Powerboat Race, down from 30 entrants a year ago.

Still, Bermuda Powerboat Association commodore Craig Burt yesterday held out hope that more would join the fray during a meeting last night and promised a thrilling event regardless of numbers.

"Most things are in place for an exciting race even though the field is a bit small,'' said Burt, a driver himself who nose-dived out of the competition off John Smith's Bay last year. "They (numbers) go up and down in cycles and it's a worldwide thing. This is not an inexpensive sport and people have responsibilities.'' One of those rumoured to be hedging on whether to enter was former winner Andy Stoneham, who last graced the winners circle in 1994 when he and co-pilot, Ascento Russell, blistered around Bermuda in 41 minutes and 16 seconds, while under immense pressure by the tandem of Michael Araujo and Eugene Bothello.

Word has been that Stoneham, after a one-year hiatus and having since sold his skater craft, would link with Otis Ingham, creating a threat to defending champion Patrick Stamper. Stamper has ruled the waves in Class D for several years, overcoming the elements as well as repeated protests by rivals that he uses illegal equipment.

Neither Stoneham nor Ingham could be reached for comment yesterday.

Ingham and then co-pilot Kevin Tucker were forced to drop out of last year's race because of mechanical difficulties.

Meanwhile, all of last year's winners are set to return to the scene of victory, with Guy DeSilva (Class A), Jason Pimental (Class B), Araujo (Class C), Stamper and Troy Burgess (Class S) already having signed up.

DeSilva, whose 16-foot, white and yellow Phantom tossed about the unforgiving South Shore like a piece of drift wood, stole the show in 1995 after emerging from a dogfight with class rival Jonathan Kemp. He and co-pilot Brian Smith prevailed in 1:00:39.

DeSilva later expressed a desire to sell his boat and retire from the sport in order to spend more time with his family, however it appears the lure of the water was too great.

Burt explained the key to victory is solid planning, together with good fortune.

"To win you need to be adequately prepared, but at the same time you have to be lucky,'' said Burt, entered this time in Class A. "Powerboat racing is a game of skill, but also luck, you could be running well And have a $10 part go off and affect your performance. "You have to use your head and not just your foot along South Shore. We look at it as the race starting at High Point (Church Bay), where the men are separated from the boys.'' Burt also sent out a plea to spectators, specifically those expecting to be on the water, to stay a safe distance from the course in the areas of the pylons, as well as points in Dockyard and near Pompano Beach.

"These boats don't have brakes,'' he said.

Racing gets underway at 2 p.m. on Sunday starting with the Class A, followed by Class B (2.07 p.m.); Class D (2.14 p.m.), Class C (2.17 p.m.) and Class S (2.22 p.m.).