This year, more than ever, Karen Smith feels under pressure to perform.

Smith, who has won the Bank of Bermuda Foundation Individual Triathlon for the past four years, is the hot favourite once again to take honours among the women in Sunday's race in Hamilton.

However, she knows making it five in a row will be no easy task and she is taking nothing for granted.

"I think the longer you win something there is the expectation of `can she do it again?' or `it would be nice to see somebody else win'," she said yesterday. "I feel more anxious about this race than any other year I have raced.

"There is that longevity and I think people want to have a good race out there and there are a lot more taking part."

Smith does not know if she will be a marked woman, but in any case she prefers to worry about her own race rather than that of her rivals.

"I don't know what anyone's gameplan is, so I don't know if anyone has got me marked as a person to beat but I go in there to just have the fastest race I can have," she said.

Smith's preparation for the race had been going very well - up until this weekend that is.

"I had a bike crash yesterday (Sunday)," she said. "I took a corner really hard and skidded out, crashing into the kerb. As a result I have got a lot of bruising and open road rash to my elbow, the side of my leg - I am a mess. I look like I have been hit by a truck.

"But this stuff heals pretty quickly and I just need to stay away from the water for a couple of days and hopefully I'll be OK by the weekend."

Prior to that mishap Smith had been in good form.

"This is one of my favourite races and I have been training pretty hard on the bike and on the run. I am hoping to better my time for last year and maybe even my placement," she said.

"I think (my personal best is) a low 1:06 and I think I can go faster than that. I have had a couple of good races overseas this year - I did a 1:05 in a sprint up in Canada and I had a really good half Ironman too. I have put a lot of effort into the bike this year and really focused on that. I have also done some speed work on the run and it's just gone really well."

Smith's plan is the same as most triathletes - get off to a good start in the water.

"For me the key to this will be having a good swim," she said. "I will be looking to make sure I get out in the front or at least get on someone who has got some speed and just try and stay with them.

"It's a very technical course, especially on the bike. There are a lot of corners and turns. Despite this weekend's crash I want to be aggressive on the corners and just try and make up as much time as I can.

"The run is pretty straight forward - it's out and back and out and back and out and back. For that it's just a case of give it what you've got."

And if anyone is thinking of taking her on, Smith believes she's still got a lot.

"I think every year I find something new and I am able to bring out a new personal best and I will keep going on as long as I enjoy it," she said.

"It's that inner drive that comes from seeing the training that you are doing is paying off. You set a goal and can see all the steps along to meet that goal are being realised. It's a challenge. Every time you go out to race you push your body to such an extent that that in itself is such a rewarding feeling.

"Certainly, if you have that inner drive you will continue racing all your life."