Championships, which get underway at BASA pool tomorrow evening at 6 p.m.

It is the largest swim meet of the Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association's calendar and the response for this year's event indicates the competition within each age group and between the various clubs will be as keen as ever as participants fight for points and trophies in boys and girls divisions.

Competition will begin in the longer distance races which will be swum as timed finals. For the older swimmers these are the 400 metres freestyle and the 400 metres individual medley.

On Saturday and Sunday heats will be held in the morning, starting at 9 a.m.

and the finals will be held in the evening at 5.30. On Saturday's events will be the middle distance races, generally 200 metres, and on Sunday the sprints -- 50 and 100 metres.

There are few entries in the 8-and-under category, which will be led by Christina Dodwell and Flora Duffy of Sharks, both of whom competed last year, and Austin Kenny of Triangles.

The girls 9 and 10 age group is very competitive with several promising young swimmers training with Triangles Club. Last year's 8-and-under champions, Melanie Fullerton and Meghan Jones, are both swimming well along with team-mates Sophie Jones, Laura Bolton and Clemmie Stubbs. Melonie Munro of Harbour Club will also challenge.

Roy-Allan Burch of Sharks is the favourite in the boys 9 and 10 category, but Triangles Stephen Kenny and Adam Petty and Matthew Herring and Lawson Williams of Sharks should make their mark.

Emma Rego of Dolphins stands out among the 11 and 12 girls and is the favourite for high points. Team-mate Jennifer Roberts and sisters Kiera and Ashley Aitken of Harbour Club are all swimming well and Sharks Sarah Cooper and Erica Frith should both provide competition.

Darryl Steynor of Harbour Club or Richard Jones and Paul Murphy of Triangles are among the best bets in the boys 11 and 12 age group.

Elisha Miller leads the 13 and 14 girls divisions but she will be challenged by Jessica Sousa and Rebecca Hanson of Dolphins and Michelle Outerbridge, Lyndsay Taylor and Kim Frith of Sharks.

The boy's 13 and 14 divisions are very strong with several swimmers having just competed in the Caribbean championships in Puerto Rico. The battle for top honours will be between Paul Fox, Graham Smith, Jimmy Pereira and Chris King of Harbour Club and Nuri Latham of Dolphins.

This year there are more girls swimming in the 15-18 divisions than boys which is a change. Tamkia Williams of Harbour swam very well in Puerto Rico and is expected to claim high points, but she will get strong opposition from Zoe Roberts of Dolphins and last year's winner, Sara Titterton of Sharks.

Most of the boys in the 15-18 category are national squad swimmers and although the entries are low the competition will be fierce between Stephen Troake, Matthew Hammond, Trevor Nelson, Michael Pantry and Craig Ferguson of Harbour and Scott and Trevor Leitch of Sharks and Ronald Cowen of Dolphins.