bound for the 19th Central American and Caribbean Age Group Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico.

But before heading across the US/Mexico border, the team will top off their preparation for the championships with a four-day course at the International Swimming Hall of Fame pool in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The squad -- Craig Roberts, Trevor Ferguson, Stephen Fahy, Tamika Williams, Trevor Nelson, Matthew Hammond, Stephen Troake, Ronald Cowen, Nuri Latham and Paul Fox -- will spend four days in long course training before continuing south for the Games opening ceremonies on July 15.

Competition begins on Sunday, July 16, and continues until July 21. In total, 26 countries will be represented with only two swimmers from each country allowed in any one event.

National coach Gareth Davies, his assistant Richard Goodwin and team manager Colleen Nelson will accompany the Bermuda swimmers who range in age from 13 to 20.

All ten in the squad were selected after achieving triple `A' times, taking into account their commitment to training. Roberts, Hammond and Nelson all qualified while competing with colleges and schools either in the US or UK.

Manager Colleen Nelson said she considered this year's team "particularly strong'' as most of the swimmers had made the qualifying time in three or more events. All but one have represented the Island in previous Caribbean competition.

However, because of Mexico's high altitude few, if any, in the team are expected to record personal bests during the championships.

At aged 20, Roberts, who is studying Exercise Physiology at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, is the oldest in the squad. But both Ferguson, who will attend the University of Connecticut in September, and Fahy, a Saltus student, are experienced campaigners, having swam at last summer's Commonwealth Games in Victoria.

A national championship for Bermuda's older swimmers will take place at the BASA pool this Sunday.

Traditionally dominated by teenagers and those in their early 20s, the sport is being turned over to the Masters competitors with some 14 events to be decided in as many as 12 different age divisions.

The youngest age group will be 20 to 24 and the oldest 75-plus with divisions at five year intervals inbetween.

TEEN TALENT -- Paul Fox (left) and Nuri Latham (right), both aged 13, are the youngest members of the Bermuda team competing at next week's CAC swimming championships in Mexico.