and Snipe fleets compete for International Race Week honours.

Reigning Sunfish champion Malcolm Smith turns his attention to the Snipe Class this year, with his main local competition expected to come from Stevie Dickinson, who finished third in 1991.

Four-time winner and defending champion Jerry Thompson from Long Beach, California, is the pre-regatta favourite.

But there are plenty of other strong challengers in a Class which boasts two more previous winners in the shape of Bill Buckles and Sam Mollett of the US.

Smith, a previous runner-up in the Snipe Class, decided to make another challenge this year having run away with the Sunfish Class last year.

"I decided to swap back to Snipes because there is more depth in the class.

There are a lot of people in with a chance and it should be a very close competition.'' Crewing for Smith this year will be his fiancee Julie Grayston, while Dickinson will be joined by the experienced Wesley Tucker.

Thompson brings with him one of Annapolis' best female sailors Lisa Foulke, while Mollett has local sailor Mark Henneberger crewing for him.

Buckles, from Cleveland, Ohio, will be a threat if winds are strong, while fellow American Fritz Gram will thrive if conditions are light.

Canada's Gwen Crook is the only female skipper in the 22-strong fleet which features seven Bermudians, 13 Americans and two Canadians.

The Sunfish Class will be boosted by the return of seven-time winner Donny Martinborough of the Bahamas, who was prevented by work commitments from attending last year's regatta.

Another former champion, Alan Scharfe of the US, should provide Martinborough's main overseas competition. Scharfe, who won back in 1988, was runner-up to Smith last year.

Smith's move to Snipes still leaves a 13-strong local challenge with James Stewart, Michael Oatley, David Frith and Richard Butterfield among the Bermuda contenders.

Peter Nash is the lone Canadian in the 21-strong fleet, with the remaining sailors hailing from the United States.

Both Snipes and Sunfish will contest a best five from six series, with two races scheduled for next Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. PHOTO MALCOLM SMITH -- Bidding for glory in the Snipe Class.

DONNY MARTINBOROUGH -- The Bahamian makes a return to Bermuda this week in search of his eighth Internatinal race Week Sunfish title.