This year's Rotorua marathon will be an outright victory for Japanese runner Tsutomo Saeki if runs up to his estimated time of 2h 15m on Saturday morning.

Not only will he be some six minutes ahead of the next runner but he will also slice a minute off the course record of 2h 16m 5s set by Paul Ballinger in 1988.

Interestingly the 31 year old from Hiratsuka-Shi in Kanagawa will also run a career best time. Saeki was second in the 2005 Gold Coast marathon in Queensland in his fastest time to date of 2h 16m 17s.

The runner that Saeki will need to watch in the Lion Foundation sponsored event is 36 year old Carsten Joergensen from St Martins Club in Christchurch. Joergensen has estimated 2h 21m. It will be his first time at Rotorua. Joergensen who has a best time of 2h 24m 5s, won the Kepler Challenge in December last year covering the 60km in 4h 59m 41s. He holds Danish records for 10km in 27m 54s and half marathon in 61m 55s. Joergensen was the European cross country champion in 1997, as well as world orienteering champion.

Kerry Rodger Auckland University, winner of the 40-44 age group last year in 2h 29m 36s, is back again at the age of 45 with estimate of 2h 32m. Rodger is looking to have a good solid run.

"I hope to come home better than last year," he said.

If he is feeling good over the second half Rodger said that he will have his eye on Jack Foster's 1980 45-49 age group record of 2h 28m 15s.

He has raced four times in Rotorua and has a personal best of 2h 19m 59s.

Joe Piggin, third in 2005 in 2h 28m 39s has entered with no estimated time. Mark Howard from Adelaide Australia has estimated 2h 28m. Glynn Hadley of Christchurch is hoping to run 2h 30m and Jamie Simmonds from Brisbane 2h 35m.

Mark Williams of Tauranga has estimated 2h 29m.

Colin Smyth (68) from Ngongotaha, who has a career best of 2h 39m 21s, is going for his 42nd Rotorua marathon and has estimated 6h 30m.

Heading the women's field should be 2005 winner Mikki Williden of Auckland, and Rina Hill (37) from Samford Brisbane who has estimated 2h 37m 36s. Williden has estimated a finishing time of 2h 48m.

After winning the 1992 Brisbane marathon Hill switched to triathlons and won her first seven triathlons as well as representing Australia in six triathlon world championships. Hill competed at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games finishing 33rd in the triathlon, and later that year won the Sydney marathon.

Fleur Bromley of Auckland will be seeking to improve on her second placing last year. The 28 year old triathlete has estimated 2h 55m. Bromley has just come off the triathlon season with a win in the Auckland half ironman. Running is the triathlon discipline that she enjoys the most.

Sue Attwood from Hibiscus Coast has estimated 2h 58m.

Bernadine Portenski of Wellington who has run 24 times at Rotorua, holds the record for the 55-59 age group of 3h 3m 42s set last year. Portenski also won this age group in 2005 recording 3h 6m 46s. This year Portenski will be endeavouring to reduce the 55-59 age group record to 2h 59m.

Les Marsh of Katikati at 86 is the oldest competitor. In 2005 he recorded 6h 41m, this time he has estimated 6h 30m. The oldest woman competitor is 84 year old Enid Claris from Hamilton who has estimated a time of 7h 30m.