The top senior sailors in the world will be joined by some of the leading juniors as part of next week?s festivities surrounding the King Edward VII Gold Cup.

While Olympians and America?s Cup skippers from around the globe will be battling for one of the most prestigious trophies in match racing, junior Optimist skippers from eight nations as well as Bermuda will compete in the Renaissance Reinsurance Junior Gold Cup.

Twelve optimist sailors from abroad will be taking on a formidable Bermuda fleet of 28 juniors, many of whom have enjoyed success overseas in the last year, in a four-day regatta in the Great Sound with the final race scheduled for Hamilton Harbour.

Among those flying in will be world Optimist champion Tina Lutz of Germany. She?ll be joined by compatriot Philip Autenrieth, Claire Bethez of France, George Kool of New Zealand, Sean Moynahan of the USA; Sacha Pelisson and Kevin Peponnet of France, Matthew Rainback of the UK, Matthew Schoener Smith of Trinidad, Mark Whittington of Australia and Daniela and Stephanie Zimmerman of Peru.

will be represented by James Anfossi, Connor Astwood, Anthony Bailey, Blake Burgess, Kyle Burgess, Brian Bulhoes, Kelsey Durham, Martin Finegan, Lance Fraser, Joshua Greenslade, Rene Greenslade, Kalin Hillier, Bertie Horsfield, Georgia Lewis, Giles Lorimer-Turner, James Lorimer-Turner, Emily Nagel, Cameron Pimentel, Haley Powell, Ryan Powell, Oliver Riihiluoma, Jordan Saints, Owen Siese, Catalina Sposato, Christopher Sposato, Sam Stan and Gregory Trott.