a busy time for Bromby who, along with crew Martin Siese, will set out to defend his Bacardi Cup title next month.

"I am doing that on the way home. I am expecting to leave on February 28 and go straight to Miami, which will give us three days practice - something we didn't have last year," he said.

The pair are coming off a win in the Biscayne Bay Star Trophy and a second place finish in the Rolex Miami Olympic Class regatta.

"To be quite honest, in the last month Martin and I have come along better than I ever thought we would have at this point," he said. "Initially we were struggling but having the boat home (in Bermuda for practice) helped."

Although confident, Bromby was not making any big predictions for the Bacardi as he said there were plenty of outside influences to take into consideration.

"This is the last event where they don't have a weight limit in place," he said. "Many of us are slimming down for the first weight limit event in April. So just how everyone will do in the Bacardi? Who knows? A lot will depend on the weather.

"There will be some guys who won't be doing the event in April so they will be carrying 50lbs more than us. If we get some breeze down there that is going to be very difficult for us to overcome."

That said Bromby still issued a warning to his rivals.

"I think in the next year every time we go sailing Martin and I are just going to get better," he said. "Our learning curve was probably steeper than anybody else's and it is very encouraging to see our results. I almost tend to wish the Olympics were next year."