A dozen top overseas sailors along with 25 locals will contest this year?s fourth annual Renaissance Reinsurance Junior Gold Cup, which will be run in conjunction with the senior King Edward VII Gold Cup from October 12-15.

Sailing in the Optimist dinghy, the juniors from overseas, ranging in age from 13 to 15, have been selected by their national Optimist associations and will be hosted in Bermuda by local families.

?The event grew out of an idea we had in 2002 and subsequent discussions with the International Optimist Association,? explained Les Crane, chairman of the King Edward VII Gold Cup. ?We wanted to ensure that it would be something that would go down well with other Optimist countries and it has been well received.?

For the 25 locals taking part, there?ll be plenty at stake as the Junior Gold Cup will serve as the final qualification regatta for the Bermuda team that will compete at the Optimist Worlds in Uruguay at the end of the year.

Part one of the trials was held earlier this year with Joshua Greenslade, James Anfossi, Jordan Saints, Haley Powell and Jason Saints leading the contenders, in that order.

International entries have been received from Australia (Edward Campbell), Finland (Hanna Hentinen), France (Sacha Penison and Yvann Thelier), Denmark (Jes Lynne Bond), Great Britain (Philip Sparks), New Zealand (Marcus Hansen), Switzerland (Kasper Keller), the US (Pearson Potts) and Uruguay (Manfredo Finck).

Weather permitting, four races will be held each day between October 12 and 14 on the Great Sound, while the final day of racing on Sunday, October 15, will see the championship sailed in Hamilton Harbour during the final rounds of the King Edward Gold Cup.

The main Gold Cup this year represents stage four of the 2006-?07 World Match Racing Tour, the world?s leading professional sailing series.

Bermuda Department of Tourism are official host sponsors of the Gold Cup while event sponsors include Renaissance Re, Max Re, Bermuda Telephone, Bermuda Premium Spirits and Oleander Cycle.