Challenge marathon starts today from Mdina

The 13th Gatorade Malta International Challenge Marathon gets underway today in Mdina.

Today's route will take the 128 participants, locals and foreigners, on a 11.195km race from Mdina and back, the first of three stages which culminate in Sunday's third and most difficult stage of all - a 25km race from St Paul's Bay to Valletta. Sandwiched in between is the short 6km run in Birzebbuga tomorrow morning for an overall marathon distance of 42.195kms.

Last week, the Runners Centre, announced a rather shortened entry-list of 128 compared to the 1997 record of 394 registrations.

However, there was an improvement in local participation as today 43 Maltese runners will be on the starting line.

Morocco's Abdelghani Bahhad, will not defend his title but former race winner, David Mansbridge, will be here hoping to emulate his 1991 feat when the Englishman became the first ever winner of the three-day Challenge.

Mansbridge should be challenged all the way by Brian Magri, Jonathan Balzan and Drew Lang.

Unlike Abdelghani, women's 2002 race winner, Carmen Hili, will be on the line to make it two in a row this year. Last year, the St Patrick's AC runner covered the distance in 3:07.15.