tomorrow as the 31st Round the Island Power Boat Race takes place (first class starts at 2 p.m.).

Most roads lead to Ferry Reach, where the race starts and finishes, but every seaside and ocean vantage point is likely to be filled with hundreds of onlookers excited by speed.

Much is anticipated of the 33 craft and crew set to encounter Mother Nature in a test of courage, skill ... and a bit of luck.

Of particular intrigue are the `monsters' that make up the S Class, which has no limits on engine size or creative genius.

It is this class that is expected to produce top speeds in the region of 100 miles per hour -- condition dependent -- and on a perfect day could challenge the 30-minute mark for the rounding ... a hitherto unthinkable feat.

The current record for the 60 nautical mile course is 37 minutes, 43 seconds recorded by Kevin Stevens and Henry Trott in 1987.

Four boats make up the S Class fleet, which includes defending champion Kirk Roberts, Derek Simons, Troy Burgess and David Carey.

Roberts won a year ago in 38 minutes, 22.51 seconds, but he has been largely disregarded this year, with most attention focussed on Burgess and the veteran Simons.

The latter pair come armed with a trio of 2.4 EFI Mercury engines compared to just two for Roberts and Carey. Roberts admitted in an earlier report that he did not fancy his chances if conditions were anything close to ideal.

Burgess, meanwhile, was salivating at the prospect of taking in the competition after being black-flagged -- disqualified -- two years ago.

"I'm looking forward to breaking the record if the weather is favourable and the competition is good,'' said Burgess, who has 1992 C Class-winning driver Timmy Boyles as his throttle man. "I feel confident ... it should be quite interesting.

"Timmy really knows the reef line well, which is one of the reasons I asked him to go with me.

"It's been wonderful working together so far ... we make a good package.'' As have all the others in the group, Burgess pointed to Simons as the man to catch.

Desmond DeShields will drive the rival 24-foot skater, with Simons in the all-important role handling the throttle.

Making swift progress after having their C Class entry flip during a practice session on Thursday are brothers Craig and Treadwell Nesbitt.

The duo have been hard at work repairing their white and blue skater since the incident and figure to be on the starting line tomorrow as scheduled.

"We're working on it and it should be all right,'' Craig said yesterday.

Looming large, however, is the very real spectre of defending champion and favourite Andy Stoneham, employing a new Douglas Skater after selling last year's winner to Craig Burt and his brother Alister.

"One thing people have to remember is that Stoneham doesn't have Timmy this year, who made it all work,'' said Nesbitt, a casualty last year after incurring mechanical difficulties. "All of us have a chance ... you just have to wait and see.

"The main thing during the race is to remain level-headed and just deal with whatever situation presents itself.

"If we want to win we have to concentrate on finishing first.'' Intrigue was added to the D Class as word spread of the recent arrival from the United States of Michael Moniz's black new model Progression.

Mystery surrounded the entry as it was believed that the craft had missed the cargo ship and would not reach the Island in time for the race.

"It's definitely here,'' said Moniz, dispelling the rumours.

The remaining Progression -- an older model -- belongs to reigning champion Patrick Stamper, but Moniz is sure he can "give him a good run''.

"It all depends on the weather conditions,'' said Moniz, a former winner in the smaller A Class. "They (Stamper and co-driver Luis Martin) don't like to go in rough weather.

"We don't mind it though and have more experience, but basically we both have the same equipment.'' Forecasters have predicted moderate conditions for Sunday with light southwesterly winds. Inside the reef should have seas of one to three feet, while outside drivers can expect three-to-five foot swells. PHOTO CATCHING THE WAVE -- Patrick Stamper, seen last year winning the D Class, will be out to defend his title tomorrow.