THE TRANS-ATLANTIC AIR RACE STARTED TODAY (SUNDAY) WHEN THE NIECE OF AIR PIONEER SIR JOHN ALCOCK RAN FROM LONDON'S POST OFFICE TOWER AND HEADED FOR NEW YORK'S EMPIRE STATE BUILDING VIA SUBWAY, CAR, CHARTERED FLIGHT AND HELICOPTER.

ANNE ALCOCK, AGED 18, WAS THE FIRST CONTESTANT AWAY BUT SHE HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN MUCH CHANCE OF WINNING -- HER CHARTER FLIGHT WAS SCHEDULED FOR TAKE-OFF AT NOON, ABOUT FOUR HOURS AFTER THE OFFICIAL START OF THE RACE.

ABOUT 390 COMPETITORS ARE IN THE RACE, WHICH HAS BEEN ORGANISED BY THE LONDON NEWSPAPER, THE DAILY MAIL. THERE ARE PRIZES FOR THE FASTEST WAY OF GETTING THERE AND FOR THE MOST COLOURFUL WAYS OF DOING IT. AMONG THOSE TO GET AWAY FROM LONDON TODAY WAS EX-MOTOR RACING DRIVER STIRLING MOSS AND A BRITISH COMEDIAN, SLIM HEWITT. OLYMPIC ATHLETE MARY RAND STARTED HER ENTRY IN THE RACE WITH A SPRINT FROM A SUBWAY STATION TO A CHARTERED AIRCRAFT.

THE FAVOURITE FOR THE RACE IS THE ROYAL NAVY, WHICH HAS ENTERED THREE SUPERSONIC PHANTOM JETS. THEY WILL REFUEL IN MID-AIR. THE ROYAL AIR FORCE HAS TWO "JUMP-JET" VERTICAL TAKE-OFF HARRIERS ENTERED, ONE FLYING FROM LONDON, THE OTHER FROM NEW YORK. THERE IS ALSO A FIVE-YEAR-OLD CHIMPANZEE AMONG THE COMPETITORS.