The first of the Bank of Bermuda Foundation's annual triathlons will be held this Sunday with hundreds of entrants expected to hit water and road for the spectacle.

The team version of the popular event will take place this Sunday while the individual competition follows a week later on October 5.

On the same dates, a duathlon team and individual event will be held for juniors.

This year's series marks the 18th year that the Bank have sponsored the triathlon with last year's competition attracting some 430 athletes – 230 adults and 80 junior competitors in the team events. Over 70 adults and 40 juniors entered the individual races.

Neil de Ste Croix, president of Bermuda Triathlon Association (BTA) described the events as "competitive and challenging".

"The Bank of Bermuda Foundation Triathlon is an annual event to be marked on the calendar of every local athlete," he said.

"Its course is competitive and challenging for those participating and a great thrill for the community to witness."

The team adult sprint triathlon will comprise teams of three athletes, one swimming half a mile, the cyclist racing over 12 miles and the final member running three miles.

The categories include open, mixed corporate, female corporate, junior teams (aged 13-plus), female, masters (40-plus) family and service division (for active members of the Police Fire Service, Regiment).

Team entry fee is $36.

The team junior ultra sprint event comprises a half-mile run, a two-and-a-half-mile bike ride and a half-mile run for seven to 10-year-olds, while 11 to 14 year-olds will compete over a one-mile run, five-mile bike ride and one-mile run.

Entry fee for the juniors is $15.

The race distances are the same for the individual event on the following Sunday, when adult entry will cost $25 while juniors will pay $10.

David Lang, director of the Foundation, said the triathlon was known for attracting all types from the Island's athletic community, from young people to those from the corporate world, and said he was hopeful of getting the same, if not better turn-out this time around.

"I hope that this year we can again attract a broad range of participants from individual athletes, both adult and junior, to corporate and family teams. The Bank of Bermuda Foundation Triathlon is very much a community-spirited event and we welcome the community to come out and celebrate our local athletes."

The closing date for all entries is tomorrow at 5 p.m. for the team events and Wednesday, October 1 at 5 p.m. for the individual events.

Entry forms are available from Sportseller, Bicycle Works, Winner's Edge and any Bank of Bermuda branch.