next few days.

The international sports calendar just doesn't get much busier for Bermudians, and we're not even talking about the baseball and football fare being served up on American television.

The Island is getting ready to host three major sports events -- while at the same time keeping an eye on developments in Jamaica, where the national cricket squad and a pair of local golfers take on some of the best players in the world.

Closer to home, 24 of the world's top golfers arrive this weekend for some R and R, not to mention a little thing like the $1.8 million purse that goes with the Gillette Challenge, on Tuesday at Mid Ocean Club.

In fact, Bermuda airport could get pretty hectic, what with close to 100 top international sailors -- representing 23 teams -- checking in for the week-long Bermuda Gold Cup.

Right around the same time as Sunday's qualifying round in Hamilton Harbour wraps up, the Bermuda national rugby team will take the field against Trinidad and Tobago. The World Cup qualifying game takes place at 5.00 p.m. at National Sports Club.

"I can't remember a busier time in the five and a half years I've been here,'' noted Wayne Smith, sports marketing director for the Department of Tourism.

He should know: Just as it did for the ITU World Cup Triathlon two weeks ago, Tourism is playing a significant role in both the golf and sailing events (not to mention Jazzscape, October 8-12).

Try nearly $500,000 significant for the Challenge alone, an event that features eight of the top players on each of the PGA, LPGA and Senior PGA Tours. The investment should pay off on November 30, when ABC broadcasts a two-hour special on the event.

The stake in the $60,000 Gold Cups is considerably less but still notable, Smith said.

While the qualifiers take place on Sunday and Monday, the eight seeded skippers -- including world numbers one through three Russ Coutts, Peter Gilmour and Ed Baird -- arrive, staying through the best-of-five final on October 12.

The Challenge, Gold Cup and triathlon, plus other events through the year, are part of the growing trend of linking sports to tourists, Smith said.

"Sport tourism is still a relatively new area and we feel we're getting success from it,'' said Smith.

A couple of dozen prominent Island athletes won't be around to see any of this, however.

Kris Hedges will be in Spain for the World Junior Cycling Championships while Dwayne Pearman and Kim Swan will be in Montego Bay for their World Cup of Golf qualifier.

In Jamaica, they just may run into a few cricket players. Bermuda's national squad leave tomorrow for the Red Stripe Bowl, beginning on Saturday.