Championships in Perth, yesterday.

Froud, one of 11 athletes from the Island who travelled to Australia, finished 57th of a field of 73 in the 35-39 age group with an overall time of 2:14.38.

Fellow Bermudian Kent Richardson finished a place behind him in the category with a time of 2:16:31.

There were also creditable performances from Melanie Claude, 36, who clocked 2:25.36 to finish 21st out of 46 in her first world championships since moving up to the 35-39 women's group and the Island's oldest competitor, Jim Butterfield.

The 47-year-old finished just eight places below the top 20 in the 45-49 category with a time of 2:17.32.

Meanwhile Steven Petty, 45, who competed in the inaugural world championships in Avignon, France in 1989, and Trevor Todd, were making their sixth appearances at the event.

Petty finished 43rd out of 57 entrants in the 45-49 age group in 2:24.48 while Todd, competing in the 30-34 category, clocked 2:39.28.

All the competitors had to overcome shallow water and sticky jellyfish in the Swan River in the 1,500 metre swimming leg of a championships which was dominated by the host nation.

The section used had been dredged beforehand after some competitors complained of cutting their hands and feet on broken glass on the river bed during training.

But the non-stinging variety of jellyfish, which leave a trail of slime on the fingers of swimmers, remained.

Australian Chris McCormack beat off New Zealander Hamish Carter and the much-fancied defending champion Simon Lessing, from Britain, to win the men's elite category in 1:48.29. He maintained narrow leads throughout each discipline to leave Carter 17 seconds behind him at the finish and Lessing a further 11 seconds back.

Fellow Aussie Emma Carney, who won the International Triathlon Union World Cup event in Bermuda in September, trailed in the swimming leg but made up ground in the 40km cycle ride to came home first in 1:59.22 in the women's event.

Compatriots Jackie Gallagher, the defending champion, and Michellie Jones finished in 1:59.36 and 2:00.48 respectively.

Other Bermudian competitors were: Kevin Tucker (men's 25-29, 2:25.08); Laurie Orchard, women's 25-29, 2:35.39; Heather Brand, women's 30-34, 2:31.30; and Dawn Robinson, women's 35-39, 2:55.14.

Gerrit De Jonge suffered an ankle injury in training and did not compete.