A total of 20 yachts have so far been accepted for this year's Marion to Bermuda race.

The event is in its 14th year and will start on June 20 from Buzzard's Bay, Marion, Massachusetts.

The yachts will cross the Atlantic, finishing off St. David's Head after completing 645 nautical miles.

While 20 yachts are already pencilled in, a further 23 are awaiting approval of their applications.

Meanwhile, a pre-race all-day symposium will be held at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts on March 22.

Jack Braitmayer, chairman of the cruising yacht race, said: "The symposium is open to race entrants, their crews and all other sailors interested in learning about the race, its conduct and how to prepare for an offshore voyage."

In the event the symposium is over-subscribed preference will be given to race entrants and crew members.

Braitmayer said interest in the race was up sharply with the website, www.marionbermuda.com, receiving many hits.

He also said the Maritime Medical Access Programme, developed by the Department of Emergency Treatment at Washington's George Washington University, will again be provided to entire crews sailing to and from Bermuda.

Transponders will also be provided to a small group of racing yachts that will be identified on the website, allowing family and friends to track their progress.

The race was first sailed in 1977 and has taken place every other year since then. It attracts entrants from all over the east coast of America as well as Canada and here in Bermuda.

It has two navigation divisions, electronic and celestial, and is sailed under US Sailing's AMERICAP II handicap system.