enthusiasts have descended on the Island for International Race Weekend.

For the last 19 years, Mr. Gilligan, president of Marathon Tours in the United States, has come to Bermuda for the annual event and he has a steady team of avid repeat travellers who have come every year for the last 16 years.

This year more than 75 percent of the 1,025 visitors will be running one of the events; some for the sheer thrill of competition and others to raise money for their favourite charities.

Among those raising money through sponsorship for their United States-based charity are the Leukaemia Society which has brought 300 runners; the Arthritis Foundation with 140 people and the Connecticut Diabetes Association with 35 runners.

There is also a ten-runner contingent from Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital in New York.

"We are a travel agency that specialises in bringing runners to events around the world,'' Mr. Gilligan explained. He has conducted tours for runners in Antarctica as well as at more familiar events like the Boston Marathon and races in London, Berlin and Athens.

"It's never easy,'' he added. "It's always an effort to convince people to come to Bermuda in January which is in the soft season. But it has ideal weather for running and we try to promote that.

"My strongest contingent are those people who have come for the last 16, 15 or 14 years in a row. They are the ones who really spread the word. And word of mouth is always a good thing.''