Veteran sailor Alan Burland has dubbed Jesse and Zander Kirkland’s Olympic debut in the 49er skiff as a success.Even though the brothers failed to reach the medal race in Weymouth and Portland, Burland said they still had much to be proud of.The Kirklands managed four top-ten finishes competing among a fleet consisting of past Olympic medallist and world champions.The local team’s best showing arrived in the 13th race in which they finished second behind gold medallists Nathan Outerridge and Iain Jensen, underlining their enormous sailing potential.Burland, who represented Bermuda at the Los Angeles Olympics in the Tornado catamaran, said the brothers’ podium finishes proved they had the pedigree to compete at this level against the world’s best.“I think they performed extremely well,” he said. “They clearly showed they had the boat speed and the ability to do well when things were going well.“I think their starts were good while their ability to pick the right side of the course was, in my opinion, good even though sometimes it didn’t turn out to be the favourite position. They didn’t do anything foolish and as the regatta went on they became more conservative approaching lay lines and marks so they wouldn’t get into trouble.“I think Jesse and Zander’s Olympic campaign was an absolute ringing success and just to qualify was a huge achievement in itself.”Burland said the brothers’ only downfall at the Olympics was their lack of instinctive reflex that can only be developed over a sustained period of time.“In a high speed boat after you’ve been sailing it for five or six years you develop a reflex so when a puff hits or you are in a mark situation and have to do something sudden and quick and it’s instinctive,” he said. “At this level in the conditions they experienced here in Weymouth where it’s kind of gusty and shifty it’s challenging and you are sailing with the best in the world so any mistake is magnified.”The Kirklands qualified for the Olympics at the first attempt after finishing ninth at this year’s 49er World Championships in Croatia.As well as competing, the brothers had the added burden of raising sponsorship themselves to fund their qualifying campaign.“Other countries didn’t have that pressure at all because they were funded and didn’t have to raise money,” Burland said. “You don’t have to look over your shoulder because you know the budget is met and the coaching is there.”Some of the money the brothers helped raise went towards coaching.“They had to book their own coach at certain times because they didn’t have him full-time, so they were certainly at the starter’s gate with their legs a little bit tied together because of all those difficulties.”Burland said over years local sailors had done extremely well competing on the world stage. But with additional support he reckons the Island could do even better at that level.“Bermuda has done extremely well in sailing over a prolonged period without any real deep organisations and funding,” he said. “And I would hope Jesse and Zander’s results here and the results of former Olympians, Bermuda will adopt sailing as a national sport and see fit to fund it appropriately.”