Bermuda Police RFC will host the Royal Cayman Islands Police in a match at National Sports Club on Sunday, marking the first time the two police services have competed against each other in any sporting event.

The Bank of Bermuda's Cayman office has donated a trophy for the 3 p.m. game in the hope of encouraging closer links.

The two police services have long maintained a close relationship, while the link between the two rugby sections was fostered at last fall's Caribbean Rugby Championships in Barbados. Cayman Islands and Bermuda were represented by police officers at the tournament, which was won by Bermuda.

Meanwhile, the following Saturday Bermuda visit Bahamas for an American Zone qualifier for the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Bermuda host Barbados on April 19 in the second qualifier.

Wins would send Bermuda into qualifying matches this summer against Trinidad & Tobago and Chile.

LADIES HOCKEY HOC Bluebirds maintained their six point lead in the BLHA A League over the weekend, beating Canaries 2-0.

The dry and bouncy conditions at Nationals made controlling the ball difficult for both sides, but after Canaries had enjoyed a fair share of possession it was the league leaders who went ahead from a short corner through Ali Anderson.

Canaries again matched their opponents in the second half and were unlucky not to score before Anderson put the result beyond doubt with a penalty flick one minute from time.

Second-placed Cardinals got by Swifts 1-0 courtesy of a Maria Pichery goal from a short corner 20 minutes into the match. The rest of the game was evenly matched with both sides defending well.

In the B League, Canaries lost the chance to gain ground on idle leaders Orioles when they were beaten 1-0 by third-placed Bluebirds, Liz Stewart netting the Blues' decisive goal.

Cardinals beat Swifts 2-0, Catherine McGarey opening the scoring with a scrappy goal just 10 minutes into the match and Melanie Cummings adding the second after the interval.

SAILING SLG The Spring series for optimist dinghy racing began on Sunday in demanding winds of 15-22 knots which saw acrobatic surfing off the wind.

A group of 10 sailors came to the starting area, but novice sailors abandoned racing after one race which saw only Zane Pedro and Marcus Burgess brave the conditions.

In the advanced fleet (14-15 years old), Zan Kirkland (six points) narrowly held off Alexander Jones (71/2 points) in the five-race series. A.J.Crane, 1996 Bermuda National Champion, was a close third with 73/4 points.

Alex Lines was fourth ahead of Eric Deichmann.

Next weekend will see the visit of Brett Davis, an All-American sailor from Harvard and national level optimist coach, who will assume the new position of RBYC racing coach.

Davis will coach an advanced fleet in July and take qualifying sailors to compete in the Northeast US including the Canadian Olympic Regatta in Kingston (CORK), Ontario. Interested parents and sailors should contact Les Crane at 236-7123 for further information ATHLETICS ATH Athletes from the University of Massachusetts and Fredonia Women's College will compete against Bermuda's Carifta squad and other top locals in a track meet at National Stadium on Sunday, starting at 2.00 p.m. Registration will be held at 1.30 p.m.

The events are as follows: 2.00: Shot putt/high jump 2.15: 1500 metres 2.30: 400 metres/javelin 2.45: 100 metres 3.00: Long jump 3.10: 3000 metres/discus 3.30: 200 metres 3.45: 800 metres