Eleven of Bermuda?s veteran swimmers are heading to Brazil this weekend to take part in the first All Americas Masters Championships.

The event, formerly known as the Latin American and Caribbean Championships, gets underway in Sao Paulo on Monday and continues until Saturday.

As many as 1500 swimmers, ranging in age from 19 to 90 and from more than a dozen countries, are expected to take part.

Bermuda?s contingent will be competing in pool and open water events but the competition also includes diving, water polo and synchronised swimming.

Venue for the pool events is the Complejo Acuatico Caio Pompeu de Toledo while the open water swims, three and five kilometre races, will be held at Guaruja Island in a protected bay about an hour?s drive from Sao Paulo.

Representing the Island will be Lesley Balcombe, 40, (200 and 400 IM, 100 and 200 backstroke, 50 butterfly), Annette Budge, 37, (200 and 400 IM, 200 and 400 freestyle, 200 breaststroke), Margaret Marshall, 61, (200 and 400 IM, 50, 100 and 200 butterfly), Ann Maule, 71, (50 and 100 butterfly, 50, 200 and 400 freestyle), Ian Maule, 40, (50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 freestyle), Brenda McLean, 54, (50 and 100 freestyle, 50 and 100 breaststroke, 50 backstroke), Colleen Nelson, 56, (50 and 100 breaststroke, 200, 400 and 800 freestyle), Duncan Newby, 54, (50, 100 and 200 backstroke, 50 butterfly, 100 freestyle), Susan Pitt, 59, (50, 100, 200 and 800 freestyle), Trevor Nicholls, 73, (50 and 200 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, 200 freestyle) and Paul DiGiulio, 45, (200 and 400 IM, 200 and 800 freestyle).