The 2007 Malta Marathon will set a new participation record as more than 800 runners are expected to take part, among them 440 local runners.

The race is scheduled to be held on 25 February starting fromMdina and coming to an end at The Ferries in Sliema.

Race Director Joe Micallef said that thanks the Malta Tourism Authority, they had managed to attract around 370 foreign runners with the biggest group coming from Germany – around 200. Another 100 will come from Great Britain.

Local runners will be able to register and pick their race number at Muscat Motors next Saturday from 11am to 3pm. Foreign runners will complete their registration forms the following Saturday, between 3pm and 7pm at the same place.

2006 marathon women’s winner Carmen Hili and Lisa Marie Bezzina, first in the half-marathon, are both expected to defend their titles. Carol Walsh, 12-time winner of the half-marathon, will also be there after missing last year’s event.

The leading runners in this year’s Malta Marathon are expected to be all from Morocco, a country with a very rich tradition in distance running. The Marathon should be a two-horse race between Banniz Youssef and Mohammed El Hattab. While the latter is an experienced Marathon runner having placed 10th in the 2002 London Marathon in a time of 2:11:50, the former who has a Half Marathon PB of 1:02.03 will be making his Marathon debut. Marchane Abdelkebir, the Sicily-based runner who won four past editions of the Malta Marathon and who also holds the record will be a special guest of the Organising Committee. It is expected that Marchane will compete in the Half Marathon.

There will also be a 2km Fun Run that starts at 9am at The Strand. This year’s run is also open to parents rather than just children as the organisers are looking to make it an enjoyable family activity. Around 400 are expected to take part.

BMW are the main sponsors while San Michel, Powerade and Urban Jungle are the other official suppliers of the races.