The 3rd annual Virgin Gorda Half Marathon, dubbed the "Beauty and the Beast", is expecting over 50 competitors on Saturday May 17, 2014. Photo: Todd van Sickle

Maxford Pipe and Guy Williamson will be going toe to toe over the tough course and continuing their rivalry which sees Pipe looking for a third straight win over his Tortola based rival. Photo: supplied

The race begins at 6 am May 17, 2014 at the Scotia Bank parking lot, VG. Photo: supplied

The pair has been going at it all season with Pipe securing victories in their last two meetings, one on VG and the other on Tortola, Williamson’s home turf.

Pipe will be looking to make it three from three on Saturday after close finishes in the Dive BVI 10K and the Blenheim Trust 5K series Finale last weekend, but the half Marathon course, dubbed the ‘The Beauty and the Beast’ will be a stiff challenge for both.

“Guy is a good distance runner, he runs Half Marathons very well, probably better than me but I’ll see what I can do because there are lots of hills so let’s see what happens,” Pipe said. “I like a bit of hills—it helps me a lot because I have long legs—going up the hills probably can help.”

Williamson said he’s going to represent Tortola. “I can’t just let Pipe walk away with it,” he stated. “It’s a tough race, a challenge all the way around, you never get a break, always up or down,” he noted. “It’s tough on the legs. I wouldn’t expect any fast times but it would be a fun course.”

Defending women’s champ Katrina Crumpler has run the two previous editions of the race and is looking forward to the challenge. “It’s a new course and a harder course,” she noted. “I’m not keen on the hills actually. I prefer the flat courses, but it’s a beautiful place.”

Race director Casey McNutt said she seen how many people like to push themselves in races she organizes including the Dive BVI 5 and 10K Series.

“They go to the 8 Tuff Miles on St. John and I see people looking for challenges so I wanted to maintain an integrity of the course and it’s something you have to train and fight for and there’s so much gratification when you finish,” she explained. “I think there’s no better way of being rewarded from this training than looking at the views from this course. It’s just an outstanding beautiful place.”

Already a challenging event with a tour of historic Coppermine and a circumnavigation of the Valley on the south, an even tougher segment has been added.

The race, which begins at 6 a.m. at the Scotia Bank parking lot, will take runners from the start north to a section of Gorda Peak via Nail Bay, giving participants magnificent vistas before descending on its southern tour of the island.

More than 50 participants including several from the U.S. Virgin Islands have preregistered for the event.