Triathlon Championships this November in Australia.

The stumbling block: Money. The benefits: Immeasurable.

"It's the only way (to improve),'' Hawley said after winning the women's division of the Bank of Bermuda Triathlon on Sunday. "You have to compete against good people. It's one thing to win here but to compete overseas and win is an entirely different thing.'' While she makes up her mind, Hawley will be competing overseas this month, in Canada as part of the President's Choice Triathlon Series.

*** ONE of the first overseas triathletes to cross the finish line on Sunday was Jamie Maguire, part of a 23-strong clan making their annual pilgrimage from Philadelphia to visit the Way family.

Maguire finished 13th overall in one hour, seven minutes and 23 seconds.

His sister, Tara, was 49th overall and won the women's 19-29 age group in 1:15:16. Tara is used to competing in big sporting events: She was a member of the US Olympic field hockey team in Atlanta.

The family will be putting together two teams for this Sunday's Bank of Bermuda Team Triathlon.

*** THE Team Triathlon will differ from the individual version in terms of distance. The swim is one mile (as opposed to a half-mile), the bike 15 miles (rather than 12) and the run six miles (up from three), although the course is the same.

But with just one person per discipline, it becomes much like the short-course event of two days ago: A mad dash with little time for pacing or strategy.

"This was really just one flat-out race,'' said defending champion Neil de Ste Croix, who finished second to 14-year-old sensation Tyler Butterfield.

*** BUTTERFIELD can partially thank de Ste Croix for the victory.

It was two years ago when Butterfield decided to skip the Ironkids Triathlon, then the only junior triathlon on the Island. Butterfield said de Ste Croix and Dave Morrison were afterwards wondering why he didn't compete and persuaded him to take the sport more seriously.

Morrison and de Ste Croix now coach the Tri-Hedz Club, the Island's junior programme, with Butterfield one of their prize pupils.

Butterfield also gives plenty of credit to his father, Jim, founder of the Bermuda Triathlon Association and still competing at age 47. "He's really influenced me,'' Tyler said.

Jim Butterfield was the first Bermudian to compete in the famous Hawaii Ironman -- he finished seventh -- and represented the Island in the Olympics in rowing.

De Ste Croix figures Tyler also has the makings of an Olympic triathlete, "but he needs to work on his swimming. That really makes the difference in triathlons these days.'' Butterfield is already a competitive cyclist and runner.

*** ANOTHER up-and-comer is Adam Petty, who, at age 10, was the youngest competitor on Sunday. He finished in 1:14:19 -- better than about two-thirds of the finishers.

*** A SURPRISE fifth-place finisher on Sunday was Steve Sterritt, better known as one of the Island's top cyclists.

Ironically, Sterritt said he didn't make up a lot of ground during the 12-mile bike stage. "The swim took too much out of me,'' he said.

Sterritt has competed in triathlons before but not in over a year. Why did he choose to try this one? "There was nothing else going on,'' he said.

He'll also be in the Team Triathlon.

*** DEADLINE for entries in the Team Triathlon is Wednesday at 5.00 p.m.

That same day, Karen Smyers, the 1995 ITU World Cup champion, arrives as a guest of the BTA. She'll take part in Harbour Nights festivities, put on a couple of clinics -- for adults and juniors -- and compete in the Team Triathlon.