Twenty-five members of the Tri-Hedz club -- along with a handful of other Island competitors -- dominated the Danon Sprinkl'ins Kids Triathlon on Saturday and then produced outstanding performances in Sunday's Mrs. T's Chicago Triathlon.

Raishun Burch, Adam Petty, Christopher Conway, Jonathan Herring and Flora Duffy each won their divisions in a total field of some 400 youngsters from across the US, giving Bermudians five of the 10 ironkids titles up for grabs.

Burch began the victory parade by winning the boys 7-8 year-old division. He completed the one kilometre run, 4K bike and 100-metre swim in 19 minutes, 51.8 seconds, beating second placed Rudy Dell of Lake Forset, Illinois, by four seconds.

Disciplines were held in reverse order of most triathlons (run, bike swim).

Petty, racing the same distance, took the boys 9-10 year-old class in 15:58.6, to go along with his wins the previous two years. Geoffrey Smith was third, Sebastian Ball fourth and Matthew Jones fifth.

Duffy won the girls 9-10 class, holding off one of the top American juniors and finishing second overall behind Petty. The Warwick resident was clocked in 17:03.9.

Their victories didn't go unnoticed: Both were photographed as part of a Chicago Tribune news feature on the event.

It was in the 11-12 age group that Bermuda created the biggest stir when they swept the top five places in a field of 33 over distances of two kilometres, eight kilometres and 200 metres. Conway was first in 27:17.4, followed by Lawson Williams, Roy Allan Burch, Shannon Dyer and Matthew Herring.

Jonathan Herring rounded out the day by capturing the 13-14 division with a stunning two-minute victory over top US junior Dave Luebke. Spencer Conway of Bermuda was third.

Herring was so far ahead that he did not receive an official time from race marshals and organisers had to be corrected at the prize-giving, said Bermuda Triathlon Association president Neil de ste Croix, who coaches the youngsters along with Dave Morrison and who was in Chicago for the two triathlons.

A press release from the sponsors yesterday also failed to mention Herring in the results.

The event was a precursor to Sunday's Mrs. T's Chicago Triathlon, the world's largest, with up to 4,000 international participants.

In Sunday's sprint version of the event, Tyler Butterfield was second, Jonathan Herring fourth and Nuri Latham fifth. What made the performances so impressive was the fact they placed ahead of members of the US elite junior squad, Tri-Hedz co-coach Dave Morrison said.

Nick Taylor won the under-15 age group in the non-championship division, while a team of Jenny Brookes (swim), Michael Dickson (bike) and Mark Morrison (run) were third in the co-ed sprint team race. Roy-Allan Burch, Dyer and Williams were second in the boys division.

Official results from the 4,000-strong main triathlon were not available yesterday.

Photos by Neil de ste Croix ROAD TO VICTORY -- Bermuda triathletes took on top Americans at a junior competition in Chicago on Saturday. Jonathan Herring (centre) ran away with the boys 13-14 age group while Adam Petty (left) won the 9-10 age division.

James Doughty (right), one of more than 25 Bermudians who made the trek, placed 28th among the 11-12 year-olds.