gruelling battle over 14 miles at Ferry Reach Park tomorrow.

Two titles are at stake with the first National Championship race doubling up as the eighth and final race in the Bermuda Bicycle Association Mountain Bike Series.

Milton Hill, Peter Matcham and Duncan Simons are all in with a chance of taking the series title, with Hill going into the race on top of the rankings.

Hill, who placed second to Matcham in a tough battle last weekend at Hog Bay Park, is the only two-time winner this season but the battle in the one-off championship race is wide open, especially with road racers Carlos DeSilva and Jason Krupp expected to take part.

And the entry of 15-year-old triathlon prodigy Tyler Butterfield, making his debut in a competitive mountain bike race, adds an unknown quantity to the field.

If Hill places first he will take both championships. If he comes second to Simons he will also come out on top, but if Matcham places first and Hill second then the two will tie for the series.

Tomorrow's race, over seven two-mile laps, will be by far the longest of the series.

Hill, in his first season of competitve racing, said: "I'm very excited about this race, but a bit nervous as well.

"This course is pretty technical and everybody will have their own strategy.

May the best man win.'' Simons, who missed two cross-country races and a downhill contest while at boot camp, was confident of registering his second race win of the series.

He added: "Milton's only beaten me once and Peter Matcham twice, so I've got as good a chance as the others. This race will be longer than the others and I think fitness is going to play a big role. And I have definitely noticed increasing levels of fitness as the series has gone one, particularly in the cases of Milton Hill and Tim Marshall.'' Simons felt there was a good chance of an exciting race with the lead changing hands regularly.

"Last Sunday at Hog Bay, people were getting stuck behind each other, but at Ferry Reach there are a lot more opportunities to pass,'' he said.

In the Junior Division Brian Steinhoff, who has dominated so far, will face a tough challenge from Butterfield. Butterfield's athletic talent is unquestionable, but Steinhoff may just have the edge with his off-road bike handling skills.

The action starts at 11.00.