Russian athlete manager Andrey Baranov is impressed by the increasing in-depth strength of the International Race Weekend events.

He represents defending women's 10K and Half-Marathon champion Silvia Skvortsova, 32, and her husband Aleksandr, who was due to run the mile last night and the 10K this morning.

"Every year the field is getting better and better. Many runners are in their winter training and cross-country season and this is a great opportunity to race and see where they are in the middle of the winter season," said Baranov.

"It is attracting more and more good runners.

"Silvia is in better shape than last year because she now respects this race. At the end of 2006 she was ranked in the IAAF's top 50 women athletes in the world and sixth fastest woman half-marathoner in 2006. She ran 1:09 in San Jose."

Her top goal for 2007 is a podium finish in the world half-marathon championship in Italy in October.

Baranov said Skvortsova felt comfortable coming to Bermuda because of the friendliness and warmth of the people and the organisers.

"Here our athletes feel like humans and not machines," he said. "We feel we are part of a family and that's why I think it attracts people again and again."

Skvortsova's husband ran 3:57 when he finished sixth in the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York in 2006.