WHO will pick up the $10,000 bonus for breaking the four-minute barrier at the KPMG Bermuda Invitational Front Street Mile? And when will it be done?

Tonight 11 international elite athletes along with Bermuda's Michael Donawa will try yet again to cash in and all will be hoping for light winds and a good pace.

Former two-time champion James Thie from Wales has said in the past that it can be done and this week Thie's good friend, Neil Speaight from the UK, also said he is hoping the barrier can be broken.

Speaight, who will be running his first Invitational Front Street Mile, said this week: "I have only really chatted to James about the race but I do know the conditions will play a huge part ? it will be interesting to see what happens on Friday night."

Thie has said about the showpiece of International Race Weekend: "I think the four-minute mile can be done. I have done 3.55 indoors and even with the couple of seconds needed for the turns, I think it is definitely possible. Obviously we need some better weather ? but I think it can be done. What you need is three or four guys out there going for it."

His friend Speaight added: "I know in certain road miles James has gone sub four minutes before and I think myself and him are running quite well right now."

But Speaight said that the turn would bother him. "I am six foot three inches so the turn is not great for me. But I am really reserving judgement. One thing I know is that it will be a competitive race. James has told me that it is always a really good competitive meet. That is what are looking for and if three or four guys can push on it could be a really good race."

And there are certainly more than "three or four guys" that can push the race tonight along at a good pace.

Defending champion Elkanah Angwenyi from Kenya will be returning to try and match Thie's two titles as will fellow Kenyan Godfrey Rono.

Also hoping to win and collect the cash will be Mexico's Juan Luis Barrios Nieves who was second last year. Two Russians, Alexander Skvortsov and Andrey Zatonskiy, are among the elite milers and there are two Americans, Nick Conway and Kalpanatit Broderick. Canada's Ryan Hayden and Holland's Dirk De Heer round out the invited runners for the Invitational Mile which will also see Bermuda's Michael Donawa compete.

Before the elite runners take to the start line tonight, there will be six other races involved the Under-12 Girls, Under-12 Boys, Under-18 Girls, Under-18 Boys and Local Adult Female and Local Adult Male.

The evening will kick off at 7 p.m. with the Mascot Parade.