Powerboat champions Sean White and Michael Mello will be out to make waves again at the weekend when they defend their title in the annual Round the Island Race.

The pair crossed the line ahead of the pack in their 22ft Ocke Mannerfelt D.Class craft last time out in a record time of 44 minutes and 28 seconds last year.

Commodore of the Bermuda Powerboat Association, Craig Burt, says they could be the ones to catch once again when they set off this Sunday afternoon.

"As long as they run the same set-up as last year it will be very difficult to catch that boat. It is a fast boat and if everything holds together they may find themselves in the same situation," said Burt.

The route will be the same as in previous years but Burt said one important alteration had been made.

"The only thing that will be slightly different will be down at Spanish Point when you get to Hogfish Beacon and you make the turn to get into the Great Sound," he said. "Because of an incident last year that we had with spectator boats coming onto the actual race course . . . there will be a 100-yard channel about 50 yards wide which the race boats have to go through."

The powerboat race is the main event of the day and begins at 2 p.m. with A Class. B Class will start at 2.06 p.m, D Class at 2.13 p.m., C Class at 2.16 p.m and F Class at 2.21 p.m.

Prior to that there will be the jet skis and Burt predicted plenty of thrills and spills.

"Some of the new machines are capable of riding, on a calm day, up to 80 mph so it's going to be interesting," he said.

Upwards of 20 machines will be involved and it is thought at least two of the riders will be female.

The first jet ski class, the 785s, will leave Ferry Reach at 12 p.m. with the 1200s class starting at 12.03 p.m.

"They will go all the way up North Shore and into Hamilton round Whites Island along Harbour Road out to Five Star Island. They will then head to Dockyard and back to Ferry Reach," said Burt. "When they are out on the course the junior class will run two heats of about eight minutes inside of Ferry Reach. That will give the general public the opportunity to see some of the up and coming young racers in the association."