Local swimmers will be involved in some exciting racing at the Great Britain winter short course championships, which started in Sheffield yesterday (Thurs) and end on Sunday, writes ERIC WILKINSON.

Newcastle's Olympian Sue Rolph heads the qualifiers in three events, 100m butterfly, 100m and 200m individual medley. Her club mate Sarah Whewell is seeded third in the medley events. Fellow Olympian Nicola Jackson, a member of the Richmond and Derwentside clubs, is in second spot in the 100m butterfly, but is favourite for the 50m and is also in fourth spot in the 200m freestyle.

Other well seeded Newcastle swimmers are Chris Cook, second 200m breastroke and fourth 50m and 100m; Darren Wigg, second 400m individual medley; Julie Fort, fourth 50m backstroke and fifth in the 100m and seventh in the 200m. Newcastle's men's 4x100m medley and women's 4x100m freestyle teams have the third fastest qualifying times.

So popular is the Wear Valley Christmas Stockton open gala that over 200 entries have had to be refused for this year's event which is at Bishop Auckland tomorrow (Sat) and Sunday (9.30am and 2.30pm) with members of 19 clubs competing.

Triple national age group bronze medallist Danielle Berry (Newcastle) is favourite for three of the four girls 11-12yrs events. She is second in the other to Laura Whing (Gateshead), who was also third at the age groups.

Also on a hat-trick is Aimee Ramm (Kingfishers).

Quickest qualifiers in two events are: Jenn Cornes (Moors), Katie Marie Hall (Derwentside), Karl Wood (Newcastle), Christopher Rawlings (Derwentside), Graham Parker (South Tyneside) and Will Freeman Dunn (Moors).

The NE Counties finished third in the ASA's boys 15 and under inter-district waterpolo championship at Manchester winning two of its four games and only losing by one goal to the North West who went on to take the title.

The tournament's top scorer, with 16 golds, was George Carpenter Jnr (Sedgefield), Aidan Stonehouse (Sedgefield) was outstanding in goal.

Sedgefield will be without Angie Winstanley-Smith, its brilliant young international, when it meets five top teams in the Liverpool girls U18 waterpolo tournament on Sunday, which will provide some excellent experience for its young and up and coming side.