Organisers of the KPMG Round the Grounds Race will add a new feature to the popular event at the Botanical Gardens next weekend when they stage relay races for runners in the older age groups.

Teams of four can be mixed by gender and can represent a school, club, family or a group of friends.

KPMG are partnering with organisers Mid Atlantic Athletic Club to put on the sixteenth annual race, which is expected to involve hundreds of junior runners.

The races have steadily increased in numbers in the past few years, jumping from 191 in 2011 to more than 600 runners last year.

This year, organisers expect the numbers to grow even more with the inclusion of the relay race, in which each team member will run approximately 800 metres. The top three teams will receive a prize donated by MAAC.

The relays follow the popular inclusion of relays in many of the Island’s adult races, most notably the May 24 Half Marathon Derby. It represents a new opportunity for runners who prefer shorter distances and who will relish the opportunity to run against Carifta Games standard, individual runners in this category.

Some of the promising youngsters expected to participate include Daylen Scott, Ashley Irby, Marissa Norville, Stefan Jones and Tommy Marshall, who will be competing alongside KPMG Bermuda Invitational Mile winners Jade Johnston and Nick Pilgrim.

“Our annual Round the Grounds event is one of KPMG’s most popular occasions in the year,” Sue Le’Strange, marketing administrator at KPMG, said. “It is indeed a wonderful family day, with proud, excited parents cheering their children, who run enthusiastically around the course in the beautiful setting of Botanical Gardens.

“We are delighted that Masterworks has now joined us in offering additional activities to all the children. As all participants receive a medal, one can only share in the joy seen on each of their faces. It is truly a day when memories are created.”

Participants can register online at www.racedayworld.com before the deadline next Friday at 4.45pm, or collect an entry form from Sportseller in the Washington Mall or at local schools across the Island. Deadline for written applications is Wednesday at 4.45pm.

Written applications submitted after the deadline are subject to a late fee of $?5. All bib numbers for participants must be picked up from Masterworks in Botanical Gardens between noon and 2pm a week tomorrow.

Late registration will also be available during number pick up. Parking for this event on race day is at the Lagoon property opposite Botanical Gardens on South Road.

For further enquiries, contact race director Deborah Norman at runbermudarun@gmail.com.

n More than 700 youngsters are expected to take part in the Dash at Dark races at the National Sports Centre’s North Field today.

The event has been held annually for more than 30 years and features races over a variety of distances for youngsters aged between 4 and 12. The youngest competitors are those aged 4 and 5, who race over 400 metres. The next age division, for six and seven-year-olds, is run over 800 metres. The top two age groups, for those aged 8 and 9, and those between 10 and 12 years old, run a full mile.

The event is organised by the MAAC Juniors Running Club.