Following a month of rest, the MAAA Road Running League returns tomorrow with another 10k race, this time in Qawra.

It is turning to be quite a season as midway through the league there is no clear favourite. Charles Cilia (AS Libertas) and John Buhagiar (Birkirkara St. Joseph) have both won a race each and both ended 2005 in fine form.

In particular Cilia was boosted by a fantastic win at the Calvia International Marathon is Spain and will be looking to transfer that kind of form into the new year.

Pre-league favourite Gerald Grech has somewhat under-performed so far, failing to win either one of the two races so far and running well below his potential. Yet the AS Libertas athlete is a tenacious runner who will push hard till the end knowing fully well that he is still in with a chance for the overall title.

Among the women there is similar uncertainty with Carol Walsh (Pembroke Athleta) and Giselle Camilleri (St. Patrick’s A) both having won a race each. In reality, however, Camilleri’s success came in the absence of Walsh who is still unequalled in the local running scene and would undoubtedly start as favourite should she take part at the Qara 10k.

If she does compete, Walsh will probably start in the veteran’s race. In a bid to promote veteran’s athletics, the MAAA will be holding two separate events on the same day: one exclusively for veterans and the other one being an open category.

As for the junior categories, these will have the opportunity for another crack at a cross country race that is to be held today in the fields behind the Matthew Micallef St. John track.