There will be extra incentive for the skippers involved in Bermuda's forthcoming King Edward VII Gold Cup with the prize purse increasing to $100,000 in the competition's 100th anniversary.

The centennial anniversary Gold Cup, scheduled from October 9th ¿ 14th 2007, has 20 of the 24 slots allocated, with early entrants including last year's finalists Ian Williams, of Team Pindar, and Mathieu Richard of the Saba Sailing Team.

Williams defeated Richard 3-1 last year in the first Gold Cup for both skippers to win $25,000. This year the winner will scoop $35,000.

Les Crane, event organiser, said he was delighted with the purse increase ¿ especially with the contest celebrating it's milestone anniversary.

"This is a notable year for the Gold Cup being the 100th anniversary of the trophy," said Crane. "The Gold Cup is readily recognised around the world as one of the major match race regattas. It's the only ISAF-graded WC event in North America.

"We're pleased that so many prominent companies are taking note and wanting to be part of the celebration."

Besides Williams and Richard, ranked number one and two in the ISAF World rankings, other entrants include a trio of America's Cup sailors Gavin Brady, an afterguard member of BMW Oracle Racing, Italy's Paolo Cian, helmsman for South Africa's Shosholoza Challenge, and Magnus Holmberg, skipper of Sweden's Victory Challenge.

Local favourite Blythe Walker, who placed third in last year's championship, has accepted an invitation in the field, which will also include the Bermuda and US national match race champions.

The Gold Cup is Stage 14 of 16 of the World Match Racing Tour. The tour champion at the end of the year will be named the ISAF Match Racing World Champion.

The Gold Cup is the oldest match-racing trophy in the world for competition involving one-design yachts. It was first presented at the Tri-Centenary

Regatta at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1907 by King Edward VII in commemoration of the 300th anniversary of the first permanent settlement in America.

Sherman Hoyt won the regatta and was the first to accept the now historic cup and after three decades he gave it to the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and proposed a regular one-on-one match-race series in 6-Meter yachts.

Through the years Bermuda has won the Cup 21 times, the United States 17 times, New Zealand 10 times, Australia 5 times, the United Kingdom twice, and in 2002 Denmark claimed the King Edward VII Gold Cup for the first time.

New Zealander Russell Coutts became the event's all-time winner in 2004 when he won his seventh championship.

With additional support from new sponsors Correia Construction, Ace Limited and a group of Royal Bermuda Yacht Club members, the prize money has been bumped up.

Local based global insurance companies Renaissance Re and Max Capital Group Ltd are the presenting sponsors of the Gold Cup.

The Bermuda Department of Tourism is the Host Sponsor while primary sponsors include Ace Ltd, Bermuda Premium Spirits, Bermuda Telephone Co, Correia Construction and Oleander Cycles.