HOBART - United States swimmer-of-the-year for 1998, Jenny Thompson, put the finishing touches to the start of her 1999 international campaign with three more victories on the final night of the Hobart World Cup in Australia.

Thompson, 25, completed her second treble of the Australian meets, winning the 100m freestyle, the 100m individual medley and the 50m butterfly.

It takes her Sydney-Hobart winning tally to nine from 10 starts, including a new world record in the 100m IM in Sydney.

Thompson started her final night in Australia, the same way she ended Sydney, on the winners dais. This time in the 100m freestyle over arch-rival, Katrin Meissner (GER) and Louise Johnke (SWE).

Her winning time was 53.65, to Meissners 54.48 and Johnkes 55.18.

In the medley, Thompson showed why she is the No 1 swimmer in the world with a tearaway win in 1:00.77, from Marianne Limpert (CAN) 1:02.77 and Lori Munz (AUS) 1:03.04.

Two events later, Thompson (26.55) proved too strong for A-K Kammerling (SWE) 26.77 and Johanna Sjoberg (SWE) 27.09.

The fourth US victory went to Brad Bridgewater in the 200m backstroke (1:55.25), with Emanuele Merise (ITA) in 1:57.10 and Rogerio Romero (BRA) third in 1:58.52.

The Australians won eight of the 17 events with Olympic champion Susie ONeill continuing her domination in the 200m butterfly with a time of 2:07.36.

Once again the Australian men showed their strength in the freestyle events with Nathan Rickard breaking through for his first World Cup win in the 50m; Ian Thorpe stretched his unbeaten run over 200 and 400m with victory in the 200m in 1:45.71 while Grant Hackett swam the second fastest time over the last 12 months in winning the 1500m in 14:43.96.

Other Australian wins were Matt Welsh (50m backstroke, 24.89), Matt Dunn (200 IM, 1:58.39), Sarah Jane DArcy (400m, 4:10.42) and Samantha Riley (200m breaststroke, 2:25.43).

Sweden continued their impressive performances on the Australia leg, with Lars Frolander claiming the 100m butterfly in 52.67 while Patrik Issakson took out the 100m breaststroke in 1:00.52.

Training partners in Calgary, Canada, Penny Heyns (RSA) and Joanne Malar (CAN) each scored wins, with Heyns taking the 50m breaststroke in 31.18 and Malar the 400 IM in 4:38.12.

Germanys lone victor on the final night was Antje Buschschulte who won the 100m backstroke in 1:00.84, from Miki Nakao (JPN) 1:01.12 and Giaan Rooney (AUS) 1:01.28.