Numbers may be down on last year but the 2001 Hoya Round the Island Race is set to be one of the most tantalising contests in recent years, featuring five International America's Cup Class yachts.

They include Peter Harrison's GBR Challenge which this week confirmed their participation, the first entry by a British America's Cup syndicate in a competitive regatta since 1987.

Said Harrison: "It will be a great spectacle to see a fleet of International America's Cup yachts racing round the Isle of Wight, as their predecessors did so memorably 150 years ago."

The race on June 16, is the largest of its type in the world, with last year's race attracting 1,587 boats and over 12,000 participants. This year, over 850 bookings have been taken so far, including some of the region's most high profile yachts.

GBR America's Cup Challenge will compete against four other International America's Cup Class (IACC) yachts, three of which are Sunsail charters and the fourth, called 'HOYA High Voltage' owned by Johnny Caulcutt.

In keeping with the America's Cup theme, there is an entry from the beautifully restored classic J-Class yacht 'Velsheda', which graced the Solent in the mid-1930s. Josh Hall, recently returned from the Vendee Globe round the world yacht race, has entered his Open 60 'Gartmore' and will face good competition from the Whitbread 60 'Sunergy', last year's winner of the Lloyds Bank Trophy as the first ISC Handicap yacht to finish.

Also on the start line next month will be the secretary general of the Royal Yachting Association, Rod Carr, who will race aboard the multihull 'Impulse', as well as Mike Slade's 90ft high-tech Reichel Pugh 'Skandia Life Leopard.' Defending their 2000 titles, will be the overall winner of last year's event, the 22ft H-Boat 'Cloud Nine', owned and skippered by Martyn Wheatley of Lymington, who clinched the highly-coveted Gold Roman Bowl.