Christian Luthi and Malcolm Smith warmed up for the Pan-American Games with emphatic victories in their classes in the Bermuda Sailing Association Bacardi National Dinghy Championships over the weekend.

Both sailors won five races out of six, Smith in the Sunfish class and Luthi in the Laser.

End-to-end champion Stevie Dickinson, who won the Snipe class, also finished with one race short of a perfect series and only 3.75 points.

Smith is the reigning world champion and two weeks ago retained his North American Sunfish Champioship title in Hyannis, Massachusetts, so his victory was no surprise.

After a third place finish in his first race, which he was able to drop, Smith won the next five in succession to win his six-boat class with 3.75 points.

Michael Butterfield, with 11.75 points, was his closest rival and the only other Sunfish sailor to win a race, while James Stuart placed third with 15 points.

Carolyn Cash was the only sailor to defeat Dickinson in the Snipe class, but was beaten into third place by just 0.75 points by Ray Pitman.

Luthi grabbed his third national Laser title with just one second place spoiling an otherwise perfect record.

Luthi's 3.75 points beat wife and husband Sarah Lane Wright and Brett Wright into second and third places respectively.

All three will be travelling to Winnipeg, Canada, for the Pan-Ams in two weeks, Luthi to sail Lasers and Sarah Wright Laser radials. Brett Wright will be in the Finn class.

Luthi said: "I'm very pleased, because the light air conditions favoured the lighter people, but I managed to go faster than them.

"It's a real confidence-booster for the Pan-Ams -- the real test for me will be against the international competition.'' The sailing competition in Canada will be held on Lake Gimli, but Luthi was not too worried about racing on an inland lake rather than the sea.

"They say sailing on a lake is different, but I think every place you sail has its own little local quirks. It's quite shallow, so it should be fairly choppy and they say they get some good breezes there.'' Luthi's victory earned him the right to represent Bermuda in next year's World Championships in Mexico, which in turn will be his chance to qualify for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

And having been denied a chance to sail in the World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, earlier this year after a road accident, he was delighted to get another opportunity.

More than 200 countries sail Laser class, but there will be room for only 45 at the Olympics. The three World Championships prior to Sydney are being used as Olympic qualifying regattas.

Brett Wright, Luthi's replacement in Australia, narrowly failed to qualify this year, leaving Luthi with the Island's last chance when he competes in Mexico.