The 13th annual Bank of Bermuda Team Triathlon takes place this Sunday morning (9.30 a.m.) on the streets of Hamilton.

And, like the assembly of a puzzle, there has been the usual last-minute frenzy to find the final pieces to complete the teams of swimmers, cyclists and runners for what is the most popular event of the year organised by Bermuda Triathlon Association.

While many of the participants for the one-mile swim, 15-mile cycle and six-mile run have entered for fun, top athletes from each individual sport are traditionally drawn together to vie for honours in seven categories and the coveted overall position of fastest team.

This year is no exception as the top overall team in the 2000 event will return with swimmer Michael O'Connor, cyclist Dayna Henry-Rochester and runner Kavin Smith again the hot favourites.

O'Connor has already shown this year that he's one of the top open water swimmers on the Island, coming out of the water first in the Round the Sound swim last month. And despite Henry-Rochester having not competed locally this season on the bike, he's more than capable of holding it together long enough to hand over to Smith who is without question the Island's premier runner.

Few would argue that nothing short of a two-minute lead over Smith going into the final discipline would be sufficient to prevent a repeat of last year's result.

Smith said: "I know that Michael is very excited about the race, and I really enjoy the team event, especially the coming together of all the athletes and the atmosphere.

"My run on Labour Day when I broke the record shows I am in good shape, so I am looking forward to it, and I don't mind coming from behind, I love to chase."

Pushed for a prediction, Smith was a little more cautious. "I'm sure we will do well but anything can happen on the day, especially on the bike leg where flat tyres and mechanicals can happen."

With a number of the Island's top runners not signed up this year due to a clash with a BTFA cross-country time trial for the CAC Championships taking place at 9.00 a.m. on Sunday, it would appear it might take something like that to topple the defending champions.

The Parks Department team, competing in the Company Division, of Jamie Pedro, Andrew Davis and Tracy Wright appear to be the likely challengers, with the Masters team of Tab Froud, Richard Mason and Andrew Doble also expected to do well.

The women's division may prove a little tighter with last weekend's CD&P Grand Prix winner Melanie Claude back in action as she teams up with swimmer Belinda Castrey and runner Anna Eatherley.

With Castrey expected to be out of the water as one of the leaders and Eatherley the top female runner on the Island in recent years, their only realistic competition should come from the team of swimmer Ashley Robinson, cyclist Julia Hawley, also fresh from an impressive performance in the Grand Prix, and Karen Smith, favourite for next week's individual event.

Claude, however, is looking past the women's division. "We want to see just how well we can do against the open men's teams. We are not underestimating the other women's teams but our team is hoping to place well overall," she said.

Despite what appears to be a drop in the number of teams entered this year, there is still sure to be plenty of excitement at Albouy's Point. The swimmers will complete two laps of a triangular course before exiting the water and handing over to the waiting cyclists.

The technical six-lap cycle leg takes the riders along Front Street to Crowe Lane bakery where they make a 180 degree turn before making their way back onto Court Street. They then turn left onto Reid Street, right into Queen Street, and then left onto Church Street before making the final turn down Bermudiana Road and back to the Bank.

The runners then take over for the final leg of the event on a six-lap course along Front Street.

Earlier in the morning, the youngsters will have their chance to shine in the Junior Ultra Sprint Team Duathlon which will see over 30 teams of two, a runner and cyclist, competing over the run-cycle-run event. Open to seven-14 year-olds, the seven to 10 age group will race over a half mile run, two and a half mile cycle and half mile mile run course while the 11-14 age group double the distance to one mile run, five mile cycle and one mile run.