will be back to defend her title at next month's ITU World Cup event in Bermuda.

Carney, who has won four of the seven ITU World Cup races so far this year, was yesterday confirmed as one of six big-name entries for the $85,000 race on September 21.

In addition to Carney, ITU managing director Mike Gilmore said Michellie Jones -- the ITU world champion in 1992 and 1993 -- and Mieke Suys would also take part in the women's race while the men's will feature Greg Bennett, Hamish Carter and Brad Beven, currently ranked second, third and eighth, respectively.

Between 75 and 85 men and 55 to 64 women -- including a handful of local competitors to be announced shortly -- are expected to line up on Front Street, Gilmore said.

Suys, a Belgian who took advantage of Carney's absence to win last week's World Cup event in Embrun, France, has moved up to fourth in the rankings.

Bennett and Beven, both, like Carney, from Australia, are among seven different winners of races this year in a tightly-contested hunt for the men's title. Carter, from New Zealand, has a second and two third-place finishes under his belt.

The standings are led by Aussie Chris McCormack, who was here last year but has yet to confirm his attendance this time around. The same holds true for Kazakstan's Dimitry Gaag, last year's surprise men's winner.

There are two changes from last year, both involving the course.

The 1.5-kilometre triangular swim course in Hamilton Harbour will start and finish off the Front Street steps instead of Albouy's Point, while the transition area will be Number One Shed car park.

And the 40 km bike course, instead of turning around at Crow Lane Bakery, will now take riders up challenging Corkscrew Hill, west along Cavendish Road and Reid Street and back on to Front Stret via Queen Street, Richmond Road and Woodbourne Avenue. Riders will complete nine laps of the course.

The ten-kilometre run translates into seven laps along Front Stret, starting and finishing at Number One Shed with the eastern turnaround near the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute. Rankings points from the race are the main criteria for qualifying into the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, where triathlon makes its debut as a medal sport.

Meanwhile, Bermuda-based insurance company ACE Ltd. has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the event, which will be telecast on FOX Sports Cable Network. Bermuda Commercial Bank and the Department of Tourism are other sponsors.

TITLE DEFENCE -- Emma Carney will hope to duplicate last year's spectacular performance when she returns to the upcoming ITU World Cup in Bermuda.