culminated an extraordinary two months by capturing the Junior National Triathlon Championships on Saturday.

Despite a flat tyre, Butterfield won the 14-year-old age group and took first place overall in the 13-15 sprint category, which consisted of a 750-metre swim, 20K bike and 5K run at Clearwater Beach.

Nuri Latham took second overall and the 15-year-old title, while Jonathan Herring, who was first out of the water, was third overall, finishing just ahead of fast-closing American Lance Pangutti. Andy Phelps, also from the US, was fifth.

A field of 82 triathletes, aged from seven to 15, took part. The junior season ends next weekend with a sprint duathlon as part of the ITU World Cup.

The 7-10-year-olds raced over a 100-metre swim, 5K bike and 1K run, with Adam Petty and Flora Duffy dominating the field.

Petty was first overall to go along with the 10-year-old title while Duffy was second, taking the girls nine-year-old crown. Geofrey Smith was unable to finish, leaving the door open for Matthew Jones to take the boys nine-year-old title.

Competing in their first triathlon, Geoffrey Burns and Jaime Barker were the seven-year-old age-group winners. Raishun Burch took the eight-year-old category while Chelsea Burns captured the girls 10-year-old crown ahead over Chloe Kempe.

Chris Conway and Shannon Dyer shared the 12-year-old title, competed over a 200m swim, 10K bike and 2K run. Dyer was sent off course during the run and Conway, despite crossing the line first, agreed to share the title as a gesture of sportsmanship.

Mark Morrison finished ahead of James Brookes among 13-year-old boys. Robyn Dickinson and Jenny Brookes were the top 12 and 14-year-old girls, respectively.

Matthew Herring held on to beat Roy Allan Burch in the 11-year-old division.

Ashley Kirkpatrick was tops among the girls.

RBYC TEAM IN THE HUNT SLG RBYC team in the hunt A three-man team representing the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club sit in second place after four races of the L-16 International Championships in Pass Christian, Mississippi.

Skipper David Summers, son Gregory and Billy Williams need a strong finish in today's final race to hold off Gene Wallett of the host club. A loss to Wallett and Bermuda will finish third.

Former Olympic gold medallist John Dane of the US appears to have the regatta locked up.

Bermuda recorded a third and two second-place finishes through the first three races but had to settle for fourth in the fourth race after being involved in a three-boat collision at the leeward end of the starting line.

Although later shown to be in the right, Summers was forced to do penalty loops and, worse, had the mast attachment of the boat's spinnaker pole break, meaning the crew sailed the downwind legs holding the pole to the mast. Still they battled from last place to fourth in light and shifty winds.

Nine other US skippers are taking part in the championships, first held in 1947.