Despite his small size Tim Fox put in one of the weekend's biggest performances as Bermuda's young triathletes flew the flag in Canada.

The Island sent a team of athletes to the Wasaga Beach triathlon, near Toronto, with the diminutive Fox taking third place in the boy's 12-13 category of the Eastern Canadian Regional Championships.

After finishing the 300 metre swim in 14th place, Fox had the fifth fastest run split for the 12.5km bike and held on well on the 3km run to finish in 44 minutes. Justin Collis finished close behind Fox in fourth place in 44.45 after his usual excellent run.

Alex McManus came off the bike in fourth place, but saw his hopes of a top finish dashed as he had removed his running shoes out of the transition area and ended up having to run barefoot. To his credit he finished his race in 46.52, good enough for 12th place.

On Saturday, 16-year-old Matthew Herring competed in the Canadian Junior Triathlon Championships and acquitted himself well placing 19th in a field of 48 that included all of the best Canadian juniors.

Herring had an outstanding swim, emerging from the water in seventh place. He then moved into a group of eight riders on the cycle leg trying to chase down the two leaders.

Herring was eighth out of the bike and run transition, but on the run, his weakest discipline, he faded somewhat posting a 22.56 whilst many of the juniors posted sub-18 minute runs for the 5km.

In the girls 16-19 age group Ashley Robinson Roberts finished in 1: 17.14, placing a creditable 22nd out of 35.

Bermuda's other representative, Robyn Dickinson, after a good swim and bike, was unable to complete the run and did not finish.

In the Olympic distance age group race Vanessa Madeiros, a member of the TRex group of triathletes, had an outstanding race posting 2:09.44.

Although the bike and run courses were found to be quite short this still represented a very good performance from Madeiros that equated to around 2:30 had the course been an accurate 1500m swim, 40km bike and 5km run. Madeiros was eighth in her age group and 82nd overall.

In the girls' 10-11 age group of the Eastern Canadian Regional Championships yesterday, Tri Hedz club member Kaitlin Miller had an outstanding race over the 150m swim, 7.5km bike and 2km run course finishing in third place in a time of 30.40.

Dorian Armstrong, despite a foot injury that hampered his run, finished seventh amongst the boy's 10-11 group over the same course in 31.18.

The last race of the day saw a large field in the 14-15 age group and Bermuda's two representatives, Khamari Greaves and Coyatito Smith both rose to the occasion to produce outstanding performances against members of the Canadian Junior Training programme over a 400m swim, 15km bike and 4km run course. Greaves was fifth out of the water and then produced the seventh fastest bike and run splits to take sixth place in 49.45.

After a solid swim and bike, Smith produced a blistering run, the second fastest of the day (12.17), to edge out Greaves and take fifth place in 49.18.

TRex coach Dave Morrison said he was delighted with the level of competition, a calibre Bermuda's juniors have rarely experienced when travelling abroad.

"It is now hoped to bring many of these top junior clubs to Bermuda in June 2003 to train and race against the Bermuda junior triathletes," he said.

The TRex tour continues this week with a two day training camp with Canadian National Junior Coach Barrie Shepley.