brand new format designed to make it more competitive.

Each team of five to run the 25-mile route from St George's to Dockyard on Sunday must include one junior and one woman.

Bermuda Track and Field Association president of road running Stephen DeSilva said the new rules had been introduced to make the race less predictable and to get more women and juniors involved.

And it is hoped that in future the event will be staged in conjunction with a new spring marathon for the Island.

DeSilva said he was wary of dissuading runners from entering because of the one junior (under 15) and one female requirement, but he added that he could help.

"If people have got a team together, but they are short of a junior, I can find them one -- I have a list of 17 or 20 who are looking for teams,'' said DeSilva.

"And if they are short of a woman, I can also find them a woman.'' DeSilva can be contacted on 236-9586.

The rules stipulate that the female runner must not also be the junior.

"It used to be a case of picking the best team possible to go as fast as possible from one end to the other, but anyone could put together the best group of runners and we might as well have written the cheque out before the race,'' said DeSilva.

"But we wanted to make it more open and more competitive than that.'' The race is split into age groups -- under-40, 40-49 and 50 and over -- but only three of the team need to fit the age requirement. One of the strongest teams DeSilva had heard of so far was in the 50-and-over bracket.

Veterans Harry Patchett and Newton Adcock will team up with Front Street mile winner Karen Adams and two others.

Also sure to be in contention are husband-and-wife team Brett Forgesson, the former Commonwealth Games marathon runner, and Anna Eatherley, the top female road racer on the Island, who will be the nucleus of another strong team.

The event starts in St. George's at 9.00 a.m. and the juniors will run the first leg, five kilometres to the roundabout next to the airport. Three legs of six miles and a four-mile leg will follow.

Entries must be submitted by 5.00 p.m. on Friday.

DeSilva added that if the event proved successful, an extension to the route was planned to make it up to the marathon distance of 26 miles, 385 yards.

Individuals would then be invited to run the full distance alongside the relay teams.