The Great Sound will be alive with much more than the normal scaled species of marine life starting on Sunday, with a decidedly human element due to thrust itself upon the turquoise waters.

International Race Week is once again upon us, promising its usual pitched battle fare, where rival skippers and crew attempt to out-manoeuvre each other in finding the fastest route to the finish line.

Action this year will take place in seven classes, one more than a year ago, with the 505 Class coming in to replace the International 14 Class, while also added are the Sunfish, where an intriguing clash looks like unfurling between former world champions Malcolm Smith of Bermuda and Bahamas' Donnie Martinborough.

Martinborough is a multiple past winner of International Race Week and stands as a viable threat whenever he takes to the water.

"They will certainly be renewing an old rivalry there, a friendly rivalry, which should be quite interesting,'' said Kevin Blee of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.

The Laser Class presents an interesting plot of its own, where husband and wife pair Brett and Sara Lane Wright will be looking to make it anything but a happy `home' for each other as they each seek a place at the top of the heap.

Brett is the defending champion in the class and, aside from Sara Lane, will also want to keep a close eye on Canada's Fred Eaton, an accomplished I-14 racer who will also be using the trip to familiarise himself with local conditions.

Stevie Dickinson stands out as the man to beat in the 10-member Snipes fleet in the absence of the numbers that came for last year's event which doubled as the North American Championships.

Referencing the `big boys', Peter Bromby stands as the focal point among the keel boats, as the reigning Bacardi Cup champion looks to strut his stuff among the high-profile Etchells Class.

He will have to get past the likes of recent series winner Tim Patton, along with proven campaigners such as Andreas Lewin, Paul Fisher, American John Kennerson, Stuart Ash of Canada and Alan Marr of Britain.

"One would guess Peter Bromby to be the favourite coming off what he did in Florida, but he'll have some company out there,'' said Blee. "The Etchells will probably represent the higher profile of all the classes and should provide some solid competition in the Great Sound, with a lot of sailors with the potential to win the class.'' Sadly, in the International One Design class, neither Penny Simmons nor Bill Widnall appear on the entry list. Both have won multiple world and Race Week titles, but have elected to stay away this time around.

However, on the bright side, Blee noted how the pair's absence simply opens doors for others to shine through. The only Bermudian involved will be Harry Powell, who will have Jordy Walker as a part of his crew, while Peter McCausland and Jan Petter Roed are confirmed entries.

Locals John Corless, Rikki Hornett and Shelagh Tasker stand out as chief contenders in the J24 competition, while in the 505's former national sailing coach Chuck Milligan, James MacDonald and Doug DeCouto are names that jump out.

"We have the 505 Class, which is a two-man, high performance dinghy,'' explained Blee. "They are trapeze boats that use a spinnaker, which we've had here before, but that was a lot of years ago.''