A number of top Bermuda sailors will begin their build up for this summer's Pan American Games when they compete in the first big regatta of 2007 next week in Miami, Florida.

While four-time Olympic Star sailor Peter Bromby will be competing at the Rolex Miami Olympic Class Regatta ? something he has been doing for years ? he will also be joined by Brett Wright, Sara Lane Adderley and Katrina Williams on the waters of Biscayne Bay.

The Rolex Miami Olympic Class Regatta, which will be sailed all next week, brings together the world's top Olympic competitors.

Wright will be sailing in the Laser class while Adderley and Williams will be competing in the Laser Radial class.

And although Wright has already secured his place at the Pan Am Games this summer in Rio de Janeiro, Adderley and Williams will be trying to win the sole spot in the Laser Radials for the Games.

Bromby, who is using the Rolex in his build up for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as the Star class is not represented at the Pan Am Games, recently placed second in Miami in a warm-up to the Rolex championships when he and crewmate Bill McNiven competed in the 35-boat Star Levin Cup.

Late last year Bromby and McNiven were ninth out of 80-odd boats in the North American Star Championships which was also sailed off Miami.

Bromby said of the other three Bermuda sailors competing next week at the Rolex regatta with him: "It has been a little while since we have had some people down there all together. I think it is great. Also if they are going to raise their game they need to get on the world stage in events like this ? the Rolex regatta is stronger than most of the events they have been doing and they can only learn more and improve by competing in these big regattas."

Wright said: "I haven't competed in the Rolex for two or three years although I have been to other big regattas. This year the Rolex is a qualifier for the Pan Am Games among the Bermuda sailors. We have already qualified for a country spot in the Laser and Laser Radials. Now it is a question of who will represent Bermuda in Brazil. Since I am the only one from here competing in the Laser class I will be the one going to Rio but Sara Lane and Katrina will be competing to see who will represent Bermuda in the Laser Radials."

Wright said he had hoped that Zander Kirkland would give him some competition for the Laser spot. "I tried to talk him into coming to Miami but he declined," said Wright.

Kirkland competed for Bermuda at the 2003 Pan Am Games in the Dominican Republic.

Wright qualified Bermuda for a spot at the Pan Am Games during last year's North American Championships while Adderley qualified a spot in the Laser Radials during the Worlds last year.

Wright said of the Rolex regatta: "It is a big fleet and this year will probably be one of the most competitive ones we have seen in years."

In past years the average number of Lasers at the Rolex regatta was "about 50-60" while next week the class will see more than 107 boats on the start line.

"In the Radials there normally are about 30 boats," he said. This year there will be more than 70 boats competing.

"I have looked at some of the those sailors who have entered and there are a lot of top level people going down there," said Wright.

Of Bermuda who have a number of sailors in Miami next week, Wright said: "It is nice to have other Bermudians around."

Unlike Bromby, Wright, Adderley and Williams will not have to have their own boat in Miami for the regatta.

"We will charter the boats because all the Lasers are identical. We will charter from people down there and usually we will get a boat which is only about a year old. We do take down our own sails, lines, centreboard and rudder."

Adderley will be hoping to make it to Rio this summer and perhaps go one better than she did at the 1999 Pan Am Games in Winnipeg, Canada where she won the silver medal for Bermuda.

Wright also sailed at the 1999 Pan Am Games as well as the 1991 Games in Cuba and the 2003 Games in Santo Domingo.

Bermuda has also qualified another sailor for the Pan Am Games this year. Former World Champion Malcolm Smith will compete in the Sunfish class and in 2003 he won the Pan Am silver medal in the Dominican Republic.