Barring any unforeseen late entries of note, Jay Donawa appears to be the unquestionable favourite going in to tomorrow?s 30th anniversary Fairmont-to-Fairmont road race.

There are less than a handful of runners on the Island capable of coming anywhere near the seven-times champion and it appears the three most likely rival contenders will be absent from the start line, leaving the way clear for Donawa to create history with an eighth consecutive win in the 7.2 mile race.

Lamont and Larry Marshall, who placed second and third respectively in last year?s May 24 Marathon Derby which Donawa missed through injury, would be the most likely contenders to deny 34-year-old Donawa another race crown.

But Larry is only 75 percent fit as he returns from a niggling knee injury and has decided not to enter the race, while brother Lamont who beat Donawa by three seconds in a thrilling duel in October?s Crimestoppers 5K is also missing the event in order to prepare for next week?s Front Street Mile.

Lamont was the fastest local in the mile last year when he ran four minutes, 23 seconds and has opted to concentrate on seeking a repeat victory.

He finished runner-up to Donawa in the national cross country championships at the Botanical Gardens at the start of December and the following week found himself zapped of strength in the mile time trials.

As a result he has decided not to risk a hard road race only five days before the Front Street Mile showpiece.

With the two Marshall brothers out of the frame that leaves Kavin Smith as the only on-Island distance runner likely to trouble Donawa, but last night indications were that he had also decided to miss the race as he prepares for the Miami Marathon on January 28.

In the women?s race, Flora Duffy stands out as the favourite, having run a blistering 17 minutes 34 seconds in the Crimestoppers 5K.

The 19-year-old Commonwealth Games triathlete has formidable talent and racing experience and it would be an upset if she were not to beat defending champion Victoria Fiddick.

This year?s race is a landmark for the event, marking the 30th running of the race since it was established in 1978. A number of athletes who took part in the inaugural event are also participating tomorrow.

Former Premier Dr. David Saul and writer Rosemary Jones are two of the original competitors who will be back for more. Saul placed third in the race when he was 40. He is now 67 and still going strong.

Jones was only 13 in 1978, but like many youngsters at the time took part in road races across Bermuda as the first running boom gripped the Island. She has taken part in many of the subsequent races.

Marco Zanol, son of veteran road runner Giorgio Zanol, was just ten when he competed, and he too will be on tomorrow?s start line.

American age-record holder Sid Howard is another athlete for spectators to look out for. He normally wears a distinctive cycling racing cap.

Howard is 67 and was previously the fastest 60-64 year-old in the world at 800 metres when he set a time of 2:14.75 in 1999. He currently holds a number of US age records and has run most of the previous Fairmont-to-Fairmont races, having done his first in 1981.

Fairmont Southampton Hotel pastry chef Rolf Runkel, who plans to run the International Race Weekend Marathon next week, will be making his fourth appearance in the race. He has a best time of 47 minutes on the course.

The race starts outside the Fairmont Hamilton Hotel at 9 a.m. with an expected 200 runners heading out along Front Street and onto Harbour Road before reaching Middle Road and then onto Fairmont Southampton Hotel with athletes facing a last mile climb to reach the hotel and then a downhill to the finish line next to the Whaler Inn.

The event is sponsored by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts Bermuda and is organised by the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Club, with April Vesey and Lisa Van Wanrooy the two race directors this year.

Organisers have made arrangements for a shuttle ferry to take runners back to Hamilton following the prize-giving at the finish. A breakfast buffet is also being laid on for runners at the finish.

A 3K race for youngsters, sponsored by KPMG, will take place from the Heron Bay Marketplace, starting at 9 a.m.

Late entries will be accepted today at the Fairmont Hamilton between 9 a.m. and 12 noon, when runners can also pick up their race numbers.