@$:BYLINE-FRANK:By KYLEHUNTERSports EditorBODY-FRANK:BEFORE the Beijing Olympics this summer, Bermuda had been represented in sailing at every Olympic Games since 1952 in Helsinki. Four-time Olympic Star sailor Peter Bromby was hoping to keep the streak going and make this summer's Beijing Games but failed at the final hurdle at the World Championships earlier in the year in Miami.BODY-FRANK-2:And now sailing brothers, Zander and Jesse Kirkland, are determined to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics in the 49er class ¿ the grand prix machine of the Olympic classes."Bermuda should always have someone in sailing competing in the Olympics," said Zander shortly before departing for California where he teaches and coaches sailing.Of the Beijing Olympics he said: "They were fun to watch . . . but a little disappointing ¿ there should have been at least one Bermuda sailor out there. Our Olympic sailing history goes back a long way." Now 25-year-old Zander and his 20-year-old brother Jesse have hatched a plan for 2012. And before both left for the US¿ Zander to California and Jesse to St. Mary's College in Maryland ¿ they talked to Bromby about planning for the 2012 Games."He is a wealth of information," said Zander of Bromby who competed in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, the 1996 Games in Atlanta, the 2000 Games in Sydney where he came ever so close to winning a medal and the 2004 Games in Athens."Our talk with Peter was very fruitful," said Zander. "Peter is a wealth of information when it comes to planning and that type of stuff. He was so helpful in talking about how he planned for budgets and logistics. It was great to hear his underlying philosophy in going to the Olympics. He basically said that 'you have to show up at every regatta with the attitude that you can win. Just because you are from a small country that doesn't mean you do not have a shot'. "That was good to hear. I believe Jesse and I are talented enough but we have to get our heads around the fact that we will be taking on the best in the world ¿ taking on the best of the best who have a lot of funding like the British. Peter is very bright about the mental games which is a huge part of sailing. He told us how everything has to be well thought out ¿ not just the sailing part but other things like trying to raise money which is so important for an Olympic campaign. He said that when you go and ask people for money they are going to want to know what they are giving to and whether you yourself have thought everything out. And he also emphasised that you are not entitled to funding and if you do get it you have to be very appreciative of it."Of Bromby himself, Zander said: "Peter could jump right back into the boat and compete (against the best in the world). He has such good boat-handling skills."The brothers have sailed since they were very young and have come up through the ranks right from the Optimist class. But they settled on the 49er class for the 2012 Olympics."We definitely plan on being there (in 2012) in the 49er. The boat is at the cutting edge of the sport, really fun. But unfortunately they are not cheap and we have to develop a plan and raise some cash ¿ but I think we can do it."The plan is for the brothers to get a 49er by next April and keep it in California where they can train.Zander said:"Right now I am running a junior sailing programme and coaching a high school team out in Newport Beach, just south of Los Angeles."He coaches kids in numerous classes and said: "It is a fairly big operation. I came back to Bermuda this summer for a while for a small break. I have been out there for the last year and hopefully next summer when Jesse is done with his junior year at college he will come and join me and work for me at my club. Then in the afternoons and on the weekends we can start working on our boat handling and the training in the 49er."The two have been sailing the 29er ¿ the smaller version of the 49er ¿ for a while.They didn't do any real sailing this summer as Zander was out in California much of the time and Jesse was working construction "to make some money before going back to college".But next summer they will get together a lot more."If we really want to get to the Olympics in 2012 we have to start in earnest next summer. That is the plan," said Zander."We are both pretty athletic and I have been working on my balance. Both of us know there is a huge boat-handling programme we have to master before we start competing in the 49er. We are very excited and challenged by the prospect."After the summer of 2009 when Jesse is in his senior year at St. Mary's, they will get together as much as possible and in January of 2010 plan to spend the whole month to train in Miami and then do the Miami OCR races."Jesse will graduate at the end of May in 2010 and then we will get right into it."The younger Kirkland is also one of St. Mary's star sailors and competes for the college on a regular basis."For the summer of 2012 we will probably stay in North America and then sail through the year full time. We will use California as base camp since the 49er is popular on the west coast ¿ it fits the west coast mode, an alternative and fast modern boat. "Then in 2011 and 2012 we will go to Europe and compete (on the circuit)."Zander added: "It is really a two-year full time thing ¿ you have to derail a lot of everything in your life to get there but it is a special thing to be in the Olympics."