THE world's top-ranked match racing skipper Mathieu Richard from France will be back this October to defend his King Edward VII Gold Cup title which will have a new title sponsor in the Argo Group.

At least $100,000 is at stake for the event which is hosted by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and will be staged from October 7-12 and will also be held in conjunction with the first annual Bermuda Festival of Sail.

Commodore of the RBYC, Ralph Richardson, said yesterday: "The King Edward VII Gold Cup in a premier event on the World Match Racing Tour. It has always been a highlight for sailors and always attracts the top sailors in the International Sailing Federation's match race rankings.

"Mathieu Richard, now ranked number one in the world, has already accepted and will defend his 2007 Gold Cup title.

"So far, the top three ISAF match racers in the May 14, 2008 ranking, who were also the top three on the World Tour in 2007, have accepted invitations for the 2008 King Edward VII Gold Cup."

Richardson added: "Six who have accepted are in the top 10 of the ISAF rankings."

Second in the world right now is reigning match racing world champion Ian Williams of Great Britain while third is Paolo Cian from Italy.

Fourth is Bjorn Hansen from Sweden while fifth is France's Sebastien Col.

Others who may be coming are Damien Lehl from France who sprung a surprise in Germany this year by winning on his World Tour debut, Finland's Steffan Lindberg, Australia's Torvar Mirsky, France's Pierre-antoine Marvan and Russian Eugeniy Neugodnikov.

Premier Dr. Ewart Brown said yesterday of this year's Gold Cup: "I am thrilled the Gold Cup franchise continues to be a very strong and popular event. The Bermuda Department of Tourism, and indeed the entire Government, strongly supports this truly international event."

Dr. Brown added: "It looks like October 2008 will be even busier (than 2007). After all we do have the sold-out Bermuda Music Festival and that will be followed by the Gold Cup and that will be followed by the PGA Gland Slam."

The Bermuda Festival of Sail is a programme which will hopefully introduce the joy of sailing to the youth of Bermuda.