stage their Winter National Age Group Championships at Saltus pool.

Competition starts tomorrow and will continue on October 28 and November 18.

The longer distance events take place in October with the sprint events being held next month.

Tomorrow's opening races will include the 400 freestyle, 100 and 200 backstroke and 200 and 400 individual medley. High points awards are up for grabs in each age group both for males and females.

There have been some changes since the last major meet as several swimmers have had birthdays and consequently moved up to the next age group. This is particularly evident in the eight and under girls division. Former champions Meghan Jones and Melanie Fullerton along with Sophie Jones are now competing in the 9-10 group.

In the boys' eight and under Cameron McDonald looks set to take top honours as Triangles team-mates Stephen Kenny and Adam Petty have moved up to the 9-10 age group. Top contenders in the girls 9-10 group are Ashley Aitken, Rebecca Faulkenberry (Harbour) and Sarah Cooper (Sharks).

Roy-Allan Burch of Sharks is the top swimmer in the boys 9-10 age group as Darryl Steynor (Harbour) has now moved up to the 11-12 division.

The girls 11-12 group has several swimmers who are expected to compete well, notably Rebecca Hanson and Candace Marson of Sharks. Hanson, however, will only be competing on the first two days as she will be back at school in England on the last day of the event.

There will be stiff competition in the boys 11-12 age group between Jonathan Herring (Sharks) and Graham Smith who will be vying for the top spot.

Elisha Miller (Harbour) is in a good position to take high points in the girls 13-14 age group and has always been particularly strong in the distance events. But she will face stiff competition from Sharks' Laura Farge, Abigail Madeiros and Jessica Sousa.

Ronald Cowen of Sharks is the top entrant in the boys 13-14 group. He recently finished in first place in the Trunk Island Swim and the 8K swim Around the Sound. Also swimming well are Michael Pantry and Paul Fox of Harbour and Nuri Lathan of Sharks.

In the boys 15 and over group, Stephen Fahy of Harbour leads the field with some good performances also expected from the likes of Stephen Troake, Craig Ferguson and Trevor Nelson of Harbour and Michael Hanson and Trevor and Scott Leitch of Sharks.