International 10K victory in Bermuda last year has decided not to return to defend his title.

Charles Mulinga had hinted to Bank of Butterfield International Race Weekend organisers that he would come back to try and repeat his success, but now the Zambian has pulled out of the January 16 event.

Race committee chairman Philip Guishard said of Mulinga: "He had said he was interested in coming back to defend his title and we felt he should come. We had expected that would translate into his arrival here.

"After discussing it fully with his agent, he took the decision. He said he would not like to be subjected to any form of harrassment by the press. So he thought it would be in his best interests not to come.'' Mulinga battled through strong winds to win last year's 10K in 30 minutes, 15 seconds and, as reigning champion, was automatically invited back this year.

The injuries he suffered in the assault on Front Street were serious enough to put Mulinga in King Edward VII Hospital for several days.

His absence reduces the quality of the field this year, but betters the chances of England's Paul Freary, who is making the 10K his main event.

Freary, who is also likely to run the half-marathon the following day, is going for his fifth successive Race Weekend title after winning the past three half-marathons and the 1995 mile.

Other strong contenders in the 10K field are Canadian Christian Weber, who was third last year, and American Jerry Lawson, holder of the US marathon record of 2:09:35, set in Chicago in 1997.

Delays with the laying of the track have made National Stadium unavailable as a finishing point and the Police Field will now be used.

But the starting point will not be decided until the course measurer, who flies in from the US today, has certified a new course.

Race Weekend kicks off on Friday, January 15, with the Invitational Mile.

The field of nine lacks the big names of previous years and does not include last year's first two finishers, Somalia's Ibrahim Aden and Ireland's Marcus O'Sullivan -- but Bermuda's Terrance Armstrong is expected to provide a strong local challenge.

Four of the milers have broken four minutes -- something never before achieved in the Front Street race. A bonus of $10,000 is again up for grabs to anyone who manages it this year.

Karl Paranya, of the US, who finished fifth in last year's mile, has since run a personal best of 3:56.77, making him one of the favourites, though Canada's Allan Klassen and France's Stephan Forcade will be contenders.

Last year's marathon winner, New York-based Yugoslav Srba Nikolic will defend his title and accompanying him will be training partner Alan Kahsay, of Ethiopia, who has run two hours, 16 minutes.

The 1998 Russian marathon champion Andrey Shalogin and his compatriot Edward Toukbatullin lead a strong challenge from Eastern Europe.

Women's marathon champion Yelena Plastinina, of Ukraine, who scooped $13,000 last year when she broke the event record with a time of 2:40:50, will return.

But the presence of Russians Lutsia Beliaeva, who has a personal best of 2:30:25, and 1997 Russian marathon champion Anfissa Kosatheva, will make it tough for her to repeat her success.

Race organisers have reported an unprecedented level of interest from athletes requesting elite status this year -- 117 inquiries -- but overall entries submitted so far are down on last year.

By Wednesday of this week, there had been 936 entries for the 10K, half-marathon and marathon, compared to 1,062 by the same date in 1998.

But Guishard felt that many applications, particularly from the US, had been delayed in the Christmas mail and the numbers were likely to bulk up next week.

And he thanked the sponsors Bank of Butterfield for their support of the event, which he estimated to be worth around $100,000.

ELITE RUNNERS Leading invited runners for next week's International Race Weekend, with nationality and personal best times where available.

MILE Karl Paranya, USA -- 3 mins, 56.77 secs Allan Klassen, Canada -- 3:57.31 Stephan Forcade, France -- 3:58.29 Jeremy Huffman, USA -- 3:59.14 Philip Price, USA -- 4:00.21 Rich Tremain, Canada -- 4:01.22 Levis Momayi, Kenya -- 4:03 Terrance Armstrong, Bermuda -- 4:03.86 Jared Segera, Kenya -- 4:06 MEN'S 10K David Lewis, England -- 28 mins, 12 secs Julius Rotich, Kenya -- 28:09 Christian Weber, Canada -- pb not known Jerry Lawson, USA -- pb not known Paul Freary, England -- pb not known Patrick Joyce, US -- 28:46 WOMEN'S 10K Danuta Bartoszek, Canada -- 32:20 Lynn DeNinno, USA -- 33:00 Tania Jones, Canada -- 33:54 Isabelle Ledroit, Canada -- 34:28 Diane Legare, Canada -- pb not known Michele Buresh-Chalmers, USA, 33:21 Courtney Babcock, Canada, -- pb not known MEN'S MARATHON Srba Nikolic, Yugoslavia -- pb not known Simon Cherogony, Kenya -- 2 hrs, 13 mins, 37 secs Edward Toukbatullin, Russia -- 2:12:00 Alan Kahsay, Ethiopia -- 2:16:00 Andrey Shalogin, Russia -- 2:16:28 Gennady Panin, Russia -- 2:17:18 Kibet Cherop, Kenya -- pb not known WOMEN'S MARATHON Yelena Plastinina, Ukraine -- 2:35:46 Lutsia Beliaeva, Russia -- 2:30:25 Anfissa Kossatheva, Russia -- pb not known RACE DATES Thursday, January 14: Late registration, number pick-up and Sports Exposition at No.6 passenger terminal, Front Street, Hamilton, 4-7.00 p.m.

Friday, January 15: Late registration, number pick-up and Sports Exposition at No.6 passenger terminal, Front Street, Hamilton. Invitational mile races, Front Street, 7.30-9.00 p.m. (followed by Bermuda Regiment musical display).

Saturday, January 16: 10K and 10K charity walk, Police Field, Prospect, Devonshire, starts 10.00 a.m.

Late registration for marathon and half-marathon at Police Field, 10.00 a.m.-1.00 p.m.

Sunday, January 17: Marathon and half-marathon, Front Street, start 9.00 a.m.

Race Weekend awards ceremony, Hamilton Princess Hotel, 7.00 p.m.

PAUL FREARY -- The Englishman will be aiming for his fifth straight Race Weekend title when he runs in this month's International 10K.

NO RETURN -- Zambian Charles Mulinga (left) won't be back to defend his 10K crown but there will still be at least four sub-30 minute runners in the field.