IT WAS a weekend like no other.

Bermuda's never been a haven for couch potatoes. But during last week's three-day sports-saturated holiday it seemed the entire 60,000 population was either competing or watching one activity or another.

At Clearwater, the biggest and the most competitive field in local cycling history took part in the national championships; a day earlier at the same venue more than a hundred schoolchildren competed in the annual Iron Kids triathlon.

At BASA's Saltus pool hundreds of swimmers from both here and abroad vied for honours in the national swimming championships, while out on the roads the usual suspects raced in the Athletic Club 5K.

At Pomander Gate, the best of local tennis contested the finals of the Island Construction Open at the same time as dozens of hugely talented youngsters from all around the globe began arriving for this week's ITF Junior World Ranking tournament.

Out on the water fitted dinghy crews competed on successive days in Mangrove Bay while a huge flotilla of boats followed Monday's highlight of the comet racing season, the annual Long Distance race - it too attracting a larger fleet than usual.

And then, of course, there was Round the World sailor Alan Paris returning his boat to Bermuda where it will soon be put on exhibition.

And what else?

In cricket, the semi-finals and final of the Belco Cup, in golf the Amateur Strokeplay Championships at Port Royal, and the two-day tournament to mark the re-opening of Belmont Hills.

The what-to-do, where-to-go list was never ending.

Yes, it was an exceptional weekend, but in so many ways reflective of Bermuda society.

More than ever these days, sport plays a huge part in all of our lives.

Yet, listening to our politicians you'd never think so.

With a general election just around the corner, we'll hear much over the next few weeks about education, housing, crime, tourism - the so-called 'key issues' - and rightly so.

But sport? It won't get a look-in.

And given the role it plays in this community, that's difficult to comprehend.

The knock-on effect from a healthy sporting environment is substantial.

Successful sporting programmes help lower crime, increase tourism, enhance national pride and generally make people feel much better about themselves and their country.

And while many of these programmes can run successfully without Government intervention, there's so much more that could be done with increased funding.

Ask any of our national governing bodies, sporting clubs or organisations about their greatest challenge, and invariably they'll point to fund-raising.

If the numerous events in which we compete recreationally are to be taken to the next level where we can be competitive on an international scale, then facilities need to be upgraded, equipment improved and opportunities offered for both incoming and outgoing tours.

And the only way that can be achieved is through an infusion of cash.

The taxpayer shouldn't be called upon to carry all of the burden, but given the significance of sport in this tiny island and the disproportionate budget allocated to its ministry compared to others, it's perhaps time to re-examine what more could be done to assist.

Perhaps all of those who competed and watched last weekend might like to raise that very subject when candidates from both parties come knocking on their door during the next few weeks.

- ADRIAN ROBSON