triathletes, as they compete for honours during the inaugural Bermuda Junior National Triathlon Championships at Clearwater Beach.

And giving the local competitors a run for their money will be five top triathletes from the United States, who were due to fly in last night especially for the race. All five competed this year at the Ironkids National Championships in Atlanta, where 19 Bermuda athletes also took part.

The event, which starts at 8 a.m., is expected to attract as many as 100 competitors.

Race director and chairman of the Bermuda Triathlon Association's junior programme, Dave Morrison, expressed hope that this year would be but a stepping stone for the championships and that even more foreign triathletes would be included in the future.

Meanwhile, all of the Island's leading junior triathletes are expected to turn out, which should make for a number of intriguing match-ups in four age groups.

In the boys 13-15 division Nuri Latham will once again go head to head with Tyler Butterfield, whom he beat by a mere second during the Just For Fun Triathlon earlier this month.

On the female side, Allison Petty will have some stiff overseas competition to tackle in the form of Chrystal Tunnell and Kelsey Burman. The Americans finished one-two in Atlanta.

Chris Conway stands as one to watch in the boys 12 and under group after a stellar showing two weeks ago, but will likely be again contested by the triumvirate of Brian Steinhoff, Mark Morrison and Andrew Kirkpatrick.

Nicole Tunnell, Chrystal's sister, should have her way among the 12-year-old girls. That would likely leave locals Emma Rego and Erica Frith in a battle for the runner-up spot.

Strong favourite in the girls under-10 division will be Robyn Dickinson.

Andrew Lawrence stands as one to reckon with among boys under-10.

Meanwhile, Kris Hedges, who has already established himself as a threat on the senior stage, may find the clock as his only challenger in the 16-19 bracket.