Defending champions Dmitry Maximov and James Thie will be going all out to hang onto their respective crowns when International Race Weekend gets underway this weekend.

Russian Maximov scored a double victory last year when he broke the tape in both the International 10K and the International Half Marathon, while Welshman Thie romped to glory in the Invitational Elite Mile on Front Street.

Both have confirmed their presence this weekend ? Maximov again entered in both events ? when they will be joined by former Mile champion and current record holder Leonard Mucheru of Kenya. Mucheru was outpaced by Thie last year but 12 months earlier had completed the distance in four minutes, 2.6 seconds.

However, while Maximov and Thie will be looking to keep their names on the roll of honour, new winners will be hailed in the Women?s International 10K, Women?s International Half Marathon and both categories of the Marathon.

?We continue to receive requests from runners seeking an invitation to our event as it continues to gain popularity with international runners of a high calibre,? said Chairperson of the Bermuda International Race Weekend Committee and President of Bermuda Track and Field Association Judith Simmons. ?With two major athletics festivals being held this year ? the World Indoor Championships in March and the Olympic Games in August ? athletes wishing to participate in either event are shying away from road races covering certain distances during their preparation to qualify to compete in the 1500 metres and the marathon.

?Marathoners, in particular, have requested entry in the International Half Marathon which they will use as a test of their fitness before their national trials in April.?

Simmons also said that some milers had opted to concentrate on indoor meets in preparation for the IAAF Worlds.

She said she believed the Marathon record of 2:40.32 would remain intact as Elena Makolova of Belarus would not be defending due to injury.

?Previous winner and record holder Yelena Plastinina of Ukraine will be returning, but has opted to run the International Half Marathon due to a recent ear infection,? Simmons said.

On the male front, El Afoui Boubker of Morocco, marathon champion in 2000 and second last year, will be returning in an effort to capture the crown.

?Third place finisher Fedor Ryzhov and newcomers Joseph Mutinga of Kenya and Ivan Marionda of Ukraine will challenge him,? said Simmons.

Maximov, meanwhile, will have three half-marathon specialists for company when he sets out.

?Wilson Komen of Kenya, Philip Sly of Australia and Mindaugas Pukstas of Lithuania, all new to Bermuda International Race Weekend, will be seeking to dethrone last year?s champion.?

American Kyle Baxter, second to Maximov last year, has withdrawn from the event due to an injury sustained as he prepared to make the trip.

?We are awaiting confirmation as to whether or not Mary Ptikany of Kenya, last year?s winner and record holder for the event with a time of 1:15.21, will be returning to defend her title,? said Simmons.

?Nevertheless, new contenders Elfenesh Alemu of Ethiopia (1:09.47), Anna Pichrtova of the Czech Republic (1:12.25), Naoko Ishibe of the USA (1:15.24) and Yelena Plastinina of Ukraine (1:12.57) will be looking to set a new record this year.?

In the women?s 10K, last year?s winner Katie McGregor will not be flying in so the the title is expected to be between Grazyna Syrek of Poland (32:10), Galina Alexandrova of Russia (32:11), another Pole, Dorothy Gruca (32:31) and aforementioned American Ishibe (34:48).

The men?s event will be equally as competitive, Simmons said, with defending champion Maximov facing the two-pronged challenge of David Maritim of Kenya (27:39) and Australian Sly (29:53).

?Also in the mix will be several athletes from the Invitational Front Street Mile and Bermuda?s Terrance Armstrong,? she said.

Meanwhile, the opening event, the Mile, will see Christian Hirsh of the USA, second last year, challenging Thie. Also competing will be Patrick Antiwar of Kenya (3:57), Michael Donawa, first in local adult trials in 4:27.6, and fellow Islander Armstrong.

Simmons said ?all the ingredients are here for an exciting opener to the weekend.?

The weekend is put on with supporting sponsorship from Bermuda Department of Tourism.

?We are pleased that our joint promotional efforts with the BTFA have resulted in an increase of some 14 percent this year in registered overseas participants and we expect this number to increase as race day approaches,? said Neletha Butterfield, acting Minister of Tourism, adding: ?Participants representing Canada, the United States, Africa and Europe will take part in various events with Leukaemia, Arthritis and Stroke Associations and Chapters from Canada and United States.

?We are further pleased that these bodies have chosen Bermuda as their destination having reached a specified level of fundraising for these worthwhile charities back home.

?Locally, the Bermuda Diabetes Association is the charity chosen to partner with the BTFA for the 10K charity walk on Saturday.?