An intriguing challenge is looming with Bermuda Track and Field Association's adjourned annual meeting due to resume within the next few weeks.

Two prominent long-serving senior members involved in the sport are set to run against each other for vice president of road running.

George Sutherland will contest the post currently held by Lee Tucker and, according to BTFA president Stanley Douglas, this could be the only instance where there will be a vote as the rest of the executive are all offering themselves for another term.

This week Sutherland made no secret of the fact that he was running for the position, claiming he was looking forward to the challenge.

"Yes, I would like to stand once again. I still think I have a lot to offer the association,'' said Sutherland.

Eighteen months ago Sutherland severed ties with the BTFA, resigning after then president Philip Guishard appointed Beldwin Smith as manager of the Bermuda team chosen for the CAC Cross Country Championships in the Bahamas.

Sutherland had contended that since Smith had not been actively involved with that section of runners, his inclusion was not justified.

One of Sutherland's strongest supporters among the athletes was long distance running star Kavin Smith, who said that since being in charge of road running Sutherland had done more than anybody else in that position.

Douglas this week said he was pleased that the current executive had indicated their intention to run again. They are Douglas as president, Lee Tucker, vice president (road running), Anthony Philip, general secretary, Pat Lake, assistant secretary, and Bryan Dowling, treasurer.

It remains to be seen what happens to the position of vice president of track and field which was held by Norbert Simons until his resignation earlier this year. "We'll just have to see if anybody from the floor is interested,'' said Douglas of a post that was never filled.

Douglas himself is familiar with AGM selections by balloting having himself brushed aside challenges from former president and founding member Randy Benjamin as well as Mid Atlantic Athletic Club's Stephen DeSilva last year.

The AGM on October 31 was adjourned because some reports were not completed in time, and Douglas reckons that a date to have it resumed will be scheduled soon -- a further delay being necessary because so many members are attending the New York City Marathon this weekend.

Douglas said he was delighted to have his executive stand again because it gave them an opportunity to complete the many programmes that they had started over the past year. "We have an opportunity to build a better structure, a more business-like structure within the association where we will be able to have a lot of the challenges of the past taken care of with rules and regulations.

"We have really worked hard. Financially we are not always there, but we have a lot of support in the business community these days and if we continue to get it we will have success. We feel that we are just beginning to have success, the type of success, that is, to create better relations with the business community and to invest in the young, disciplined people that we have on the Island.

"We need to produce young people who have discipline, a good work ethic, to be positive contributors to our society. I think we have an opportunity through some of our young people's talent to move them forward to things like scholarships in American schools, and to also develop them and many senior people as a whole and encourage everybody to seek a higher level of competitiveness.

"The key to it is to bring discipline, goal-setting and these sort of things to young people so they can get a sense of personal achievement. That's what a lot of the young folks need today.'' The president said he was proud of the association's record so far, pointing out that they had increased the participation level with adults through some good programmes that involved several road races.

He added he was looking forward to next year's international calender which would start with the Carifta Games in Trinidad and Tobago and follow with the Olympic Games in Atlanta, the Junior CAC Games in mid-summer and the Junior World Championships in Australia in August.

George Sutherland