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Spain has won most of its Olympic medals in sailing and can finally boast of having the world's best windsurfers, a discipline it has failed to make a dent at the Summer Games.

It is also busy mounting its strongest ever challenge at the America's Cup at home in Valencia but has never made the finals of what still ranks as sailing's holy grail.

With the Iberian Peninsula surrounded by water, a sprawling coastline giving rise to a Mediterranean playground on the east and a history of seafaring that predates Christopher Columbus, Spain's sailors have a long tradition of hoarding gold and they're not done yet.

Windsurfing world No.1 Marina Alabau is fast shaping up as one of the squad's best prospects for the 2008 Beijing Games.

The focus on younger athletes marks a major break from the old days when 45-year-old Santiago Amat won Spain its first 'yachting' medal at the 1932 Games in Los Angeles by finishing third in the monotype class event.

Alabau finished second at the World Championships in Torbole, Italy, last year and again at this year's North American Championships in Miami.

Lafuente also came second in Miami, a dramatic improvement from his 13th-place finish at the men's RS:X at last year's Qingdao International Regatta, one of China's Olympic test events, and a dismal 26th at the Worlds.

He is likely to face stiff competition at the Beijing Games from Great Britain and defending men's gold medalist Gal Fridman of Israel at the renamed RS:X discipline, one of 11 on the roster for 2008 after it survived an elimination scare in 2003 from then ISAF President Paul Henderson.

But with racers from six different countries and regions including Hong Kong taking a gold apiece at the last three Olympics, RS:X is not only the fastest, gnarliest and most media-friendly branch of sailing, it is also the most cosmopolitan.

With six of Spain's 15 sailing medals coming in the 470, however, history suggests its sailors have a better shot at the double-handed dinghy event, especially its women, who have captured the last three 470 trophies.

Natalia Via-Dufresne and Sandra Azon edged Sweden for silver at the event in Athens after a perilous game of cat and mouse that saw them equal on points before the Spanish pair pulled ahead.

The high point of the nation's sailing success came 12 years earlier at the Barcelona Games in 1992, where it ran away with four gold and one silver as host.

Again, Via-Dufresne was one of the stars, racing to silver in the Women's Europe Individual Competition while Teresa Zabella teamed up with Patricia Guerra to storm to gold in her signature event -- the 470.

At the following Olympiad in Atlanta, another Via-Dufresne (Begona) scored gold with Zabella in the 470. Spain was less fortunate in Sydney, with none of its sailors managing a podium finish.

Meanwhile, Xavier Fernandez and Iker Martinez won the country its latest sailing gold in Athens at the 49er, an area the men will be keen to carve a new niche in after ceding their success in the 470 to their female counterparts.

Spain has fared worse at the America's Cup but aims to trawl new ground on its fourth attempt as host of the event that has returned to Europe after 150 years. Team Desafo Espanol 2007 has targeted a semifinal berth at the Cup and is currently 4th in the Louis Vuitton rankings (China is hugging bottom at 11th) with races ongoing in Valencia.

First it must contest next week's Louis Vuitton Cup, with the winner scheduled; to meet defending America's Cup champion Alinghi of Switzerland in a two-boat race for sailing's ultimate prize.

Spain also underperformed at last year's Olympic test event at a redeveloped Fushan Bay in Qingdao, China, which Britain dominated with eight medals, half of them gold. It will get another shot this August at a follow-up test event there.