Bermuda?s road runners will make their traditional presence felt in this weekend?s New York Marathon with a group of more than 30 flying over for the annual Big Apple race.

Veterans Manuel Lopes, Ricky Sousa, Colin Swan and Geoffrey Blee as well as top female Lynn Patchett are expected to be among the fastest in the group while some will be attempting the gruelling 26.2 mile route through New York?s five boroughs for the first time.

A Mid Atlantic Athletic Club contingent includes Lopes, Sousa, Swan, Blee and Patchett as well as Michael Au, Robert Bales, Hayley Bates, Robert Bonehill, Maryleigh Burnett, Rael Coen, Sally Craig, Blaine Fitzgerald, Grant Foster, Catherine Howley, Keith Barker, Kerry Klaas, Susan Kovacs, Rene Lamer, Judith Marsden, Alistair McNeish, Garret Mulvin, Wayne Newhook, Wayne Robertson, James Selvaggi, Michael Sommerville, Alec Swan, JacquelineTeunissen, Lisa Van Wanrooy, Gary Wilson and Marco Zanol.

Sunday?s field is expected to be in the region of 30,000, making it one of the world?s biggest marathons.

Meanwhile, in Bermuda this weekend two events are planned for local runners.

Bermuda Track and Field Association?s cross-country series for juniors and seniors continues at the Botanical Gardens tomorrow, starting at 8.30 a.m. while on Sunday the BTFA will stage their annual Corporate Relay, starting from the National Sports Centre at 9 a.m.

Teams entered in that event are reminded they must pick up their race numbers and T-shirts at the BTFA offices on Brunswick Street, opposite Elroy?s Laundromat, between 5 and 7 p.m. this evening.

Defending relay champions are the Works and Engineering team of Barry Coupland, Mike Osborn, Jamie Pedro and Tracy Wright.