Bermuda’s Optimist sailors will get the opportunity to showcase their budding talents during this year’s Bacardi Bermuda International Invitational Race Week.

The regatta will also afford those due to represent Bermuda at the 2013 North American Championships (Optinam) to be held here in July additional exposure to competitive sailing.

This year marks the first time in the regatta’s history that the Optimist Dinghy Class is being represented.

The Lasers, Comet and 420s are the remaining dinghy classes taking part in this year’s Bacardi Bermuda International Invitational Race Week.

Entries in the Comet class have increased this year.

All dinghy races will take place over a two-day period on the Bravo Course in the Great Sound.

Returning after a year’s absence is the J-105 Class.

Last year saw the J-105s and J-24s excluded from Bacardi Bermuda International Invitational Race Week for the first time in more than two decades.

According to Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Commodore Jonathan Brewin, J-Class sailors opted not to participate due to “lack of international interest”. It is also understood that a decline in numbers in the local J-Class fleets in recent years may have also factored in their absence.

The J-24s will be absent again this year.

Joining the J-105s on the Alpha Course in the Great Sound are the International One Design (IOD) and Etchells Classes.

The 2013 Bacardi Bermuda International Invitational Race Week will be held April 27 to May 3.