The 2009 Carifta and Central American and Caribbean Age-Group Swimming Championships (CCCAN) stars Kimberlee John-Williams, Joshua Romany, Dylan Carter and Cadell Lyons will be among more than 230 swimmers looking to secure qualification for next year’s regional games today, when the two-day annual Stingray October Classic splashes off from 9 a.m. at the Presentation College 25-metre pool in San Fernando.

The meet marks the start of the qualification period for the next Carifta Swimming Championships, scheduled for Jamaica in April 2010, and the Caribbean Island Swimming Championships (CISC) in July.

It will also be the first local meet where the use of high-tech suits will be disallowed.

Following world governing body FINA’s ban of suits effective January 1, 2010, the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) made the decision to ban the use of the controversial suits from October 1, 2009, a move taken by other countries including the United States, whose swimming organisation is using the same October 1 implementation date.

For ASATT, the decision coincides with their qualification period-which extends to next March for Carifta and next June for CISC-to prevent an unfair advantage to swimmers next year.

The new rule allows only natural or synthetic materials for suits, with men’s suits not passing the navel or knee, and the women’s suits not covering the neck, or extending past the shoulders or knees.

This weekend’s meet will also see ASATT’s newest members, Sea Hawks Swim Club-with head coach Brian Wickham, who will be assisted by decorated former national swimmer and record-holder Terry Ann Evelyn-competing for the first time.

Along with John-Williams, Romany, Carter and Lyons, other 2009 CCCAN and CARIFTA standouts like Cherelle Thompson, Caryle Blondell, Keegan Boisson-Yates and Kristin Julien will be in action.

Also splashing into action are 2009 Hyundai Maracas Open Water Classic top-ten finishers Stefan Sharpe, Theana Hay, Renee Gordon, Joshua Changar and Jonathan Gillette.