Reigning KPMG Front Street Mile champion Neil Speaight is returning for the International Race Weekend's curtain call to defend his crown from a strong field of elite challengers.

The leggy Englishman, who will also run the 10K, claimed last year's title in a thrilling sprint finish ahead of close friend, and two-time winner, James Thie who will miss next Friday's extravaganza through injury.

Amongst his opponents will be American Jon Rankin, who was third in last year's Fifth Avenue Mile in New York, and is coached by Joaquim Cruz who beat British legend Sebastion Coe to the 800m gold medal in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Rankin has a best of 3.53 for the mile.

Organisers have managed to lure a host of high calibre names to this year's event with the likes of Ewardo Torres, from the US, who will take part in the 10K and half-marathon. He has a half-marathon best of one hour and two minutes, as has fellow American Andrew Carlson.

Moroccan marathon man El Afoui Boubker, who has won the Race Weekend Marathon five times before, returns to attempt to regain his title which he lost last year.

His opponents this time include Dimitry Sivoc of Belarus, who has a best of 2.14.17, and Ethiopia's Gurmessa Megerssa who ran 2.17 in last year's Hartford Marathon.

Bermudian resident Chris Estwanik, who won last weekend's Fairmont to Fairmont road race, and will compete in the Elite Mile and the 10K. He has a number of sub-four miles to his name.

Another fast miler taking part is Kenya's Jackson Kivuna, who is a 1.45 800m runner, while Haron Lagat (Kenya) has run 3.53 miles.

The 2007 10K and half-marathon champion Emmanuel Chamer will also be back to defend his titles. His opponents in the shorter race will again include Guernsey islander Lee Merrien, and sub-28 minute men Said Azouzi of Morocco and Kenya's Philip Koech.

Another intriguing entry is Ed Moran who scooped gold for the US at last summer's Pan Am Games, in Rio, in the 5,000m where he shattered the Games' record in 13.26 and also posted a 10K time of 27.43 in the past year.

Moran's was the first Pan Am gold medal in the distance events for a US male since Bruce Bickford's 10,000m victory in 1987.

The elite female athletes will not be as numerous as the male competitors, but 10K runners Janet Cherobon, from Kenya, and Victoria Jackson, of the US, will be showcasing their talents in both the 10K and half-marathon, as will Kenya's Florence Jepkosgei who ran a 31.41 10K in Toronto last May and a 13.53 5K the same year.

Russian marathon runner Venera Sarmosova will be defending her marathon title and looks in good shape after a 2.39.22 result last October.