chance to put on a show for the home folks.

A strong field is expected as youngsters aged seven to 15 -- most of whom successfully competed in events in Chicago and Florida this summer -- take part in the Snickers Junior National Championships tomorrow at Clearwater Beach.

Much of the focus will be on the 13-15 advanced age group, where two top US juniors will compete in the sprint distance race against Bermuda's Tyler Butterfield and Jon Herring.

Andy Phelps and Lance Panigutti will hope to turn the tables on Butterfield in a 750-metre swim, 20-kilometre bike and 5-kilometre run. Butterfield, 14, beat Phelps by more than three minutes at the US Junior Nationals and then won the Bank of Bermuda Triathlon over the same distance a week later against some of the Island's best triathletes.

Nuri Latham and Spencer Conway, who also performed well in the US, will be looking to upset Butterfield.

Phelps and Panigutti are being accompanied by Cyle Sage, a US junior coach who will compete in the the ITU World Cup Triathlon next weekend. Sage is conducting a clinic for some 40 juniors at Clearwater Beach prior to the event.

The 7-10 year-olds will compete in a 100m swim, 5K bike and 1K run.

Raishun Burch, who won the 7-8 division in Chicago, will set his sights on some of the older boys in an effort to take the eight-year-old title. Geoffrey Smith and Adam Petty, both unbeaten this year, will be looking to increase their haul when they compete in the nine and 10-year-old classes, respectively.

One of Bermuda's most exciting triathlon prospects is Flora Duffy, who won the girls 9-10 category in Chicago by upsetting the previously unbeaten top US 10-year-old. A national age group champion swimmer and the fastest distance runner for her age on the Island, she will be gauging her performance against the boys.

The 11-14 year-olds will compete over a 200m swim, 10K bike and 2K run.