racing championship for many years next month.

The event will pit up to 18 of the top skippers on the Island against one another in a series of fleet races on Sunday, November 7.

David Lamb, president of the Bermuda International Etchells class, said the new championship was a major addition to the Island's sailing calendar and had been made possible by sponsorship from Bacardi.

"This will bring together all the top sailors in Bermuda -- the world champions, Olympians, Gold Cup skippers and national champions,'' said Lamb.

"And for those who go away to compete in regattas overseas, like Peter Bromby and Christian Luthi, it will be helpful to have the chance to race against the best in Bermuda.'' Lamb added that Etchells was the most competitve class of yacht raced on the Island and it was important to have a national championship again.

"We have 18 raceworthy Etchells boats on the Island and from invitations sent out so far, we've had 17 confirmed entries, so we're just hoping for one more,'' added Lamb.

Bromby, Luthi, Pan-Am Games silver medallists Malcolm Smith and Sarah Lane Wright, former world number one match-racer Paula Lewin, Gold Cup skippers Glen Astwood and Adam Barboza and five-time fitted dinghy champion skipper Andreas Lewin are among those already confirmed.

Racing will start at 11.00 a.m. and continue until 3.45 p.m., with the race committee from the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club to decide on the number of races, depending on wind conditions.

The venue is most likely to be the Great Sound as it allows more room for the large number of yachts to race than Hamilton Harbour.

The National Keelboat Championships, sponsored by Bacardi, will be held on October 9 and 10 in the Great Sound.

The Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club will be organising the racing and will be the location for the prize presentation which will be held immediately after after the completion of Sunday's races. Three classes of boats will be participating -- IOD, International Etchells and J-24s.