Plans for next year?s Bermuda International Race Weekend are off and running.

The three-day event, scheduled for January 16-18, is the Island?s annual athletics showpiece featuring the Front Street Invitational Mile Races, the Bermuda International 10K, the 10K Charity Walk and finishing with the Bermuda International Marathon and Half Marathon which are held jointly.

Front Street Mile Trials take place at the National Sport Centre on Sunday, December 7 and Saturday, December 13. Spacing the trials over two weekends, according to organisers, will enable anyone travelling to have a better chance of entering.

Mile entry forms will be available at sport shops and will be distributed to schools.

International Race Weekend entry forms have been sent out to all locally-registered runners and to all overseas competitors who were in this year?s race weekend. Entry forms have also been sent to local health and fitness clubs and gyms and are available at the local sporting shops ? Sportseller, The Pro Shop, Winners Edge, The Sports Source, International Sport Shop, Sports R Us, Sports Locker and at the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Youth, Sport & Recreation.

Forms can also be downloaded from the Bermuda Track and Field Association?s website (www.bermudatracknfield.com).

Entry fees are as follows: Marathon - $40, Half Marathon - $30, 10K - $30, 10K Charity Walk - $20. Bermuda resident entries must be received by Friday, January 2, 2004. A late fee of $50 will be charged after the deadline date.

Once again $25,000 in prize money ? plus bonuses totalling $30,000 for record-breaking performances in the Mile and International Marathon ? will be up for grabs. Bonuses of $10,000 are being offered in the Marathon for the male winner faster than 2:15:20 and the female winner faster than 2:40.32.

There?s also a special incentive for local athletes in the marathon with a $5,000 award for the male and female who go under 2:27:22 and 2:54:18 respectively.

Though defending champions are automatically invited to defend their titles, Luiz Carlos Ramos of Brazil will not be here due to his positive drug test after this year?s marathon.

The BTFA are still awaiting official word from the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) concerning those results.

No elite runners have yet been invited though the BTFA have received numerous requests for invitations.