Olympic 200m breaststroke silver and bronze medallist and a former triple European champion, Nick Gillingham, will be demonstrating his skills and helping the youngsters during the Northumberland and Durham Counties ASA's annual residential development camp for top 11 and 12-year-old swimmers at the Billingham Forum this weekend, writes ERIC WILKINSON.

They qualified to attend by winning medals in the 2000 Twin Counties age group championships. In addition to swimming they will do land training and will be given talks by experts. Nick will be there all day Sunday and any swimming teachers or coaches who wish to go along to watch and listen are free to do so.

The popular annual Gateshead open meet also takes place at Felling this weekend.

Sydney Olympian and British record holder Nichola Jackson (Richmond and Derwentside) leaves on Tuesday for a seven-week British long course training camp on the Australian Gold Coast.

Newcastle's Darren Wigg was second in the 400m individual medley at the British fixture in the Swimming World Cup at Sheffield and Sue Rolph (Newburn) finished third in the 200m individual medley. Christopher Cook (Newcastle) touched home fourth in the 100m breaststroke and sixth in the 50m, and club mate Sarah Whewell was fifth in the 100m freestyle and individual medley. Former Stockton and Newcastle member David Cox (Glasgow) was fifth in the 200m butterfly and Robin Francis (Bath Univ), the former York club member, was fifth in the 200m and 400m individual medley and sixth in the 100m individual medley.

The 2001 Northumberland and Durham Counties championship dates are: March 10-11, Newcastle; March 24-25 Middlesbrough; April 7-8, Darlington; May 5 Felling (all teams).

The North-Eastern Counties (which also includes Yorkshire) championship dates are: May 12-13, junior and senior long course, Sheffield; May 19-20 age group long course, Leeds; June 23-24, age group long course, Sheffield; September 22-23, Masters, Scarborough; November 3-4, Junior/senior short course, Middlesbrough; November 17-18, age group short course, Harrogate.