Several of the Island?s top junior track and field athletes will be put through their paces when they compete overseas in North Carolina later this week.

Marking their 22nd appearance at the prestigious Russell E.Blunt East Coast Invitational, athletes from the Bermuda Pacers Track Club will compete in the three-day meet at the North Carolina AT State University.

The event traditionally attracts over 2,500 junior athletes between the ages of eight and 18.

The local group ? consisting of 32 athletes between the ages of eight and 15 ? will take part in 108 events, including two 4x400 metre relays and two 4x100 metre relays.

Leading the Island team will be senior runners Harold Tre Houston and Eulannae Douglas, both sprinters.

Other notable names travelling with the team are Blaine Simmons, champion boy in the nine and ten boys? age group last year, Jessica Richardson, Kerri Furbert ? this year?s Denton Hurdle Award winner ? and Trey Simons, a three -time champion of the Front Street Mile.

Taylor Ashley Bean, Daryl Lounds, Kyrah Scraders and Rachel Furbert are among the younger members travelling with the team which departs Bermuda today and returns next Tuesday.

The full teams is as follows: Dage Minors, Kyah Scraders, Kyle Wade, Donte Wellman, Justin Donawa, Jelani Simmons, Caldra Burgess, Jaylynn Hinds, Nekeno Creighton, Rachel Fox, Esisah Lister, Blaine Simmons, Daryle Lounds, Bakari Simmons, Kerri Furbert, Kyle Godfrey, Ashley Taylor Bean, Dimitri Williams, Jakrico Tucker, Trey Simons, Brighton Swan, Jessica Richardson, Allison Outerbridge, Alexis Bean, Nandi Woods, Mike Hudson, Camille Simons, Matthew Spring, Dorian Armstrong, Eulanne Douglas, Tre Houston and Aaron Evans.

Khano Smith?s New England Revolution team engineered an astounding comeback victory over FC Dallas over the weekend.

Trailing 2-1 to the visitors at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, with only a minute of regulation time left, the Revolution made a stirring charge as striker Taylor Twellman fired home twice to spark a miraculous 3-2 about-turn and complete his hat-trick.

Bermudian Smith, who came on as a substitute for Pat Noonan in the 84th minute, almost tied the score 2-2 putting his header, from an Andy Dorman corner, just to the right of the far post in the 88th minute.

However, Twellman ? who first netted a minute before the break ? saw to matters with goals in the 90th and 92nd minutes, knocking the ball into the goal?s lower left corner for the winning strike. Dallas had scored in the seventh and 46th minutes.

New England, now with ten victories and two losses from 17 matches, have 35 points, one adrift of Chicago Fire in the Major League Soccer?s (MLS) Eastern Conference.

Smith?s club will be away to Chivas USA in California on Friday before hosting LA Galaxy next Wednesday.

Bermuda?s Optimist sailors registered top-ten finishes in the Boys? and Girls events at the recent European Championships in Gdynia, Poland.

Rising winds limited action to two races last Saturday but it was still enough time for the Island to improve their results dramatically from last year?s foray into European territory.

Joshua Greenslade, who had steadily ground down the opposition over four days of racing, continued his climb to place fifth. He finished 98th last year so this result marked an exciting improvement.

Denmark?s Jess Lyhne Bonde sailed a solid last day to finish with the low score of 60 points.

Eleanor Gardner fought valiantly to capture sixth place ? only 14 points out of the lead ? with 47 points. This was also a sizeable jump from her 30th-place result last year. Emily Dellenbaugh of the USA won the girls? title with 33 points.