marathon due to take place in November involving several hundred competitors.

The event is being organised by American company Strategic Resource Allocation Group (SRAG) with the support of the Bermuda Department of Tourism.

World renowned track and field coach Brooks Johnson was recently in Bermuda to negotiate final details of the marathon with tourism officials.

Johnson explained that many of the large marathons were taking steps to exclude walkers, hence the need for specialised events catering to the walking crowd.

"Marathoning is so popular in the United States that the marathon people are starting to discourage the walkers, because it takes so much longer for them and the logistics and cost is so much more,'' said Johnson, who has sent athletes to the Olympic Games during four separate decades.

"We're working with the Leukemia Society of America and they have 26,000 people, while there is an active walking community here in Bermuda and this event should be a very interesting and rewarding one for everybody.

"They don't have enough events that give walkers proper respect. When they go into regular marathons everyone focuses on the marathoners and now they're being turned away. Chicago turned down 1,500 of these walkers.'' Meanwhile, Tourism director Richard Calderon relishes the prospect of the Island playing host, adding that it should provide an ideal boost to air arrivals at a time when Bermuda traditionally struggles to attract visitors.

"It's an event that we support one hundred percent. It's the type of new event that we believe will help stimulate air arrivals to Bermuda,'' said Calderon.

"And based on my understanding during my conversation with Brooks, the early figures suggest that they'll come close to meeting their target numbers. Right now I think they're holding 259 rooms at The Princess Hotel.'' "We're very excited and hoping that, based on the success of it, it will become an annual event. And given additional lead time to help promote this and stimulate interest, and, again, based on the success of this year's event, we're hoping to grow that for the year 2001 and beyond.'' The race is due to take place November 19.