Nearly 200 yachts are set to sail in the 49th Newport Bermuda Race, among them three that will be from the Island.

Among the trio of local entries are Crossfire, Nasty Medicine and Spirit of Bermuda. Crossfire, a J-125, is helmed by Brian Hillier, and is competing in the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division.

Nasty Medicine, a Corby 41.5, is competing in the St David’s Lighthouse Division and is helmed by Dr Stephen Sherwin. Spirit of Bermuda, a triple masted sloop, is competing in the Spirit of Tradition Division with Karen McDonald, the ship’s first female captain, at the helm.

The sail training ship took part in the previous 635-mile race and was awarded a citation by the Bermuda Race Organising Committee for exemplary seamanship for assisting in a medical emergency aboard another yacht.

In total, there are 165 yachts competing, the same amount that registered for the 2012 race from Castle Hill, Newport, Rhode Island to St David’s, Bermuda. The race starts on June 20.

The Newport Bermuda Race is organised by the Cruising Club of America and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and sailed almost entirely out of sight of land and across the Gulf Stream.

The race consists of five divisions: St David’s Lighthouse Division, Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division, Cruiser Division, Double Handed Division and Spirit of Tradition Division.

No boats have entered the Open Division for racing boats with canting keels.

The St David’s Lighthouse Division, for multi-purpose cruising/racing yachts, is the largest division with one hundred entries and is one of the race’s three divisions that have seen an increase in entries this year.

Returning are the top five boats in the division standings from the last race, including the 2010 and 2012 St David’s Lighthouse Trophy winner, Carina, helmed by Rives Potts.

No boat has been involved in or has more Newport Bermuda Race titles than Carina.

Two-times St David’s Lighthouse Division winner, Sinn Fein, which was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, is among this year’s fleet.

There had been concern that the Cal 40 would never sail again after being ravaged by the hurricane. But the boat has since been rebuilt and is raring to add to its impressive legacy in the race.

More than 100 prizes will be awarded at the traditional ceremony at Bermuda’s Government House on June 28. Among the new awards this year are Regional Prizes presented to the top boats hailing from five regions of North America.

Twenty-one states from Maine to California are represented in the fleet, with especially strong turnouts from New England and the Chesapeake Bay area.

The 16 entries from outside the United States include one boat each from Austria, Germany, Russia, and Spain; three from Bermuda; four boats from the UK; and five boats from Canada.