Bromby as she prepares for the World Match Racing Championships this week.

Lewin's campaign to become world champion starts today in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she is one of eight seeds in a starting fleet of 24 of the world's top women match racers.

That fleet will have been whittled down to 16 by the time Lewin and her crew of sister Peta Lewin, Leatrice Roman and Lisa Neasham compete in their opening race in the second phase.

Poor weather has hampered Lewin's practice sessions on the club-supplied Sonar keelboat.

But the presence of Bromby, who finished fourth in the Olympic Star Class regatta in Sydney in September, has provided the Bermudian crew with a boost.

"Peter will help us with the sail trim and to get the boat set up properly,'' said Lewin from Florida yesterday.

"He's coached us at a couple of events in the past and it's good for me to have someone who can tell me what I'm doing wrong. I don't usually get much guidance and it's great to have him around.'' The regatta is already behind schedule beacuse of poor sailing weather, which allowed no racing yesterday and could mean some of the first-phase round-robin races will be carried over to today.

"We did manage to get in some practice in torrential downpours, but at least there was a little wind,'' said Lewin.

Forecasts for the St. Petersburg area are for up to 10 knots of wind today, with breeze strengthening later in the week.

Among the top contenders are Dorte Jensen, of Denmark, who will be defending the title she won in Genoa, Italy, last year, and America's Betsy Alsion, a long-standing friend and rival of Lewin.