Their attention already focused on next year, local winners from Bermuda International Race Weekend 2003 and 2004 are now receiving their cheques in the mail.

At least three top runners have been pleasantly surprised when they opened envelopes from the Bermuda Track and Field Association (BTFA) in recent days.

However, while clearly pleased to finally be paid for their exertion, the athletes maintain such tardiness by the national sports governing body is simply not good enough and they hope it will not be repeated in the future.

?To tell the truth I had forgotten I had not been paid because last year it was the same thing (with late payment) and after a while you don?t really care because you don?t know if the money is going to come or not,? said Victoria Fiddick who on Monday got a $250 cheque dated July 31, this year.

She was actually expecting $300 ($150 for the Front Street Mile, $100 for winning her age group in the 10K and $50 for third female Bermuda resident in the 10K also) but believes it may have been ?a genuine mistake? that the $50 was excluded.

What she does question is the fact that her cheque was dated July and, like so many other athletes, she was critical of the BTFA?s lack of haste in concluding all matters related to the January race series.

?It makes them look even worse if they had these cheques sitting since July and just hadn?t sent them out. The race is not finished until you finish everything. The prize-giving is part of the race,? Fiddick insisted.

Veteran Peggy Couper reported two cheques arrived at her home: $100 for her success in the Over-50 age group in the Half-Marathon and $500 for her daughter Ashley?s victories in the Front Street Mile and 10K this year.

?I?m absolutely thrilled. It?s too bad they took so long to get the cheques out because unfortunately that?s left a bad taste with everybody. If the funds were there why didn?t they just get them out?? she queried.

Sylvester Jean-Pierre was perhaps more shocked than anything else as he received $250 on Tuesday for last year?s Marathon where he placed second among Bermuda residents and was elevated to sixth overall after original winner Luiz Carlos Ramos was disqualified for drug use.

?I had written this off. I wasn?t expecting it. This was a big surprise,? exclaimed the Barbadian.

Back in training after missing this year?s Race Weekend, Jean-Pierre said runners were frustrated with disrespect from the BTFA, noting the association never indicated if they had difficulties paying prize money and were not courteous enough to attach a note of apology with the cheques.

Other athletes including Anna Eatherley, Brett Forgesson and Lynn Patchett said they had not received any funds yet but were optimistic of doing so now that Race Weekend winnings were circulating.

Naturally, the runners are also happy that the 2005 edition of this event, which was cancelled last Thursday due to a lack of sponsorship, is back on ? and with money in the bank!

?That?s like taking away Christmas from a child. When it comes to the runners, that?s the race of the year. Even though May 24 is big, this is bigger I feel because we?re running with international competition,? noted Fiddick.

Eatherley agreed saying that last week?s depressing news felt like ?the rug was pulled out from under us?.

?I?m elated because it?s good incentive to keep us going through the winter months in Bermuda and it leads us into May 24th. It?s a big event and without it the season is very flat,? said Patchett.

While pleased the series has been saved, Forgesson was ?somewhat disappointed in the way the association conducted themselves?.

?They had to be bailed out because of their own incompetence which is not a good signal for the future,? he said.

His overriding view from the past week is that Government will have ?to throw money at the association? every time they run into trouble. In light of this, he suggested it would have been wiser to restructure Race Weekend as a separate, independent entity run by ?people who are interested in the event?.

?I think it can be run more efficiently and effectively,? said the veteran athlete, stressing that matters like paying athletes must be taken seriously when one is trying to lure the cream of international competitors.

?They need to get paid on time because that?s their livelihood.?