junior national championships at Clearwater Bay when more than 120 youngsters are expected to turn out.

The final event on the calendar, the race will be the biggest and likely the most competitive at junior level.

In addition to individuals, teams will also compete with boys and girls aged seven to 10 and 11-14 racing over the same distance -- 200 metre swim, 10K bike and 2K run. Advanced juniors, however, will race over a 300-metre swim, 15K bike and 3K run.

Brian Steinhoff, third behind Tyler Butterfield and Jonathan Herring in the 13-15 National Sprint Championships, is expected to be closely challenged for the 14-year-old title by Chris Conway and Nick Taylor. And Mark Morrison, a greatly improved runner, could spring a surprise. All four finished in the top 30 in the Bank of Bermuda triathlon in September.

Shannon Dyer, third overall in the Ironkids triathlon over the same distance earlier this year, is the firm favourite among the 13-year-olds while Matthew Herring is a good bet for 12-year-old title.

Adam Petty, talented in all three disciplines, should lead the 11-year- olds providing he's recovered from a recent illness, but may face his first serious challenge from Chayce and Coyatito Smith and Matthew Jones.

For the first time the girls advanced category will feature more than one competitor. Ashley Robinson Roberts will be favourite to win the 13-year-old title, but faces stiff competition from Melissa DeSilva and Robyn Dickinson.

Shanay Scott should take the 14-year-old title and will also be looking for a top three finish overall. Ashley Kirkpatrick is likely to be unchallenged in the girls' 12-year-old division and will also be looking for a top three finish.

The 11-14 year old standard distance race will give some of the most improved juniors a chance to shine. Top swimmer Roy Allan Burch will start as favourite for the overall and 12-year-old division title. But James Adams, a strong cyclist and much improved triathlete, could be a dark horse.

Also in with a chance for a top three finish are Cori Bulford, Gregory Rose and Nick Borman. If he competes, Lawson Williams should have things his own way in the 13-year-old boys.

Richard Collis, a talented all-rounder, will be hard to beat among the 11-year-olds.

Flora Duffy, who has just turned 11, is expected to not only dominate the girls' 11 to 14 field but also to challenge the top boys for first overall.

Seven to 10 year olds will compete over a 100 metre swim, 5K bike and 1K run.

Tim Fox, an outstanding junior prospect, should win comfortably in the seven-year-old boys and will be hoping for a high placing in the overall seven to 10 honours. Gavin Smith and Brian Rose should round out the top three.

Hayley Joy is expected to pick up the seven-year-old girls' title while Ricky Sousa, after an impressive performance in the Bank of Bermuda Duathlon, will be confident of his chances among eight-year-old boys.

The nine-year-old boys will produce an interesting match up as Raishun Burch moves up to take on Andrew Nichol. The 10-year-old boys are likely to produce a close finish between Geoffrey Smith and Tyler Abbott.

CORRECTION: A report in Tuesday's newspaper incorrectly identified Cori Bulford as the winner of the Bermuda Bicycle Association's road race for 11 to 12-year-olds. It should have stated that the winner was James Adams, who finished in a time of 33.30, three hundredths of a second ahead of Bulford.