The success of Bermuda's junior triathlon programmes will be in evidence at Clearwater Beach tomorrow at both the senior and junior Shell Gold Cup Triathlons.

Many of the leading contenders for overall honours in the senior race, including Tyler Butterfield who is now competing professionally, will be juniors some of whom have been competing for almost ten years both locally and abroad.

Bermuda's leading juniors, such as Butterfield and Jonathan Herring, have gone on to take top honours in both the US and UK Junior National Championships, and on the girl's side Flora Duffy has emerged as a triathlete with the potential to emulate her male counterparts.

The programme began in the 1980s with the introduction of the Ironkids races by Greg Hopkins, Steve Petty and Tony Ryan, and has not looked back since then. There are now six junior races annually and some 70 junior triathletes aged seven to 16 are in regular training.

Many of the older juniors will be competing in the senior sprint event with the experienced Chris Conway and Matthew Herring looking for a top three finish behind the aforementioned Butterfield.

Herring will also have to be at his best to win the 13-15 age group with the emergence of a number of very promising juniors, notably Jeffrey Smith, Chase Smith, Coyatito Smith, Dominique Nannette and Khamari Greaves.

Although Duffy will be off the Island this weekend, three of Bermuda's leading junior women, Ashley Robinson Roberts, Melissa DeSilva and Ashley Kirkpatrick should once again feature prominently in the senior race. All three girls have been competing at senior level for two years and have represented Bermuda at the UK National Triathlon Championships.

This weekend the most competitive age group in the junior event will be the 11-12 boys with Rick Sousa, Tim Fox and Justin Collis likely to finish as the top three after a typical close finish in the recent TriGatorade Triathlon.

However, Geoffrey Burns, Thomas Godfrey and Alex McManus could also take a top three place.

In the absence of Dorian Armstrong, Mark Smith should dominate the boys nine to ten age group, whilst Kenny Thomson is a firm favourite in the boys seven to eight age group having easily won that division in the Tri Gatorade event.

On the girl's side the seven to eight age group will feature the very promising Sophie Adams whilst Kaitlin Miller and Amy Fox should finish a close one, two in the girls nine and ten age group, with Rebecca Sharpe also in contention.

Ashley Fox and Alex Easton are expected to be within seconds of each other in the girls 11 and 12 age group.

Connor Burns and Ali Bolton should take top honours in the 13 and 14 age groups.

Racing gets underway at 8 a.m. with the junior events followed by the seniors at 8.30 a.m.