Jonathon Herring will be the clear favourite to win this weekend’s Bank of Bermuda Foundation triathlon in St George’s after solid performances so far this season.Herring, along with youngster Nate Hartwig, have been earmarked as ones to look out for in the men’s division, while Karen Smith, Laurie Orchard, and BJ Castree are among the favourites in the ladies division.Defending champion Karen Bordage will not compete due to injury, while Kent Richardson hasn’t been confirmed in the list of entries.“I think the clear favourite has to be Jonathan Herring who has pretty much won all local events he has entered this year, apart from the Tokio Millenium triathlon where Bermuda’s Olympic triathlete Tyler Butterfield took the honours.“On the female side, the contenders are going to be the defending champion Karen Bordage, her team-mate and training partner Karen Smith, but also look out for Laurie Orchard and her teammate BJ Castree.“Unfortunately one of the strongest contenders, Kristyn Robinson, is off Island and not competing.“Exciting prospects for the future are Tyler Smith, the 13-year-old son of Karen Smith, who won the Sprint event at the Rubis triathlon a couple of weeks ago, and 16-year-old Nate Hartwig who has been doing very well cycling this season.“Another youngster who will be missed is the very talented Justin Ferreira who is recovering from a nasty injury to his foot which he sustained racing in a USA Triathlon Youth Elite race earlier in the summer.”The route will be a new one for the athletes who will be hitting the pavements and water of St George’s this year rather than the customary Hamilton course.“We are hoping for 200 to 250 participants with interest in triathlon growing tremendously over the last couple of years, so much so that we regularly get 60 to 70 people participating in the BTA Summer Super Sprint Series which is held weekly, added Pilgrim.“Traditionally it used to be held in Hamilton, but has been held at Clearwater for the last couple of years, but the Mayor of St George’s and the Corporation have been very keen to get an event in St George’s, and our sponsor is delighted that we are holding the event for the first time in St George’s.“Triathlon is not new to the Old Town, as a few years ago The Escape to Bermuda triathlon had its bike/run transition on Ordinance Island, with the run taking place around St George’s finishing in King’s Square.”Transition for this event will be on Ordinance Island, with the swim taking place in the Harbour, with the bike course generally being flat going out of St George’s to Kindley Field Road, along to the Airport roundabout and back for two loops, making the 20K bike ride.The run course will be a challenging three laps of an approximately one-mile loop heading up the Town Cut, and back down past the unfinished church.