The 82nd edition of Bermuda International Invitational Race Week is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing in recent memory.

Home town favourite Somers Kempe currently leads the overall International One Design (IOD) fleet in the race for the coveted Vrengen Gold Cup by eight points over second placed Kevin Farrar who is a past IOD world champion.

Kempe clinched the 'A' Series Trophy earlier in the week but trails American Dan Faria by four points in the hunt for 'B' Series honours with four races remaining.

Action has also heated up in the Laser fleet which has evolved into a three horse race for the International Race Week Championship Trophy between two-time defending champion Malcolm Smith, Smith's perennial rival Brett Wright and American Peter Vessella.

Vessella, who hails from California, peeled off three successive bullets during his previous outing on the Bravo race course and currently holds a three-point cushion at the top of the leaderboard with just three races remaining.

Racing has been no less intense in the J-24 fleet where only four points separate the top three boats with five races remaining in the Gripper Trophy series.

Defending J-24 champion Trevor Boyce presently leads the fleet by a solitary point ahead of second placed Tim Lynch with the all -teenaged crew led by skipper Lance Fraser a further three-points adrift in third.

Veteran sailor Tim Patton currently leads the Etchells by two-points over American Ed O'Sullivan with three races remaining in the race for the K.F.Trimingham Trophy.

Patton's fellow countryman, Martin Vezina and Ben Nicholls, are currently tied for third with 20 points apiece.

In the J-105 fleet, Allan Williams presently holds a healthy seven-point lead and barring catastrophe should wrap up the series during today's final three races.

Inaugurated by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in 1927, Bermuda International Invitational Race Week has become an established international yachting fixture each spring, attracting top skippers from around the globe.

n Robert Duffy's International One Design (IOD), Encore, has been put on the market for an asking price of $30,000.

Encore is among the IODs being sailed in this year's Bermuda International Invitational Race Week and earlier this week suffered a frayed shroud and broken port and starboard winches with local skipper Somers Kempe at the helm.

The boat has since been repaired and will return to racing today with American skipper Dan Faria at the helm.

n IOD sailor Hubert Watlington has been awarded redress points for races eight and nine in the B Series after he was forced to race with a damaged boat.