The annual Fairmont to Fairmont road race gets underway tomorrow with defending champion Jay Donawa looking to retain the title for a fifth straight year, but without defending women's champion Ashley Couper who is abroad.

Race director Newton Adcock also revealed yesterday that the traditional route has had to be changed because of "large dangerous obstructions" on the road due to reconstruction work currently going on at the finishing hotel as a result of Hurricane Fabian.

"There is a lot of work being done on the hotel which has forced us to make some changes to the final section," he said.

"Big trucks and containers are parked along the road along which we would normally run up to the Fairmont Southampton and there will be men working there. So, to ensure safety for all the participants, we decided to re-route the race."

The race, he said, will now not finish at the Rib Room of the hotel, as has previously been reported on television and other print media, but at the main entrance on the south side of the hotel.

"Instead of going up the Princess Hill by the Waterlot Inn," he explained, "we are taking the route straight up Lighthouse Hill and through the back entrance by the golf course and we are going to finish at the entrance on the south side of the hotel."

Despite the forced adjustment, Adcock said that the preparations for the race were "going brilliantly."

"We should have about fifty juniors taking part which is very encouraging, while there are 180 adult runners signed up," he said.

Donawa and Kavin Smith are the two major contenders for the men's title, according to Adcock, but fresh from his victory at the National Cross Country Championship last month, Donawa remains the clear favourite and will be looking to challenge last year's winning time of 37 minutes and 56 seconds.

Women's champion Couper is currently in California training with the Nike Farm team and will not be on the Island to compete.

In her absence, Adcock predicts that Anna Eatherley, who has dominated women's road running in Bermuda for a number of years, will "cruise" to victory.

Runners in the adult and under 20 category will leave from the Hamilton Princess at 9.30 a.m, while the those in the junior categories will depart at the same time from Heron Bay.