Loyalty has largely become a misnomer in the modern era of sport, as players side more with personal glory and follow the money trail.

But this can hardly be said of Adam Barboza, Bermuda's champion match race sailor, who has sacrificed an opportunity to compete in this year's Colorcraft Gold Cup to stand by a friend.

Barboza on Sunday won the Bermuda Match Racing Championships, beating Peter Bromby in the final, which guaranteed him a place as an unseeded skipper at the prestigious Gold Cup, which will feature a who's who of international helmsmen.

However, eschewing the chance to compete against the likes of America's Cup skippers Peter Gilmour, Magnus Holmberg, Dennis Connor et al, Barboza declined the invitation so that he could attend longtime crew and friend Nick Jones' wedding in Vermont, which takes place on the same weekend as the commencement of the Gold Cup regatta.

The 33-year-old customs officer holds few regrets regarding his inability to take part, his main concern being that his crew will not be able to compete as a unit in the competition, although several are expected to stand in on various teams involved.

"I had made a commitment a year ago to go to Nick Jones' wedding in Vermont," explained Barboza, who took part last year and came close to making it to the championship rounds. "I did an Olympic Soling campaign with Nick last year and he really helped me out a lot.

"They scheduled the wedding a while ago and it's just one of those things.

"Like I said, Nick has helped me a great deal, we've worked well together, and I felt an obligation to Nick because he helped raise the level of my sailing by providing the backing for my campaign.

"The only regret I have is that the crew, as a group, is going to be left out."

Barboza came up just short in his quest for the Olympics in Sydney, but based on his weekend performance, particularly his four wins over Bromby, appeared primed to spoil more than a few of the international skippers' hopes at the main event.

He and his crack outfit, including Paul Wring (trimmer) Somers Kempe (tactician and bowman), and Andy Studiford (mainsheet trimmer), showed great chemistry aboard the International One Design craft that will also be used for the Gold Cup.

Still, Barboza sees his own absence, and the fact that Bromby will be there as an invited skipper, as blessings in that other local sailors get an opportunity to test themselves at the highest level.

"After sailing the weekend we knew that we had a good team and could possibly do well," said Barboza. "It's good that some other good sailors that would normally go unnoticed get the chance to go and Bermuda gets the chance to see them in a bigger light . . . it broadens the spectrum a whole lot.

"These guys, Nicky Lewin and Dave Juleff, are good sailors and they both have my full support."

Asked if he would miss taking part, Barboza hedged somewhat, noting how he was prepared for the fact that he would not go even if he had qualified, which made it an easier pill to swallow. He further told of how this knowledge may well have made it easier to do well in the nationals, as the pressure was off.

"It's a different feeling, as I've done it 10 years in a row, either as crew of helmsman, so you get to a point . . ." he said. "Every year you go through a big build-up, but this year I knew it was happening, so I came prepared and that may have actually helped me in the national championships, because there was no pressure. If Peter does well or somebody else does well we'll know that we could have done so also."

It is ironic that Barboza's absence has created a stage for Lewin, with the latter having sailed alongside Barboza's dad Nevis some 40-years ago in the Finn Class with great success.

"Yes it is pretty ironic, and you've got to have a lot of respect for someone that has sailed for that long and continues to do so and do it well," said Barboza.

Lewin aside, Barboza may well be local sailing's best kept secret, with Bromby and female top gun Paula Lewin - the daughter of Nicky - generally grabbing most of the spotlight.

While Bromby is regarded as Bermuda's best sailor, highlighted by his fourth place finish at last year's Olympics and his winning of the BACARDI Cup this year, Barboza has quietly gone about establishing himself as a virtually unbeatable force on the local circuit, grabbing both the Etchells fleet and match racing titles. And this despite having reduced his schedule of competing to spend more time with wife Debbie and young children Phoebe (five) and Lilly (two).

That may all soon change, with Barboza anxious for another crack at qualifying for the Games. On the more immediate horizon though are the Soling World Championships next year in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and the CAC's, tentatively slated to be hosted by Mexico.

"Right now my goal is just to sail the important (local) events and make sure we're prepared and make respectable showings," said Barboza, who gives his father most of the credit for the success of his sailing career. "Next year I look to step it up a bit."