While admitting her current focus to be elsewhere, top local female triathlete Julia Hawley expects to be firmly in the swim, ride and run of things during today's Tri-Gatorade Triathlon in St. David's.

Hawley has been training with an eye towards the prestigious May 24 Marathon Derby, but would still appear above the rest of the women's field.

"I'm looking for some good things tomorrow, I've been out of triathlons for a couple of years -- I had some strong years in '93 and '94 -- but I'm trying to get back into it now, so I've been training quite hard the last few months,'' said Hawley during a lunchtime media conference yesterday.

"It's kind of early in the season for me, I like to run May 24, so I concentrate on that. I haven't done any swimming at all so that'll definitely be a struggle for me, but once I get out on the bike and run I'll be fine.

"I'd like to do under 2:30, but really I should be going for a lot faster than that. If I was really fit and had my swimming up I'd probably be shooting for 2:20-2:25, but I'll be happy with around 2:30 tomorrow.

"Bermuda's always tough, I've done those kinds of times in the (United) States before, but I've never actually done a full distance here in Bermuda.'' The contest marks the first of the year and for Hawley ranks a stepping stone towards competition at the World Championships later this year.

On the men's side New York resident Marcello Torrecelli was setting his sights low, saying that he would be content with a top 10 placing, even after leading for more than two thirds of last years event before being overhauled by eventual winner Neil de Ste. Croix.

De Ste. Croix is said to have had trouble shaking off a nagging flu virus, although he has entered and remains a strong threat.

"I aim to do the best that I can, I don't even know if I could do second again,'' said Torrecelli. "I just did the best I could here last year and the fellow that won from Bermuda was just too good, when he passed me he was running so fast that I couldn't keep up.'' The American was clearly not buying into the illness theory regarding de Ste.

Croix, intimating how he had heard the stories all too often before.

"They always say that. He said that last year too, but he looked pretty good on that run.'' Notably former top triathlete Greg Hopkins is also entered as has Steve Donnelly and several overseas athletes, either of who could provide viable challenges to the title.

The event is an age group competition, with juniors setting off at 8.00 a.m., while the seniors depart at 10.00 a.m..

All junior categories will start at the same time with awards given to the first three boys and girls in each age group. Junior over 14 year olds may race with the adults in the Olympic distance Tri-Gatorade. The 11 kilometre swim involves two loops around Grazbury's Island, followed by a 40 kilometre bike ride and ends with a 10 kilometre run.

The seven to 11 boys and girls will swim 100 metres, ride a 5-k course and run 1-k while the 11-14 boys and girls will swim 200 metres, ride 10-k and run 2-k. The distance for the advanced 11-14 year olds is a 300 metre swim, 15-k ride and 3-k run.

READY FOR ACTION -- Some of the top competitors in today's Tri-Gatorade Triathlon pictured yesterday.