tonight to kick off Bermuda's busiest week of swimming.

The Harbour Open Championships begin today at 6.00 p.m. with heats in 35 events, and continue tomorrow with another 35 heats. Finals, covering all four strokes in distances ranging from 50 to 200 metres, take place on Saturday beginning at 9.00 a.m.

Top Bermuda swimmers from all four Island clubs will be challenged by competitors from Pioneer Valley Swim Club of Massachusetts and three clubs from the Toronto area.

The meet will also mark the return of national record holder Lisa Blackburn.

The 25-year-old Bermudian, now living and swimming in Canada, returns to the meet in which she set the national mark in the 100-metre freestyle (59.88 seconds) five years ago.

Admission is free.

On Sunday, the Trunk Island Swim takes centre stage at 2.00 p.m., a three quarter of a mile ocean swim from Trunk Island in Harrington Sound to Palmetto Beach Hotel. The swim is open to the public (those wishing to take part can sign up at BASA Pool) and has attracted an average of more than 350 participants over the last few years.

The busy week concludes on Monday with a series of relay events pitting the best of the visitors against the best of Bermuda.