Rudy Bailey won't get chance to defend his International Race Week Comet championship next month.

Local comet class sailors have declined an invitation from the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club to compete in the annual international regatta after learning that several of the USA's leading sailors had withdrawn from the event.

According to Comet Class spokesperson Gladwin Lambert, many of the top American sailors have decided against travelling to the Island due to escalating fears of terrorism following the war with Iraq.

"It's a big disappointment because we had a local fleet comprised of nine boats set to take part in the regatta and that's a good fleet from Bermuda," said Lambert.

"Normally we would have around six or seven competitors from overseas. So you are talking about a nice fleet of 15 to 16 boats. And that's a good regatta."

According to Lambert, local sailors weren't prepared to pay the race fees and take a week off work only to compete amongst themselves.

"We do that on Sundays anyhow," he added. "The whole idea behind International Race Week is that you have international competitors come down from the US to make it an international regatta.

"The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club did welcome us to compete in the regatta but the guys who were preparing to take part in International Race Week said that they did not wish to pay the race fees and take off time from work to only compete against each other.

"This is a big disappointment. The guys would have preferred racing against overseas competition because normally we have some good competition come down that helps to improve our sailing.

"But I still have to give Royal Bermuda Yacht Club credit for inviting us to race because they understand what we are presently going through and they did want to have us compete in the regatta."