performance to place 20th overall at a Subaru 2000 series event in Canada.

The field of 366 men and women competing in Bellwood, Ontario, included professionals and Smith's time of one hour, 42 minutes, 43 seconds earned her first place in the 30-34 age group. She was the third woman to finish.

The one-kilometre swim/31-kilometre bike/seven-kilometre run event on a fairly flat course was part of Smith's build-up towards this year's national championships in October and next year's worlds in Edmonton.

Smith finished just 30 seconds behind the female category winner and but for a swim-to-bike transition which took 36 seconds because of difficulties with shoes, the winner might have been her.

Her splits were 17:12 for the swim, 55:40 for the bike and 27:55 for the run.

Two weeks ago, Smith was the fifth woman to finish on a tough course in the Canadian National Championships in Newfoundland.

Her performances suggest a remarkable ongoing improvement in what is only her second year of focusing on triathlon. And the comments of her coach Dave Morrison suggest she is intent on further progress.

"She was very disappointed with her swim time,'' said Morrsion. "She said she felt uncomfortable in the cold water, but she was much more comfortable on the bike and the run.

"We both feel that she can bring her swim time down, with the help of some weight training and upper body conditioning.'' Smith won the national title last October and last month she added the national sprint triathlon title, finishing more than seven minutes ahead of her nearest rival and third overall.

The way she has left her local rivals trailing prompted the search for more testing competition overseas ahead of next year's worlds.

Smith's performances have earned her sponsorship from Hamilton bike shop Winner's Edge and from bicycle manufacturers Cervelo.

Smith's husband Aaron Smith also competed in Bellwood and placed ninth out of 50 in his age group with a time of 1:50:26.

Veteran Newton Adcock placed first in his age group (50-plus) and 54th overall when he competed in the Ste. Agathe triathlon north of Montreal on the weekend.

Adcock finished the 1K cycle, 38K bike, 8K ride in two hours and two minutes.