swimmers launched a hectic season on the weekend.

The Spring Series Meet at the BASA Pool was not only the first competition of the year, it was for most the first chance at qualifying for the Caribbean Championships in July, CAC Games in August and Commonwealth Games in September.

Two swimmers, Stephen Troake and Stephen Fahy, have already qualified for the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia and they could be joined by Ronald Cowen. The 17-year-old member of Dolphins Swim Club is now just seven tenths of a second away from achieving a Games berth in the 100-metres freestyle after the weekend competition.

But his times in the 100 and 400m freestyle, plus the 200m individual medley, were all good enough to crack the standard for the Caribbean Championships in Barbados. Troake, meanwhile, was also in action and reached the Caribbean standard in the 200m back and CAC mark with a time of 1:02.44 in the 100m back.

In total, 11 Bermuda swimmers cleared the barrier for the Caribbean Championships in 21 events.

Among them were the Aitken sisters, 14-year-old Keira and 12-year-old Ashley, who qualified in five events. Keira made it in the 100m back (improving on her previous best by 5.49 seconds), 200m back (bettering her PB by 5.79 seconds) and 100m free. Ashley reached the standard in the 100m free and 100m breast.

Both swim out of Harbour Club.

The top individual performance belonged to Jessica Sousa, who improved her previous best by a whopping 6.28 seconds in the 200m back.

Roy-Allan Burch reached the qualifying standards with a PB in the 100m back and the 50m free. Lesley Smith, 14, rounded off a fine performance by the younger swimmers who have never qualified for a national team when she reached the standard in the 50m free.

Others to qualify were Jonathan Herring (100, 200 and 400m free), Graham Smith (50m free and 100m breast), Jessica Marwick (200m breast) and Nuri Latham (50m free).

Next meet is the Spring Series II on May 16.