Nearly two hundred yachts have registered for this Newport Bermuda Race, event organisers have confirmed.

As many as 180 applications were received by the race committee by the April 1 deadline and it is anticipated that more will be submitted online.

All late entries may be subjected to a time penalty, organisers have warned.

The 635-mile ocean race from Castle Hill, Newport, to St David’s Head will start on June 20.

Participants will compete in five divisions: St David’s Lighthouse, Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, Cruiser, Double-Handed and Open.

Ninety-one yachts have entered in the popular St David’s Lighthouse Division, ten in the Gibbs Hill Division, 36 in the Cruiser Division, 26 in the Double Handed Division and two in the Open Division.

Sixteen entering captains remain undecided about which division thei will race in, while 51 captains have indicated that this is their boats’ first appearance in the race, which had 165 starters in 2012.

Representing Bermuda in the next instalment of the biennial race is the triple-masted schooner, Spirit of Bermuda, and the Corby 41.5, Nasty Medicine, helmed by Dr Stephen Sherwin.

Among the returning winners from the previous sprint across the Gulf Stream is Rives Potts’s yacht, Carina, which claimed top honours in the St David’s Lighthouse Division.

For further details on the Newport Bermuda Race, visit BermudaRace.com.