Runners sighing with relief to hear that May 24 champions Chris and Ashley Estwanik will not be pairing up in this Sunday's Fidelity Couples Road Race and Charity Walk still need to be concerned.

For while Chris is not taking part Ashley is, and she is joining with May 24 ninth-placer Simon Ashby to form what on paper appears to be the fastest open category couple for 2008.

But race co-organiser Stephen De Silva is quick to point out that the possibility does exist for a faster team to emerge in the final days before the race.

While an Estwanik/Estwanik pairing would have been virtually unmatchable, the prospect of an Estwanik/Ashby team is by no means a done deal in terms of who will finish first in the open race.

De Silva points out that if multiple May 24 king Kavin Smith, who ran the fastest individual five miles in last year's Fidelity race, enters again this year and is able to pair up with one of the Island's swifter women, there is every possibility of a close race and even an upset.

That is what makes the Fidelity Couples Race so intriguing - the many permutations that ensure it is a guessing game until the race is run.

The event has a long history, stretching back to the very early 1980s, if not even earlier.

De Silva and his wife Christine took over the organising of the race in 1988, this year marks their own 20th year anniversary in charge.

Previously the race had been known as the Disco 40 Couples race, named after the disco on Front Street which has long since gone to be replaced by a gymnasium in the Magnolia Building a few doors away from Docksiders.

In the days of Disco 40 the race attracted a predominantly younger crowd and the general format was set where each team of two had to consist of a man and a woman, with the men running the longer distance.

The race routes were also different.

"The guys went out to Brighton Hill and the girls went to Tee Street. It was a notorious race. When Christine and I took over we followed the same routes initially. I worked at Fidelity (Investments) at the time and that is why the name changed, and then we altered the routes to the out-and-back course we have today," said De Silva.

As usual the race will feature a five mile route and a 5K route. Each team, except in the family division, must be a man/woman coupling and the two competitors can chose from various combinations of race distances, either both running five miles, both running 5K, one running five miles while the other does 5K, or the same combinations but with one or both competitors walking. The individual finish times are added together to give a team time.

Various race categories exist, from an open division to family (parents/children, brothers/sisters), married and corporate teams. There is also a recreational 5K charity walk.

Last year 173 runners took part, including a number of individuals without a team partner. Kavin Smith was one of the individuals and he ran the swiftest five mile in a time of 27 minutes 56 seconds to stay clear of runner-up Brett Forgesson by almost two minutes.

The fastest woman last year was Olympic-bound triathlete Flora Duffy in 30:42.

Dawn Richardson and Otis Robinson paired up to form the fastest five mile/5K team of the day in 49:03, while Riaan Naude and Kim McMullen were the fastest 5K/5K pairing in 37:36, and Laura and James Keyes the quickest pair to both run five miles with a combined time of 1:09:25.

The races start and finish near the Fidelity offices off East Broadway, with runners heading up Front Street and on to Pitts Bay Road before turning round when they reach their respective halfway points.

As a race it has thrived under the stewardship of the De Silvas, who this year will be introducing the chip timing that has transformed many of the Island's race during the past year, including this year's May 24 Half Marathon Derby.

De Silva said: "I start from the premise that I am a runner and, being a runner, what would I like to see in a race. So we have a lot of signs out on the road. We have a board with the results."

The event, which supports The Family Centre, is also well known for laying on a breakfast for competitors and organising some tots races on the grass area at Fidelity.

In years gone by there was also a seeding arrangement that was based on finishing placings in the May 24 event and was designed to prevent an unstoppable pairing from dominating the event.

The idea of seeding was dropped about four years ago, making it a truly free-for-all for whatever teams could be formed. While De Silva admits that if Chris and Ashley Estwanik were to run they would be unbeatable on current form, he views the Estwanik/Ashby pair as catachable if another high powered team is put together.

As of earlier on this week the number of entries stood at close to 100, with an expected late surge before online entries close later today (Friday). Extremely late entries can be made tomorrow at the race number pick-up.

To enter online visit www.maac.bm or www.bermudatiming.bm