The ASA's 3km and 5km open water long distance championships are at the Holme Pierrepont national watersports centre tomorrow - and among the competitors will be four from this area, writes ERIC WILKINSON.

Denry Aal (Newcastle) contests the men's 5km event, David Proud (Chester-le-Street) and Christopher Philpott (Peterlee) compete in their age group 5km races.

But the competitor most likely to get a podium place is talented Tara Johnson (Newburn), 13, who races in her age group 3km event.

She has already clocked some very impressive freestyle times over all distances this season.

The quartet will be accompanied by former national long distance champion Paul Hogg.

Currently a coach with Newcastle, in July Hogg is to take over as chief coach at Newburn when Kevin Renshaw succeeds his father John in charge at Chester-le-Street.

Promotion and relegation issues will be decided on Sunday when the Durham and District Junior League finals take place at Felling.

In addition, the Division One winners will go on to represent the league in the Northern semi-final of the National Junior Inter-league champions' competition.

Points gained in the qualifying rounds are disregarded.

The start is at 10am with Division Three first, Division Two is at 1pm and Division One at 4pm.

There will be a keen fight for the Division One promotion place with four Division Two clubs - Sedgefield, Sunderland, Stokesley and Stockton - all qualifying with 15 points. They are joined by Durham and Hartlepool.

The Division One finalists are Newcastle, Tynemouth, Wear Valley, Darlington, Chester-le-Street, Gateshead with Middlesbrough, Richmond, Ponteland, Newburn, Consett, Hebburn competing from Division Three.

The Northumberland and Durham Masters Championships are at Eston tomorrow with events in all strokes for men and women in five-year age bands ranging from 19 to 75 and over. There will also be medley and freestyle relay teams.

Paul Woodley from Newcastle was the most successful competitor at the Wear Valley national age group qualifying gala.

Woodley won six events to take the boys 15-18 years points prize. Club-mate Rachel Thompson took the girls' 15-18 prize.

There was a tie for the girls 13-14 award between Emily Surtees (Wear Valley) and Vicky Miller (Newcastle) with Surtees taking the prize on a countback of first places. The boys' recipient was Philip Carter (Wear Valley). The 11-12 top scorers were Scott Hathaway (Wear Valley) and Danielle Berry (Newcastle).