Hubbard and his New Jersey-based Navigators team left immediately after last weekend's Bermuda Grand Prix to compete in the tough, mountainous race against a field of 160 of the world's top riders, including France's Laurent Jalabert, last year's number one ranked competitor and 1996 World Road Race Champion Abraham Olano of Spain.

But the tough route took its toll with only 130 of the original field able to finish -- and only three of the nine from Navigators. Hubbard finished 37 minutes and 22 seconds behind eventual winner Jalabert.

Hubbard's team-mate Trent Klasna, the number one ranked rider in the US so far this year, was among those who dropped out.

Jalabert, meanwhile, recorded his 100th professional victory when he won the 7.5K first stage time trial. He then finished in style, exhibiting his sprinting ability to win the final stage ahead of Spaniard Oscar Freire.

Hubbard's showing bettered that of a year ago, when he was with Italian pro team AKI.

"My strength has been building slowly through the early part of the season since I joined Navigators and now I'm starting to feel my form coming,'' he said.

SAILING SLG The Bermudian husband and wife pair of Brett and Sara Lane Wright turned in strong performances last week at the Toronto Olympic Classes regatta.

Brett finished 19th out of 47 boats in his Laser in an event ultimately won by Mike Simms of Canada. Sara, in a Laser Radial, was fifth out of 17 boats.

Another Bermudian, Carola Cooper, came in sixth from a fleet of 13 craft in the Europe Class.

All the races were contested on Lake Ontario last weekend. Light and steady easterly winds of around six to eight knots on Saturday gave way to gustier conditions on Sunday with winds up to 15-20 knots.

The Wrights' hopes of extended competition at European regattas have, however, been scuppered by a lack of funding. However, Sara will attend the Europe Class world championships in Travemunder, Germany, before the pair set their sights on their main goal for the year -- the CAC Games in Venezuela in August.

SNOOKER SNO Six local players leave Bermuda this week to take part in the International Snooker League in the US.

The Bermuda national team of Paul Charleton, Jim Robb and Tony Dawson and the Old Colony Club side of Robert Gaglio, SA Moniz and Warren Harris will take on up to 12 other national and club sides in the 10-day tournament at the New York Athletic Club. Charleton made the final of the singles scratch last year when Bermuda hosted the tournament, going down 4-2 to winner Tom Kollins of the States.

TRIATHLON TRI Triathlete Kent Richardson said he was "ecstatic'' after a fine performance in the Memphis Triathlon on the weekend.

Richardson knocked more than five minutes off his time in St. Anthony's three weeks earlier to finish 18th out of 116 entrants in his age group over the Olympic-distance course.

He finished in 2:10.35, including personal best swim of 24:16.

That time was even more remarkable since organisers would not allow wetsuits to be used.

"Wetsuits can normally help you knock off a minute or two, especially if you're not a great swimmer,'' he said.