Athlete numbers at International Race Weekend have been hit on three fronts, organisers said yesterday.

At the launch of the event, Chairperson of the Bermuda International Race Weekend Committee and President of Bermuda Track and Field Association, Judith Simmons, said personal demands from runners, the fact that the event coincided with a major US race and a stagnation in prize money all played their part.

?I think we need to look seriously at our race,? said Simmons. ?One of the things that we are up against is the Houston Marathon which is at the exact same time. They have doubled their prize money and our prize money has remained the same for quite a few years.?

Simmons said organisers were fortunate that Bermudian hospitality was enough to encourage some runners to return. However, this was not enough for others.

?Quite a few athletes are asking for appearance fees,? she said. ?Whereas we could have had a lot more athletes, we didn?t have the funds. Those are two things that are against us at this present time.?

Simmons said the BTFA were seeking to address the situation, but could not do it alone.

?We are always seeking to increase the prize money and we would like to partner with you (the media) on that. We cannot do it by ourselves,? she said, going on to express concern about recent stories relating to the running of her organisation.

?We need a positive press. Yes, give us constructive criticism when the time arises but also research the negatives to make sure they are substantiated.

?When you print things that are not positive in the press, sponsors see it and do not want to sponsor an event where there is a lot of negativity.

?If we are going to continue to assist Bermuda at the time when it needs it the most, bringing in 766 participants and with that a support group which will probably top 1,000 people, we need a partnership between the media and us.?