sponsors last year, organisers of the International Race Weekend could relate.

Two years ago, the largest road running event in Bermuda lost its principal financial backers and, one week before more than 1,000 athletes hit the streets for this year's four-race series, repercussions are still being felt.

Today, behind-the-scenes competition for sponsorship is as fierce as anything that takes place on it.

"The search goes on,'' Phil Guishard, chairman of the International Race Weekend committee, said yesterday following a press conference to announce this year's list of 34 invited athletes expected to compete.

While the Bank of Butterfield remains on board, lack of other major sponsors has curtailed the number -- and quality -- of top international runners who will compete, beginning next Friday.

"The invited athletes have always had to be limited to suit the extent that sponsorship funds are available,'' he said. "This year is no exception.'' Guishard said 100 top runners wanted to be brought to Bermuda but most were told there was no money to put them up. Yesterday he took the unusual step of publicly asking corporations or individuals to assist some late entries.

ADT, which lent its name to the event for three years, as well as assorted airlines, have dropped out over the past couple of years. The marathon and 10-kilometre races previously had their own title sponsorship; now only the Bank of Butterfield, with next Friday night's Front Street Mile, remains.

Last year, the International Race Weekend suffered a financial loss, Guishard said.

The Department of Tourism and Marathon Tours and Travel of Boston, responsible for bringing the bulk of runners to Bermuda, have helped fill the void.

Meanwhile, The Bank of Butterfield has actually increased its sponsorship over the past two years, said marketing manager Andy Burnett-Herkes.

"We're happy with our involvement ... We love the event and we hope to see it continue,'' he said.

Not that International Race Weekend, now in its 20th year, is in danger of collapsing. Organisers are already looking ahead to next season and openly talk of remeasuring the mile course to alleviate the wicked hairpin turn in front of the longtail statue.

Total prize money remains about $20,000, not including cash incentives for breaking selected time barriers ($10,000 for a sub-four minute mile, $15,000 for breaking two hours and 15 minutes, 20 seconds in the men's marathon; 2:42.47 in the women's).

That's a decent amount but pales in comparison to the money being thrown around by other meets worldwide -- particularly the added spectre of money just for showing.

"We do not pay appearance money to anybody,'' said Guishard, relaying the tale of the agent for one of the invited runners approaching organisers with the request of upfront cash. He was respectfully turned down -- but decided to come to Bermuda anyway.

Organisers -- led by Guishard and the Bermuda Track and Field Association -- were successful in luring the bulk of the defending champions back.