The Scottish long course championships at Glasgow this weekend provide the fourth and last chance to qualify for the British team to compete in the World championships in Japan, next month, writes ERIC WILKINSON.

Nicola Jackson (Richmond) who is already in the 4x200m freestyle team, will be trying to clock the tough qualifying times in the 200m freestyle, 50m and 100m butterfly, so that she can compete in the individual events. Her younger sister Joanne is entered for the same three events plus the 100m freestyle and 200m butterfly.

Newcastle has a number of entrants including its top four internationals - Darren Wigg, 200m butterfly and individual medley; Chris Cook 100m and 200m breaststroke; Sarah Whewell 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley and Julie Fort 400m individual medley, 100m and 200m backstroke.

The Raventhorpe Prep School team of Emily Jane Saxby, Adam Hilary, Steven and Adam Lister and reserves Rachel Bradley and Michael Whittaker excelled themselves at the finals of the English Primary Schools team championships at Sheffield. They finished first in the small schools medley race, beating Bodiam Manor School, Sussex and breaking the record. They were also a close up second to Bodiam in the freestyle relay when both teams were again inside the previous record. As a result they shared the small schools points trophy.

Tynemouth won the Durham and District Junior Swimming League title, which they last held in 1981, when this year's finals took place at Felling. They scored 177 points in division one, Newcastle had 165, Darlington 156, Wear Valley 153, Chester-le-Street 131 and Stokesley 107. Tynemouth will now represent the league in the Northern semi-final of the National Junior League champions competition.

South Tyneside gained promotion to division one by winning the division two final with 182, Middlesbrough got 172, Stockton 155, Hartlepool 136, City of Sunderland 124, Durham 110. Castle Morpeth move up into division two as a result of scoring 194 points in the division three final, Consett got 192, Newburn 162, Ashington 135, Hebburn 106, Billingham 87.

Newburn members Jennifer Bamburgh, Rebecca Rides and Charlotte Copesteke swam well in their first outdoor long distance race despite the cold water and being the youngest competitors, to finish third, fourth and fifth respectively in the National Junior 3k championship at Holme Pierrepont Water Sports Centre, Nottingham.

So close were Jennifer and Rebecca that they were both given the same time, but Jennifer got the judges' decision by a fingernail. Club mate Matthew Hadden was seventh in the junior men's event.

Among the entrants with the fastest qualifying times in two events at the NE Counties long course age group championships in Sheffield this week are four members of the newly formed Durham University Aquatics Club, an amalgamation of various clubs, in Tara Johnson, 14-16yrs 400m freestyle and 12-16yrs 800m freestyle; Stephanie Proud 12-13yrs 100m and 200m backstroke; Laura Whing 12-13yrs 100m breaststroke, 11-13yrs 200m breaststroke; Chris Alderton 13-14yrs 100m and 200m breaststroke.

Newcastle's Andrew Thirlwell also heads the field in the 15-16yrs 100m backstroke and 200m freestyle.

Other top seeds include: Jessica Pickens (Stockton) 11yrs 200m backstroke; Natasha Crawley (Middlesbrough) 14-16yrs 200m individual medley; Danielle Berry 11-13yrs 400m freestyle and Richard Savage (Newcastle) 15-16yrs 200m butterfly; David Proud 13-16yrs 1500m freestyle and Philip Carter (Durham Aqua) 14-16yrs 400m freestyle.