first time in four years when their competition for the King's Point Trophy gets under way in the Great Sound.

Five two-man crews are involved in the series of five races spread over two days. The class, which is also celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, was hamstrung for a number of years after losing its launching facilities at the Naval Annex.

But the staging of the world championships last November -- the second time Bermuda has hosted the event -- has given it fresh vitality.

Former Olympians Alan Burland, Jay Kempe and Glenn Astwood will skipper three of the boats in the competition. Burland will be joined by his former Olympic partner Chris Nash, while Astwood's crew is his world championship partner Damian Payne.

Meanwhile racing resumes in the other big boat classes following yesterday's lay-day.

The Etchells class, which has two races to come this afternoon and tomorrow morning, looks set to be a shoot-out between England's Graham Bailey, Florida's reigning champion Robert Bell and Bermuda's Andreas Lewin.

Bell, who picked up the KF Trimingham Trophy last year without winning a race, got to the finishing line first in Tuesday's opening encounter. He enjoyed the feeling so much he did it again in the afternoon.

But after the first race is completed today, skippers will be able to discard their worst placing which could propel Bailey into the lead.

The international one design sailors resume after one race of the Norwegian Series B competition. James Bishop was in first place after that while Bill Widnall, who won the first series -- the Bermuda Race Week Championship A -- has ground to make up after finishing a disappointing sixth.

The J-24s have two more races to complete. Canadian Michael Mountford is leading the way with compatriot Thomas Hakansson in second. However there is local interest in Hakansson's boat with John Thompson, a former Commodore of the RBYC, acting as tactician.

The dinghy classes have been out of the water for two days -- yesterday's day off coming on the heels of the poor weather which caused the abandonment of racing on Tuesday. JY-15s, Snipes and Lasers all race twice today, with tomorrow's spare day likely to be used to make up the lost competition.