Only those fluent in Russian could tell how confident a relaxed-looking Dmitry Maximov is of achieving an International Race Weekend triple double.

With the 10K and half-marathon titles under his belt the past two years, the slight athlete?s broken English revealed yesterday only that he was in ?good form ? the same as last year? as he looks for a third successive year of sweeping the board.

But the combination of his experience on the unique Bermuda courses and first-time visits to the Island for all his elite competitors in both events, makes Maximov, who has been training for this event in Portugal, a red-hot favourite to triumph once again.

In the 10K he will come up against Kenyan David Maritim, with a personal best 15 seconds quicker than the Russian?s at 27.39, and Australian Phillip Sly, while the half-marathon will see him again face Sly, another Kenyan, Wilson Komen and Mindaugas Pukstas of Lithuania.

But Sly, who will be used to the wild weather conditions after six months training in London, is confident that at least one of Maximov?s titles is up for grabs.

?It is going to be a hard course to crack,? said the diminutive Aussie.

?It is early in the season and I am working up to testing myself in some fast marathons in April and this is all part of the build-up.

?Running two races in two days is always difficult and the weather will make it harder than usual. I will be going for it in the 10K and if I am up there at the finish, then I will put in everything and let Sunday take care of itself.

?But if I am not in with a chance of the win tomorrow, then you just have to use your experience and prepare for the next event.?

In the marathon, El Afoui Boubker, winner in 2000 and technically triumphant last year courtesy of the expulsion of disgraced Brazilian drug cheat Luiz Carlos Ramos, is back and ready to defend the title.

He will come up against regular Bermudian visitor Fedor Ryzhov of Russia while Joseph Mutinga (Kenya) and Ivan Marionda (Ukraine) will also be looking to make their mark.

There are no elite contenders in the women?s marathon but the 10K and half-marathons promise to be intriguing affairs.

In today?s race, a new winner will be crowned with Poles Grazyna Syrek and Dorothy Gruca taking on American Naoko Ishibe and Russian Galina Alexandrova.

The half-marathon will see Ethiopian Elfenesh Alemu up against on Ishibe with former marathon winner Yelena Plastinina, opting for the shorter distance because of a recent ear infection, adding spice to what could prove the most competitive elite race of the weekend.

Also in the fray is Anna Pichrtova of the Czech Republic who will be using all her mountain-racing experience to take advantage of the hilly course which sees competitors facing Trimingham and McGall?s Hills within the first four miles.

But the inclement weather is on Pichrtova?s mind despite training in the snow in Virginia over the past few weeks.

?I don?t mind the hills, no, not at all,? she said.

?But this wind is no good for me. I am not big ? it might blow me away.?