Bermuda?s powerboat enthusiasts take to the waters at Ferry Reach this Sunday for the start of the Annual Round the Island Race, which will be launched by the increasingly popular jet ski event at 12 noon.

So far a total of 13 boats have registered among the respective classes ? a slight increase from last year?s total of nine entries ? with at least another four craft expected to register prior to today?s 12 noon deadline, according to new Bermuda Powerboat Association president Robert DeCosta.

?We have a lot of competitors that are interested in racing on Sunday and there are a few out there still waiting for parts. So we do expect numbers to increase. If we can get three quarters of those registered to race to actually show up on Sunday then I will be happy,? he said.

?Basically last year a lot of the guys were busy working on their houses and wot-not and I think today people are more conscious about where to spend their money. A lot of people are just not willing to spend over 25 or 35 thousand dollars on a boat and come out to race when they can take that money and put a down payment on a house.?

Last year saw Ricky Sousa and Scott Johnson power their S Class entry first across the finish line at Ferry Reach to savour a maiden win in the annual showpiece after a closely-contested 46-mile circumnavigation.

Sousa completed the course in 36 minutes and 41 seconds ? one minute and 15 seconds outside Andy Stoneham?s official race record of 35 minutes and 26 seconds set in 2002.

Sousa and Johnson will defend their title on Sunday while Stoneham, a multiple winner in the annual event, will also compete in the S Class.

D Class honours went to Richard Correia and Jesse Furtado (45:27) while the team of cousins Stephen and Ian Bridges took the chequered flag in the C Class in a winning time of 46:35.

No B Class entries completed the course last year while two other entries also failed to make it to the finish line at Ferry Reach.

Earl Smith roared to victory in the Jet Ski division in a record winning time of under 32 minutes.

?Sadly Earl won?t be back to defend his title this year due to illness,? explained association secretary Chris Smith who is set to compete with the jet skis on a modified Yamaha.

?But all of our hearts go out to him and we expect to see him on Sunday cheering on the new leader.?

Fortunately there was no repeat last year of the 2002 tragedy which claimed the life of 34-year-old New Zealand navigator Stuart Smith following a horrific nosedive on the South Shore.

DeCosta yesterday pleaded with spectators to steer their pleasure crafts clear of the race course, particularly in some of the notoriously ?congested? areas.

?Hopefully the public will come and enjoy some competitive racing. And I urge them to try and work with the crash boats ? especially coming through the Pylons (at Ferry Reach), near White?s Island?s (in Hamilton Harbour) and other places where it can get a bit congested with boats,? said DeCosta, the association?s third president in the past three years following the resignations of Craig Burt (2001) and Chris Roque last November.

At press time last night, two boats had registered in both the S and A classes, three in the B class and six in the D class.