Two Africans and a Russian have been added to the list of elite athletes arriving for International Race Weekend.

And Kenya?s Emanuel Chamer could be the one to watch in both the 10K and Half-Marathon as he has reportedly run a sub-28 minute time for the shorter distance and a 1:02 half-marathon ? times never previously achieved in Bermuda.

Little else is known about Chamer, and even less about Ethiopian Alene Retta who is booked to double-up in the same two events.

The third addition is Russian marathoner Vitaliy Myeltsaev, who is believed to have run 2:18 for the 26.2 mile distance. He will be one of the challengers in Sunday?s marathon alongside fellow countryman and 2:12 marathoner Eduard Tukhbatullin, five-time champion El Afoui Boubker, of Morocco, Kenya?s Fred Gatange, who has clocked a 2:13 marathon and 22-year-old Ukrainian Edward Gapak who ran 2:29 in the New York Marathon at the age of 19.

Saturday?s 10K is shaping up to be the most competitive race of the weekend with a handful of runners capable of running under 30 minutes set to battle it out on the challenging course.

Current US 10,000 metres track champion Jorge Torres is among the favourites on the strength of his 28:14 personal best, but he will be up against fellow American Clint Wells, who has a best of 27:54, Kenya?s Joseph Ngetich with a 28:13 to his name, Casey Burchill (USA) who has run 28:54, and last Sunday?s Fairmont-to-Fairmont winner Carl Kinney (USA).

Among the big name women arriving is former US 10,000 metres champion Katie McGregor. She won the International 10K in 2003 and was ninth woman in last year?s New York Marathon where she ran 2:32.

McGregor will compete in the 10K where she will meet fellow American Victoria Jackson, of Arizona, whose best of 34:04 is one second quicker than McGregor?s 2003 winning time.

Russian Silvia Skvortsova, the reigning champion, will double-up as she did last year in the 10K and Half-Marathon.

Other names to watch in the 10K are Russia?s Tatyana Chulakh and the Ukraine?s Olena Plastinina.

In the marathon, American-based Ukrainian Victoria Ganushina, who was 16th in last year?s New York Marathon with a time of 2:42:50, will be among those challenging Russian champion Sarmasova Vinero, Svetlana Baigulova (Russia) and Svetlana Revyakina (Ukraine)

As reported in yesterday?s , Boston-based sports agency Marathon Tours are back onboard for the International Race Weekend after two shaky years that caused the company to declare it was pulling the plug on promoting the event after 27 years because of lack of co-operation and communication with previous race organisers.

The agency claims to have brought 9,000 athletes to the event over the past three decades. This year it has 60, up from 25 in 2006.

Marathon Tours president Thom Gilligan, currently in Dubai, told : ?Marathon Tours is very pleased to again be a part of the teamwork that creates the Bermuda Race Weekend. We have renewed vigour to work with the new members of the present race committee and BTFA. It is also exciting to see some old friends injecting their enthusiasm into making these events an attractive occasion to visit Bermuda.?

He added: ?Hopefully, 2007 will be a start of better things to come in the future.?