Columbia, next week hoping to greatly enhance the image of Bermuda.

Victoria will be host of next year's Commonwealth Games and on October 2 a vote will be taken there to determine the site of the meeting to announce the host for the 2002 Games. Melbourne will stage the 1998 Games.

Bermuda lobbied for consideration at the Olympics in Barcelona last summer and it has come down to a three-way race, which includes Isle of Man and Guernsey.

"We are very excited and confident about winning,'' said Woods, who will be in company with BOA secretary-general John Hoskins and Bermuda Track and Field Association president Phil Guishard, next year's proposed chef d'mision in Victoria.

Should Bermuda win as Woods believes, the Elbow Beach Hotel will host up to 200 representatives from 66 Commonwealth nations. "Elbow Beach has been really good to us,'' said Woods of the negotiations.

Next week's meetings will also determine if team sports such as cricket and rugby will be considered for future Games.