which will celebrate its 20th anniversary under the sponsorship of John Barritt and Sons.

Smith, who departs on Monday for a training camp in New Mexico in his bid to qualify for the Sydney Olympics marathon, has told organisers he will skip the event, leaving it to the likes of Jay Donawa, John Wassenaar, Brett Forgesson and Tracy Wright to vie for the title.

Anna Eatherley will be a hot favourite among the women, her closest competition expected to come from Maria Conroy Haydon, Lynn Patchett and Georgia Belboda.

The race gets underway at 9.30 a.m. from the Botanical Gardens on South Shore Road.

RUNNING RUN