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Todd OLSEN and Jon CORLESS' Bermuda No. 1 team will hope to avenge last year's narrow defeat by Stuart JARDINE (GBR) who returns to defend his trophy. Now in his seventies, JARDINE is a five-time Great Britain National Champion in the J24 class and competed in the 1968 & 1972 Olympics in the Star Class. Always a Bermuda favourite, he has indicated that this may be his last race week and he will try to make it another great memory.

He is joined by ex-Bermuda resident and now San Francisco based sailor Dave ALLEN and Sean McDERMOTT from Halifax, Nova Scotia who has been a regular here in Bermuda for many years and was second two years ago. Dale ROBERTSON (CAN) also comes from Nova Scotia. Jane MOON is arriving from Cayman for her fourth visit, but with some new crew - after last year's devastating hurricane. Bermuda will offer a warm welcome to the 'Cayman Girls' as usual. Joining Jane is another woman skipper, Sue WALLACE (USA), who sails in the Newport RI Fleet as does Mike HILL (USA).

Anthony PARKER (USA), who took third in the U.S. East Coast Championship, is the only newcomer.

Joining the fray to represent Bermuda are Mike LEWIS (BER) third in 2004, John NICHOLLS (BER) fifth in 2004 making his debut with two bullets, Trevor BOYCE (BER) fourth in 2004 and race week veteran Nick BELL (BER)

Bermuda crews dominated four or the top five places in 2004, although with JARDINE, PARKER and McDERMOTT this will be much harder to do in 2005. Of the local boats OLSEN and CORLESS look to be the top seed with LEWIS close behind.

The 2005 Race Week will be the usual mix of local knowledge versus the experience of varied fleet racing. Five local boats make up a larger representation than has been normal in recent years, and all relish the prospect of going up against some different teams.

The finish to last year's Race Week could not have been closer and was a fantastic end to a great week. Old friends were welcomed back, new friends were made and the J24 family became stronger.

Inaugurated by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in 1952, Bermuda International Invitational Race Week, sponsored by Bacardi for the past seven years, has become an established international yachting fixture each spring - attracting the top skippers from many countries. All classes with an active local racing programme in Bermuda may invite international sailors to participate in The 2005 Bermuda International Invitational Race Week. International participation is required for a fleet to compete.

Keelboats classes invited for 2005 Bermuda International Invitational Race week include International Etchells, International One Design (IOD), J24, and J105, which will sail on Bermuda's Great Sound. The dinghy classes invited are Laser, 505, Snipe and Comets. They will sail out of the Spanish Point Boat Club in waters nearby.

The 2005 Notice of Race, Entry invitation and class contacts in Bermuda are posted here.