The axe fell on the Snipe class yesterday as current events in Iraq continued to plague this year's International Race Week.

Only last week the ongoing war forced cancellation of Comet racing in the annual regatta after it was learned that many US sailors would not be flying in to compete.

Amid escalating fears of possible terrorist reprisals stemming from the United States' involvement in Iraq, several top US skippers opted to stay away from next week's event. Because of their absence, local Comet sailors later decided it wasn't worth competing amongst themselves.

Yesterday, the Snipe class suffered the same fate with Royal Bermuda Yacht Club organisers now predicting a significant decrease in overall numbers for this year's regatta which gets underway on Sunday.

"I think that the Iraq situation has scared a lot of people," said RBYC official Charles Tatem yesterday.

"So we do expect numbers to drop overall as already we've had two classes drop out."

Among the casualties could be American International One Design (IOD) champions Bruce Dyson and Charles Van Voorhuis who may not to be back to defend their respective titles. Dyson is the defending IOD B Series champion while Voorhuis is the reigning Vrengen Gold Cup champion.

It is also doubtful that Canada's J-24 champion, Jim Burns, will return to defend his title.

Bermuda's Peter Bromby is the defending Etchells champion, Chuck Millican the reigning 505 champion, John Thompson the J-105 champion and Malcolm Smith the defending Laser class champion.

Top locals Stevie Dickinson (Snipes) and Rudy Bailey (Comets), meanwhile, have been left high and dry by the decision not to include their classes. American Eric Reinke is the defending Snipe champion.

International Race Week traditionally pits the Island's premier sailors against some of the best from both the US and Europe.

"The Snipes class dropped out partially because of a conflict with another overseas event and the Comets were also having difficulty getting overseas people to come in for similar reasons," added Tatem.

"But we are having a fairly strong response from the Laser class which should be good. We should be looking relatively good because we also have the J-105 class returning and an additional boat among that fleet which will make it five boats overall."

Race Week organisers are now expecting around 70 to 80 overseas skippers to compete in this year's regatta which will again see competitors racing on two separate courses in the Great Sound.

"We are still going to run two race courses," said Tatem. "On the Alpha course we will have the J-105s, International Etchells, International One Designs and J-24s all competing among their respective classes."

Lasers and 505s will compete on the smaller Bravo race course off Spanish Point Boat Club.