USA V AUSTRALIA DUELS ADD SPICE TO SINGAPORE'S FINA/ARENA WORLD CUP

CANBERRA, October 31: Singapore's round of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup this weekend is shaping up as a "mini duel in the pool" with United States foursome Tara Kirk, Kara Lynn Joyce, Randall Bal and Peter Marshall up against Australia's rising group of Telstra Dolphins.

Experienced backstrokers Bal and Marshall are sure to keep 20-year-old emerging Dolphin Robert Hurley on his toes after the AIS-based Wollongong boy broke the four-year-old world record in the 50m backstroke in Sydney last Sunday.- IAN HANSON reports...

Bal, who dominated the Series last year, remaining unbeaten in over 21 races, won the 50m backstroke in the opening Belo Horizonte and Durban rounds before Hurley smashed German Thomas Rupprath's 2004 world mark, in his absence.

It means that Singapore will now bring together three of the fastest all-time top five short course backstrokers in history with Hurley's world record standing him on top on 23.24, ahead of fourth ranked Bal (23.33) and fifth ranked Marshall (23.39).

Beijing Olympians Lynn Joyce and Sweden's Therese Alshammar are sure to keep Australia's FINA/ARENA point's leader Marieke Guehrer honest in the freestyle and butterfly sprints while South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh will re-kindle his breaststroke duels with male point's leader, Australia's Christian Sprenger.

Also lining up for Australia will be world-record breaking 50m butterflyer Matt Jaukovic, who sizzled in Sydney last Saturday, setting a new world mark in the men's 50m butterfly (22.50).

Sprenger, who has won seven breaststroke gold medals in the first three legs, holds a narrow lead over Jaukovic (45 points) and Hurley (40 points).

Similar performances from Jaukovic and Hurley will certainly put them well and truly in contention for a slice of the $US180, 000 prize money on offer - with $US100, 000 going to the pointscore leader at the end of the European legs next month.

Guehrer has been the dominant pointscorers over the first three rounds and leads the FINA treasure hunt on 75 points from Alshammar and South Africa's Katheryn Meaklim - who has won 12 events in three legs - (both on 29).

Finals start at 5:30pm Singapore time Saturday November 1 and Sunday November 2 - 8.30pm AEDST and 7.30pm AEST.

SINGAPORE (November 1, 2): MEN: Ashley Delaney (Nunawading, Vic), Christian Sprenger (Commercial, QLD), Robert Hurley (Wests Illawarra Aquatic, NSW), Nick Ffrost (Southport Olympic, QLD), Matthew Jaukovic (Sydney University, NSW), Mitchell Patterson (Warringah Aquatic, NSW), Tom Miller (Cranbrook Eastern Edge, NSW), Sam Ashby (Carey Aquatic, VIC/VIS), Christopher Wright (Commercial, QLD), WOMEN: Bronte Barratt (Albany Creek, QLD), Kristy Morrison (Castle Hill RSL: Dolphins, NSW), Marieke Guehrer (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC), Sally Foster (Central Aquatic, WA), Sarah Katsoulis (CA Tritons, VIC), Amy Smith (St Peters Western, Qld), Alice Mills (Chandler, QLD), Kelly Stubbins (Haileybury Waterlions, VIC/VIS), Sophie Edington (Kingscliff, NSW). Coaches: Alan Thompson (Head Coach), Steve Alderman, John Rodgers. Angelo Basalo (NSWIS), Rohan Taylor (VIS).