A total of 30 youngsters representing two local track clubs flew out yesterday to compete in the popular East Coast/Russell E. Blunt Invitational track meet in North Carolina this weekend.

For the Pacer's Track Club it will be their 18th appearance at the East Coast meet, which is being combined for the first time this year with the Russell E.

Blunt meet.

The West End Athletic Club will mark their first appearance with a team of 16 in attendance at the Duke University where the three days of competition will be held, starting tomorrow. The Durham Striders track Club, organisers of this year's meet, expect the numbers to be in the region of 2,500 junior athletes between the ages of eight and 18. The Pacers will take part in 36 individual and two relay events. Their team this year is very young, with eight of the athletes in the 9-10 boys and girls age group. Still, it is a strong team. In the 9-10 boys, the team will be led by sprinting sensation Harold Trey Houston who was champion boy in both the BSSF Primary School Sports and the BTFA National Championships.

Other participants in that age group are Kyle Wade, Roger Lee Jr. and Kumar Grant. The four boys will also take part in the 9-10 4x100 metres relay. In the 9-10 girls team there is another BSSF champion -- Deanne Lightbourne of Harrington Sound -- while two Prospect Primary schools, Kiara Baxter and Charlene Grant, will join her. Venicia Raynor of Heron Bay completes the team.

This is the second appearance at the ECI meet for Lightbourne and Raynor while Baxter and Grant will make their debuts. The four will also make up the 4x400 metres relay.

Latroya Darrell and Reginald Walcott are the only athletes in the 11-12 boys and girls age group, Darrell making her second appearance and Walcott his third. The last time these two competed at the ECI both won medals, with Darrell setting a new record in the 9-10 girls high jump her last time out.

Henry Talbot will make his second appearance at the meet. He last competed in the 11 and 12 boys 800 and 1500 metres and this year he will be competing in the 15-16 800 and 1500 metres.

The Pacers team will be boosted by the inclusion of Danielle Watson, Richard Walcott and Gabriel Wilkinson straight from the Junior CAC Championships in Puerto Rico last weekend.

Watson will be a definite medal contender in the 13-14 girls 200 and 400 metres and long jump. At last year's event she won a gold medal in the long jump and placed fifth in both the 200 and 400 metres.

Wilkinson and Walcott will be making their sixth and eighth appearances respectively at the ECI/REB meet and both will be competing in the 17-18 age group.

This will be Wilkinson's final appearance and he is looking forward to improving on his fifth place performances in shot putt and discus last year.

Walcott will be competing in this age group for the first time and will be going for medals in the 800 and 1500 metres. Last year he won gold in each with personal best performances.

The team will return on Tuesday. They will be accompanied by coaches Cal Simons and Jay Tucker and three executive members of Pacers as well as parents.

Following are the team members of the West End Athletic Club who were also due to depart yesterday: Eight and under boys: Terron Christopher (100m, 400m) 9-10 boys: Terrence Christopher (200m, 400m, high jump); Joshua Lightbourne (200m, high jump) 11-12 boys: Sheldon McKenzie (800m, 1500m, high jump); Carlo Paynter (800m, 1500m); Dennis Martin (800m, 1500m) 13-14 boys: Coyatito Smith (800m, 1500m) 9-10 girls: Danila Martin (200m, 800m) 11-12 girls: Kalita Furbert (200m, 400m, 4x100m relay); Sierra Dowling (100m, 200m, 4x100m relay); Tia Kipps (100m, 200m, 4x100m relay); Shellicia McKenzie (800m, 1500m); Brittany Pitt (800m, 1500m, high jump, 4x100m relay); Tine Tucker (100m, 200m, high jump, 4x100m relay) 15-16 girls: Rachel Furbert (100m, 200m) 13-14 girls: Jonae Smith (100m, 200m)