trophy to show off.

Carney, one of some 80 professional triathletes competing in the ITU World Cup event here next Sunday, will get a jump on the rest when she hits the Island on Monday.

The world's top-ranked woman, she'll be flying from Spain, where she will be competing for yet another international crown: The ITU World Duathlon Championships today in the Basque township of Gernika-Lumo.

Only a few of triathletes are tackling the duathlon, which consists of a 10-kilometre run, 40-kilometre cycle and another 5K run. But Carney has dominated the bike and run sections of the Olympic-distance triathlon this year and will be well suited to today's format.

Another triathlete challenging the duathlon -- and the $70,000 in prize money -- is Chris McCormack, an Australian who heads the men's ITU rankings.

Runaway leader in the points standings, Carney, 26, will take on more than 1,200 competitors from 37 countries in age group, junior and elite divisions for the duathlon crown.

Carney, who won last year's ITU Bermuda stop, will be followed here on Tuesday when fellow Australian Michellie Jones, currently ranked 16th, arrives on the Island.

Unlike the women's division, there is a logjam at the top of the men's ITU standings. McCormack, a 24-year-old who finished seventh in Bermuda a year ago, has 1,870 points, followed by Greg Bennett and Hamish Carter -- both of whom are confirmed for Bermuda -- with 1,290 and 1,175 respectively. Last year's winner, Dimitry Gaag has 1,160, Shane Reed is at 1,105 and Jamie Hunt 1,025.

McCormack's task is tougher in the duathlon, what with Italian Alessandro Alessandri, winner of his past three races and the European Duathlon Cup leader, and former pro cyclist Sylvain Golay in the field.

The World Duathlon Championship is the fourth in the ITU's 1997 World Championship Series (the World Triathlon Championships are in November).

Next week's Bermuda event will be the seventh of the ITU series; Carney has raced in six of them, winning four and finishing second to Jones in another.

A new 40K cycle course and slightly different run and swim segments will greet competitors when they gather in Hamilton next Sunday.

EMMA CARNEY -- warms up for next week's ITU World Cup triathlon in Bermuda with a duathlon in Spain today.