THEY are brothers but later this month they will be competitors.

Both Zander and Jesse Kirkland will be competing at the Laser Radial World Championships being staged in Santa Monica Bay, California and this will be the first time in many years the brothers have gone up against each other.

"We competed against each other when we were both Optimist sailors but not since then. I think the last time we race competitively against each other was when I was 10 years old," said 18-year-old Jesse this week. "My father says that we used to trash talk all of the time but I don't think that will happen now ? we are a bit older." In fact it is more likely the two will be giving each other advice after each day's racing ? well hopefully they will since they are both staying in the same accommodation on the US west coast!

"Since there are over 70 boats competing at the Worlds it may be that we will not even see each other during the race," said Jesse who came second in the Optimist World Championships when he was 15 years old when the event was staged at Grand Canary Island.

Jesse is just about to start university after graduating from Tabor Academy in Massachusetts while Zander, five years older, is just about to complete his