A team from Windsor Swimming Club in the UK is currently on the Island competing in this week's Harbour Open Championships at the BASA pool.

The team consists of 12 swimmers aged between seven and 17, most of whom have swum at either a county or national level.

Youngest members of the touring party are Lucy Campbell and Georgia Morrison, both seven, who are competing at this level for the first time.

Eleven-year-old Anna Campbell has also made the trip, having recently been part of the Windsor team that won the Thames Valley Cup in the UK.

Three members of the group, Eve Baker, Kathryn Toth and James Stone, all 12, have just returned from a successful week at the British Age Group Championships where they picked up four silver and one bronze medal.

Joe Bader, 13, is a seven-times champion at the Berkshire and Buckinghamshire Championships and both he and Chris Toth, also 13, have competed at Southern Counties level.

Aimee Campbell, 13, Alys Durrant, 14, and Pam Clement, 15, are all British Age Group and Youth Championship swimmers while Ed Denton, at 17 the oldest member of the squad, has swum for Great Britain at the European Youth Championships. He also reached the final of the 50 metres freestyle at the Great Britain World Championship Trials.

The heats for the Harbour Open Championships took place on Tuesday and Wednesday with a number of close finishes over the course of the two evenings.

One of the highlights was the Men's Open in which local swimmer Graham Smith broke Ronald Cowen's age group record of 59.79 with a time of 59.70 seconds during the first heat.

Windsor swimmer Denton broke the all-comers' record, also held by Cowen, with a time of 58.92.

In the Men's Open 50 metres freestyle, local Roy-Allan Burch swam 24.11 in the first heat while Denton continued his impressive form with a time of 23.85.

Local youngster Naomi Vides also broke an age group record in the eight and under category of the girls 100 metres individual medley.

The finals of the event begin tonight and continue tomorrow morning. The meet will finish in spectacular style with a relay between Windsor and a Bermuda All-Stars team.

Manager of the Windsor squad, Kim Clemont, says they are delighted to have finally arrived on the Island.

"Every time we get together for galas and championships, we count down the days until the trip. The swimmers are all very excited about this wonderful opportunity."