Bermuda is set to host the Comet Class Yacht Racing Association International Championship Regatta for the first time in 31 years next week.

The three-day event will be held in the Great Sound from June 22 to 24, with the island’s sailors to compete in the seven-race series against a large contingent of American sailors, which includes defending champion Jack Swikart.

“We have a total of 30 overseas sailors coming, so we have a good bit of sailors that are going to be here for the Internationals,” event chairman and competitor, Dale Brangman, told The Royal Gazette. “We have been encouraging overseas sailors to come here and compete for the past few years and was planning this regatta before the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Bermuda hosted the regatta for the first time in 1992, which was also the first time it was held outside of the United States in its then 60-year history.

“The last time we had the International here was in 1992, so we are definitely excited and there is going to be some stiff competition out there,” added Brangman, who is among the local hopefuls along with compatriots and past winners Rudy Bailey and Stevie Dickinson.

Bailey has dominated the regatta over the years after winning it a record five times and narrowly missed out on another title after finishing runner-up to Swikart in last year’s event in Oceanport, New Jersey.

Another overseas sailor expected to be in the hunt for honours is seasoned campaigner Talbot Ingram, who finished third last year among the 24-boat fleet.

The racing area will be offshore of West End Sail Boat Club and will feature the fleet competing on a triangular racecourse.

“We will have maybe 30 boats on the start line for the International,” said Brangman, who finished thirteenth at last year’s regatta overseas.

“We have shipped 12 boats from overseas because we don’t have we enough boats here for all the competitors, so some of them brought their own boats in.”

Some of the overseas sailors have arrived on island early to compete in Monday’s 79th Edward Cross Long Distance Race from the Great Sound to St George’s Harbour, which will provide an ideal warm-up for the Comet International Championship to follow later in the week.

“At this point, we have nine of them that is going to be here to sail in the Long Distance Race on Monday before we start the Internationals later in the week on Thursday,” East End Mini Yacht Club sailor Brangman added.

The race will be broadcast live on Hott 107.5, with former Bermuda Olympic sailor Peter Bromby providing commentary.

Cousins Benn Smith and Christian Ebbin won last year’s race convincingly.