May the fourth be with Pete

The Southampton-based star, who claimed a silver medal in the synchro in Athens last summer along with partner Leon Taylor, won three golds in his opening event of 2005 last month, the British championships.

Waterfield heads up the team of eight British divers, including three others from Southampton, competing at the Federation Internationale De Natation event in Rostock.

He is taking part in the individual 10-metre event and is confident he will scoop a medal.

Meanwhile, he will be joined for the first time at Rostock by fellow Southampton divers Charly Tomkys, Tom Owens and Gary Hunt.

Spurring the team on will be Southampton Diving Academy coach and British Olympic team manager Lindsey Fraser, the reigning female UK Sports Coach of the Year.

"Peter should do well at this event as he won 10-metre gold at the last Commonwealth Games. Charly, Tom and Gary have not competed at Rostock before and are very excited. For them, this is a chance to gain experience."

Owens, aged 19, and Hunt, 20, are competing in the three metre synchronised event.

Gary and Gareth Jones (Plymouth) are taking part in the 10 metre synchronised competition and Tomkys, 19, has teamed up with Hayley Sage (Beaumont) for the three metre synchro.

Hunt will also enter the individual 10 metre event at Rostock alongside Waterfield in the first FINA event of the year.

Waterfield said: "I am keen to perform well. I've been training hard and developing new levels of personal and mental fitness and agility. I am now more confident and determined to achieve golds at events throughout 2005."

The 24-year-old is working towards next year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the Olympics in China in 2008.

Southampton Diving Academy Olympic hopeful, Max Brick, 12, flew out to China this week to join the Junior Olympic Programme.

Brick, who is coached by Tomkys, will take part in the Beijing pre-Games training camp and dive in the Olympic pool.