weekend.

Some 150 young sailors from all of the Island clubs are expected to take part in the National Youth Sailing Championships, tomorrow and Sunday in the Great Sound.

The regatta is the culmination of the Bank of Butterfield Grand Prix races, which have been held every Friday this season.

Competitors ranging from age 9-17 will be divided into age groups, and will sail Optimists, JY 15s, Lasers and Laser IIs around variations of triangular courses in the Sound.

The competition should be tough, with the likes of A.J Crane, Alexander Kirkland, Alex Lines, and Giles Spurling at the helm.

Organiser and Bermuda Sailing Association executive Chuck Millican told The Royal Gazette that this regatta, held annually for the last eight years, was usually a step toward the national team.

"This year we have a year and a half to prepare for the next World Championships in South Africa in 1999, so we don't need to select a national team yet,'' said Millican.

"At this regatta next year, top sailors may earn a place on the competing National team,'' he added.

Kirkland and Crane, in particular, are coming off impressive performances at the Canadian Olympic training Regatta in Kingston, Ontario.

Sitting sixth after four races, Kirkland rallied over the last three races to win the Optimist Dinhgy class last week.

One of five Royal Bermuda Yacht Club members in the competition, he beat 71 sailors from the US and Canada.

Crane, the early leader, dropped to fourth beind Canadian national champion Scott Donaldson and US team member Catherine Whitman.

Allowed to drop one race in the seven-race series, Kirkland was counting on dispatching a 34th place finish from his third race and could not afford another bad finish in his final three races.

Trailing in the final race, he picked a key windshift in the second heat to move him from ninth to second at the finish.

He also had three third-place finishes to go along with a win in the fourth race.

Lines was 14th overall, Spurling 17th and JP Doughty 37th.

Sailors were giving much of the credit to their coach, Brett Davis, an All-American at Harvard University and a member of the US Laser team.