Sir John Vereker and Lady Vereker are special guests at opening ceremony

At the end of his final day as Governor of Bermuda, Sir John Vereker and Lady Vereker helped Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Commodore Andrew Cox and Event Chairman Les Crane open the 59th annual King Edward VII Gold Cup last night at the traditional cocktail party hosted at the international headquarters of Bacardi rum.

Sir John's five-year governorship ended yesterday and he was feted with a parade down Front St. in Hamilton and a 17-gun salute as he and his wife made their way to the Gold Cup's opening ceremony in a horse-drawn carriage. Sir John, wearing the Governor's traditional plumed hat, will be replaced in December, but his attendance at the Gold Cup opening ceremony was his last official act as Governor.

by Sean McNeill

The King Edward VII Gold Cup, Stage 13 of the World Match Racing Tour will be sailed in Hamilton, Bermuda from Oct. 9-14, 2007.

Organized by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, 21 teams including the reigning event champion and runner-up, the America's Cup-winning helmsman, the world's top three and six of the top 10-ranked match-racers and the No. 4-ranked women's match-racer will competed for a prize purse of $100,000 (first place, $35,000).

The teams will race on 33 footer one design match racing boats on Hamilton Harbour

Who's Entered?

Robbie Allam (GBR) — Competing in first Gold Cup

Brian Angel (USA) King Harbor Match Racing Team — Winner of 2007 US Match Racing National Championship

Glenn Astwood (BDA) — Winner of 2007 Bermuda National Match Racing Championship

Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi — America's Cup-winning helmsman for Alinghi

Sally Barkow (USA) Team Seven — Women's No. 4-ranked match-racer

Johnie Berntsson (SWE) — World No. 18-ranked match-racer

Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Shosholoza — World No. 3-ranked match-racer

Scott Dickson (USA) — Competing in seventh consecutive Gold Cup

Jon Eriksson (FIN) — Competing in first Gold Cup

Daniel Glomb (BRA) — Competing in first Gold Cup

Bjorn Hansen (SWE) — World No. 6-ranked match-racer

Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Victory Challenge — Skipper of Sweden's Victory Challenge

Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team — World No. 5-ranked match-racer

Alvaro Marinho (POR) — Competing in second Gold Cup

Eric Monnin (SUI) Team Monnin — Placed 4th at 2006 Gold Cup

Mathieu Richard (FRA) Saba Sailing Team — Placed 2nd at 2006 Gold Cup

David Tabb (GBR) — Competing in first Gold Cup

Chris Van Tol (USA) — Competing in first Gold Cup

Blythe Walker (BER) — Placed 3rd at 2006 Gold Cup

Peter Wibroe (DEN) — World No. 10-ranked match-racer

Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar — Reigning Gold Cup champion and World No. 1-ranked match racer