AMERICA'S Cup skippers, Olympic gold medallists and world champions have been out-manoeuvring and out-thinking each other in Hamilton Harbour this week, demonstrating their extraordinary sailing skills in the King Edward VII Gold Cup, considered one of sailing's most prestigious match racing events anywhere in the world.

Early next week, four of the world's leading golf professionals will be battling it out at Mid Ocean Club to claim the title of Grand Slam champion – a tournament designed for those who have already proved their worth by winning one of the game's so-called majors.

Not long after that, some of sport's toughest athletes will test their strength, endurance and fitness in the international Escape to Bermuda Triathlon.

And a week later, some equally tough sportsmen, arguably not as agile or as fit as those triathletes, will step out at the National Sports Centre for an event which is now recognised among the rugby fraternity as the one festival no player wants to miss – the World Rugby Classic.

In the space of a single month, Bermuda plays host to a string of sporting events any of which those in other countries would die for.

It's testament to what this small Island can achieve and has to offer when it comes to the big occasion.

And while it's been said so many times before, now it seems would be as good a time as any to discuss what more could be done to take full advantage of Bermuda's climate and geographical location to host even more world class competitions.

With tourism figures almost on free-fall, sports-related tourism has to be considered as one way of rising out of the slump.

And if a list were to be drawn up to consider which sport had the most to offer, swimming might find itself at the very top.

But that won't happen because after 20 years or more, Government indecision, prevarication and plain stubbornness means we still don't have an Olympic-sized (50-metre) pool.

And unless the National Sports Centre's Trustees and Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association have reached an agreement which so far hasn't been relayed to the public, there's nothing to suggest that such a facility will be available any time soon.

It had been agreed such a pool would be built on land between the North and South fields of the NSC, but when work should begin, at what price and whether a warm-up pool and diving pool such as those found at most major cities, even colleges, would be included . . . well who knows?

Swimming is the one sport in which Bermuda has been consistently represented in Olympic, Commonwealth and Pan-Am Games as well as World Championships over the last quarter of a century or more, despite the fact that those who have worn the Island's colours have trained almost exclusively overseas.

The point made by those who travelled to the most recent Olympics in Beijing was the same as that made by so many before them.

If Bermuda were to boast its own Olympic-size pool, then not only would the local competitive swimmers – of which there are hundreds – benefit, but clubs, colleges and schools overseas would be clamouring to fly in to take advantage of such a facility.

The benefits for all concerned would be enormous.

Local swimmers wouldn't have to travel overseas to get the training and competition necessary to reach international standard.

Competition here would attract leading swimmers from overseas, who in turn would encourage those who live here to swim faster and improve their training methods – a win-win situation with tourism reaping the rewards.

It's easy to see why those involved in the sport in Bermuda have vented their frustration when millions of taxpayers' dollars have been handed over to cricket when swimming's governing body can probably claim as many, if not more members than that national sport, yet has no proper facility in which to train, let alone compete.

Is that about change?

Ten years ago that same governing body were optimistic it would.

They're still waiting.

– ADRIAN ROBSON