A DECISION by the IASA's executive committee in Dublin at the weekend to endorse an association AGM ruling, could sustain the controversial debate on the basic entitlement of the junior competitor - ie, to be afforded a full range of junior racing opportunities strictly against contemporaries at the national championships.

What has been offered the junior who wishes to compete in distinctly under aged championship events is as unpalatable now as it was at the past two association AGMs when junior individual events were banished from the nationals.

The national championship races have gone open in a way that denies the ambitious and less capable junior the opportunity of competing against his or her peers in specific national junior individual title races.

The executive has in fact decided that the status quo be maintained despite concern and the AGM's decision to restrict the options for a junior in this way was thus confirmed.

IASA secretary Celia Millane explains: "The executive committee felt that it had to stand by the AGM decision". This puts paid to the hopes of some that medals would be awarded to the fastest three juniors competing in each open event.

Instead, the first three home in an Open event will naturally receive gold, silver and bronze. Juniors filling these positions is of course possible but unlikely. Says Millane, however: "The fastest overall junior will get an award regardless of the time having been attained in heats or finals."

The position is made abundantly clear on the official handout: "All individual events in the nationals now are open. There are no separate junior or senior events."

Whatever about the perceived threat the open rule could entail for the aspirations of all juniors, no such pessimism exists in the burgeoning area of Division II age group fare.

The 2,000 entries reflect the obvious interest at this level and, by all accounts, the Guinness Pool tests at the weekend were a huge success all round. The competition was created to facilitate young competitors who did not manage qualifying times for the age group championships proper. Forty nine clubs from around the country were involved and it has been deemed wise to span the tests over a three day period next year in Cork where two six lane pools will assuredly lessen the burden for the organisers.

This year's choice of a five lane venue, plus the enormous entries, necessitated all events being decided on the basis of heat declared winner.