THEY might not have won the inaugural King of the Rock Lacrosse tournament but Bermuda's newly-formed under 19s team is being tipped to do well in the World Championship next month.

The team lost 3-12 to eventual winners Team Macwear, an all-star team from Long Island, New York at the weekend three-way tourney at the National Sports Centre in Devonshire.

But Bermuda's youngsters overcame Bermuda's senior side and Michael Totman, President of Bermuda Lacrosse, is tipping them to make their mark in the International Lacrosse Federation's World Championships from July 3-12 in Coquitlam, British Columbia.

They are in a group along with Finland, Scotland, Wales, Germany and South Korea, with the winners then earning the right to take on the lacrosse powerhouse nations in the other group such as the US and Canada.

But while the team lacks experience together, the players aren't novices said Totman.

He told the Mid-Ocean News: "All of our kids play at prep school in the US, so they are playing against the top talent in the US normally during the course of their school year.

"So we actually have some pretty solid kids on our team coming together for the first time ¿ but individually their skills are leaps and bounds beyond our senior men's team."

And they showed form against Team Macwear at the weekend.

"They played a very competitive game, it was to give them some experience, they had never played together as a team in a competition."

Running the rule over some of Bermuda's opponents in Canada next month, he said: "Scotland will be pretty tough because they have a lot of players from Canada with duel citizenship, Finland's programme has been around for quite a while but this is the first trip for the under-19 team so we are not too sure what they will be like."

He said Germany has an established lacrosse set up, around since the mid 1990s but he is not sure how their league measures up to North American counterparts.

But Totman, who will help out with coaching duties, is backing Bermuda to advance.

He said: "I think we are going to do very well. I am looking to place very highly in our pool. I am pretty confident of getting into the championship tournament."

Some of the games will be broadcast live on pay-per-view internet on 2008worldlax.com.

Totman declared the King of the Rock tournament a smashing success despite some hitches which saw the schedule changed when flight delays in New York and the early closing of Bermuda's airport forced the US team to arrive on the morning of the opening ceremonies rather than the night before.

But players took it in their stride. Totman said: "Having a team of the highest lacrosse skill and character such as Team Macwear visit Bermuda and spend time not only competing against our club, but helping to teach the younger players some of the finer points that are necessary to win was an invaluable experience.

"We cannot thank those guys enough for taking the time to come to Bermuda to help us as we try to develop our programme."

Inside Lacrosse Magazine, a major US publication, was on hand to document the historic event and blogged live from the island throughout the weekend.

"We are confident that this tournament will continue to take shape and evolve into a premiere stop on the summer tournament schedule.

"We've got plans for a youth initiative, a women's entry in the world championships, and an even bigger event next year," said Totman.

Festivities began earlier in the week when the Bermuda U19 team came together for the first time for a training camp at Saltus Grammar School.

They trained hard all week in double sessions with 100 percent attendance and were ready to participate against the top talent from the US.

Their training concluded by hosting an impromptu skills clinic for the students at Saltus as they gathered on the field before class.

The Warwick Gombey Troupe performed and was presented with a custom dyed and strung lacrosse stick by Bermuda Lacrosse and Lacrosse Unlimited in New York.