Numbers are down on last year, but organisers of the 22nd Telford Electric Magic Mile are confident of another successful event, weather permitting.

Some 700 youngsters have registered for the event, which is organised by the Bermuda Pacers Track Club, fewer than last year’s total of 850-plus.

“I don’t know why the numbers are down, we gave out all the information to the schools,” said Cal Simons, the race director along with Wayne Raynor.

“We’re at least 150 down on last year, but we’re still going to go ahead and make it a great day and are hoping for another successful event.”

The competition is a major fundraiser for the Pacers who plan to send two teams to overseas competitions in July, the Flying Angels Invitational Meet in Ontario, Canada, and the Russell E. Blunt East Coast Invitational in North Carolina.

Tomorrow’s races start at noon with the four-year-old girls’ and boys’ races, followed by the five-year-olds who will all run a quarter-mile at the National Stadium.

The six and seven-year-olds will run a ½mile, while all other age groups will begin on the track and run a course around the Arboretum before finishing inside the stadium.

The final races will be at 4pm, the 10-11 age group who will run a mile along with the eight to nine-year-olds.

“If the weather is bad we will make a decision on the rain date of March 4,” Simons said.

“We encourage parents to pick up their children’s race numbers at the cricket pavilion from 8.30am to 11am for the start.”

The organisers will be giving $200 awards to the preschool, primary, middle and senior schools that have the highest number of athletes who complete the races.

They must have a minimum of 20 athletes registered to be eligible.