Four-time winner David Mansbridge is set to return for the 20th edition of the Malta Challenge Marathon which will be held next week.
Mansbridge is one of several former winners who have confirmed their participation for this year’s edition which will be held between November 26 and 28.
The 46-year-old English runner took part on 14 occasions and he managed to win the race four times and place in the runners-up spot in six other editions.
He clocked his best time in the Challenge in 2000 when he completed the three-day event in 2 hours 22 minutes and 42 seconds.
Last year’s winner Jonathan Balzan is also expected to be on the starting line as he looks to clinch his fourth success in the marathon.
The St Patrick’s runner, who had also triumphed in the Challenge in 2005 and 2008, is in great form. His best time is 2 hours 26 minutes and eight seconds set last year.
Another runner who is set to battle for victory is Brian Magri.
The 2007 winner has a best time of two hours 29 minutes and 19 seconds.
In the women’s category, the 2009 winner Marika Muscat is unable to defend her Challenge title this year as she is currently recovering from injury.
Carmen Hili, winner of the Challenge on four occassions, is touted as one of the favourites for overall victory.
Her main challenge is expected to come from Joelle Cortis. The 23-year-old has just competed in the Lisbon Half Marathon where she clocked a time of 1:24.28.
Organisers have confirmed that 150 runners will compete in this year’s event with the foreign contingent being composed of 50 runners.
The Challenge will get underway on Friday, November 26 with the traditional 11.195km race that will take the participants from Mdina Gate up to the Dingli Cliffs before finishing off at Rabat.
On Saturday, November 27, the second leg will be staged at Birżebbuġa where a 6km race will be held.
The third and final leg is scheduled for Sunday, November 28 where the runners will tackle an arduous 25km route that starts from the Wignacourt Court vicinities in St Paul’s Bay with the finishing line set at Freedom Square, Valletta.