At least four of this year's champions are expected to return to defend their titles in next month's International Race Weekend, it was revealed yesterday.

With just two weeks left for the acclaimed racing series next month, formal applications have been received from the 2000 winners of the Front Street Mile, the men's marathon and the men's and women's 10K races -- setting the stage for a competitive series of races featuring elite runners from around the world.

The news comes as a badly needed boost to the biggest event on the Island's road running calendar after the loss of last year's title sponsors the Bank of Butterfield following a collapse in negotiations between the bank and event organisers the Bermuda Track and Field Association.

"We are pleased to see many of the outstanding international runners returning, including a host of the defending champions,'' said race director Judith Simmons.

"But it's difficult to determine what the overall numbers will be because we are still waiting on confirmations. One thing for certain is that there were a lot of enquiries and we expect many more confirmations to be made within the next few weeks.'' Close to 1,000 runners entered the marathon, half-marathon, 10K and mile races this year and next month's total is expected to be close to that.

Heading the list of reigning champions returning is marathon king El Afoui Boubker of Morocco who was a comfortable winner this year in a time of two hours, 23 minutes, 15 seconds.

Although he failed to challenge Andy Holden's 2:14 record -- set on the previous course -- Boubker could this time improve if the conditions are not as stormy and windy as it was the past January.

Boubker had run side by side with Russian Aleksey Balosludtsev for the first 20 miles.

The other champions coming back again are Kenyan Sammy N'geno, winner of the men's 10K, Canadian female 10K winner Courtney Babcock and American Karl Paranya who captured honours in the Front Street Mile.

The only uncertainty to date is the reappearance of the half-marathon winner Christopher England, an American who is a specialist in the 10,000 metres.

N'geno, who actually finished second in the Front Street Mile race as well, regarded the local course as his toughest ever as he fended off the challenge of others to break the tape inside the National Stadium in a time of 30:14, edging out Americans Bryan Spoonire and Michael Donnelly and Christopher England.

Bermuda's Terrance Armstrong led the local contingent of participants with a time of 31:49 for sixth place, beating Bermuda's marathon champion Kavin Smith who had a respectable time of 32:39 for an eighth place finish.

Bacbcock snatched honours in the women's division for the second year in a row in a time of 34:44, finishing 13th overall despite the mixture of hail, rain and high winds.

The 27-year-old Canadian Olympian finished two minutes and 33 seconds ahead of her nearest challenger.

Paranya retained his Front Street Mile title to become only the third runner ever to win back-to-back titles.

After Kenya's N'geno had a fast start to lead most of the way, Paranya snatched the initiative over the last quarter of a mile and won by half a second in a time of four minutes, 11.8 seconds, which was six seconds slower than his winning time of the previous year -- but a good effort considering this year's event was held in pouring rain.

Courtney Babcock: defending 10K title.

Kenyan flier: Sammy N'geno (left), who has signed up to return to Bermuda next month, runs alongside Race Weekend veteran Paul Freary (centre) on his way to winning this year's 10K.