the ITU World Cup series comes to Bermuda on September 21.

But yesterday's announcement by the Bermuda Triathlon Association of the five local triathltes who will compete alongside the international field was just as noticeable by who won't be there.

While Dave Cash, Kevin Tucker, Julia Hawley and Laurie Orchard will join de Ste Croix in the field, missing will be two of the top young triathletes on the Island, Kris Hedges and Tyler Butterfield, plus two of the top women, Melanie Claude and Shona Palmer.

Hedges, who won the Tri-Gatorade Triathlon here over the Olympic-distance earlier this year, has been concentrating on cycling in the US, taking part in the five-stage Killington, Vermont, race which began yesterday.

And Butterfield, who won the Bank of Bermuda Triathlon two weeks ago, bowed out because he has not been training for the ITU distance (1.5-kilometre swim, 40 km bike and 10 km run).

Invitations were also sent to Claude, who declined to participate, while Palmer is still hampered by back problems, a BTA spokesman said yesterday.

The local triathletes will be up against the likes of Emma Carney, the world's number one ranked female professional, who will be back to defend her title in the $85,000 event.

The men's race will feature the likes of Greg Bennett, Hamish Carter and Brad Beven, ranked second, third and eighth, respectively, in the ITU rankings.

About 80 men and 60 women are expected to take part.