As of yesterday 57 spots remain for runners hoping to participate in the Bermuda Day Half-Marathon Derby on May 28, while the 25 team relay spots have been filled.

Registration opened last Saturday at 8am and within the first two hours about 250 individual runners had signed up. Gina Tucker, president of the Bermuda day race committee, said there has been a good response since registration opened, with 70 who entered for last year’s cancelled race being carried over.

Defending champions Lamont Marshall and Rose-Anna Hoey and past male winner, Chris Estwanik, are among those who have registered.

Because of Covid-19, this year’s race has been limited to 450 individual and 25 relay teams. Tucker expects the final spots to fill up soon for the race that will start in St George’s and finish at Bernard Park.

“We have almost 400 signed up,” she confirmed this week. “In the first hour or two it was about 250.”

Initially the plan was open registration at 12.01am but was put back to 8am.

“That made it fair for everybody”, Tucker said. “It’s very nice to see people out there ready to do this course, it’s not the easiest race to run. Trying to train in the middle of a pandemic and keep it all together is not easy.

“We’re just thankful to be able to give runners an opportunity to run. Whoever is able to come out, I’m sure they will register and get on the start line.

“They can continue to sign up online and the number pick-up will be on May 22, location to be determined. I encourage everyone to go to the website to stay informed and updated.

“Of course in this current situation everything is subject to change. We’re doing all we can to keep it as safe as possible.”

The men’s field is also expected to contain the likes of Sean Trott and Sammy Degraff who were second and third behind Marshall in the 2019 race while Martina Olcheski-Bell and Deon Breary, second and third two years ago, are expected to challenge Hoey for the women’s title.