On the eve of the third running of Les Voiles de St. Barth, April 2-7, the palm-fringed port of Gustavia, St.Barthlemy quickly filled with an impressive array of race boats: ocean-racing maxis including the 90-foot Rambler and the Swan 112, Highland Breeze; classic beauties such the Olin Stephen-designed Dorade and the Fife-built yawl Mariella; a trio of IRC 52s, multi-hulls including the 66 Gunboat Phaedo, and two large racing classes with a mix of Melges, J/boats, and a mix of 40-footers, including the hot-off-the-press Carkeek 40, Decision.

Over 60 boats are registered for this years edition, up fromwith a large number of returning entries, proof that the regatta has filled the need for spirited competition towards the end of the winter season a time when tourism typically begins to wind down in the Caribbean. Though that was hard to tell yesterday, at the islands tiny airport, as the steady stream of small commuter planes landing were filled with a duffle bag-wielding collection of sailors from the ranks of the Americas Cup, round-the-world-ocean races, and Olympic competition, that included Gavin Brady (Vesper), Scott Vogel (Rambler), Bouwe Bekking (Nilaya), Cam Lewis (Paradox), Charlie McKee and Ross MacDonald (Mayhem), Tony Rey, Jeff Madrigali, and Nacho Postigo (Powerplay), and Dee Smith (Decision).

But its not just the professionals that flock to Les Voiles de St. Barth, the regattas program and mix of courses also appeals to a competitive group of amateur and family racers that hone their skills on the growing circuit of Caribbean regattas that take advantage of this sailing paradise.

While not the easiest of destinations to reach some U.S. west coast sailors logged 16+ hours in transit, while others from Europe only slightly less the island of St Barths itself is a welcome reward at the end of the road: a turquoise blue, crystal-clear sea, pristine white sand beaches, and an array of fabulous restaurants just payoff for a long days journey.

Francesco Mongelli, navigator onboard Jim Swartz IRC52 Vesper, is here racing in St Barths for the first time. The Italian sailor, who sails primarily in Europe, has been racing with the Vesper crew since last October, and was clearly keen to have touched down in this French paradise, Its a mix of all the best sailing places, together with perfect weather and good food. Having spent the afternoon in a tender carefully checking out the coastline and charted (and uncharted) rock outcroppings, Mongelli added, Its pretty similar to Porto Cervo, the difference is that there you more or less know where everything is, and the charts are accurate. You cannot take the same risk here that wed take in Porto Cervo.

Racing will run from Tuesday, April 3 Saturday, April 7 and will feature a mix of Olympic triangles, short coastal courses, and a 20-30 nautical mile round-the island race. The fleet will be split into seven classes: Maxi (> 21 meters), IRC52 (former TP52s that have been optimized for the IRC rule), Spinnaker I + II, Non-Spinnaker (racer/cruiser), Classic (vintage/traditional), and Multihull. Thursday is a layday at Nikki Beach, with lunch and a full afternoon of activities, including a paddleboard competition.

New this year, Les Voiles will offer real-time race tracking with 2D visualization via the internet. Waypoint-Tracking (www.waypoint-tracking.com) developed the system in close collaboration with ISAF. The site will allow enthusiasts to follow the daily racing action live or to replay at a later time.

Many of the competing boats are moored stern-to at the Quai General de Gaulle, site of the Race Village, where all of the daily breakfast and post-race activities and music take place. This evening, skippers and tacticians were on hand for the Skippers Briefing led by Loic Ponceau, Race Committee Chairman, and organizers Francois Tolede, Luc Poupon, and Annelisa Gee. Following that was Les Voiles St. Barth Opening Ceremony, where Bruno Magras, President of the Collectivit of St. Barth, welcomed more than 500 sailors to the weeklong event.

A regular and enthusiastic competitor in the Caribbean, Sir Peter Harrison was named the godfather or patron of this years Les Voiles. Harrison, owner of the 115-foot Farr-designed Sojana, told the crowd, As a visitor from England to this beautiful French island, one of the most beautiful in the West Indies, Im thrilled to be asked to the patron of Les Voiles. Bon vent Les Voiles de St. Barth, and good luck, everyone!

Also sailing on Sojana is Lionel Pan, who is also back for his third Les Voiles. He said, Obviously there are plenty of good reasons to be here, and to come back every year with the same enthusiasm: this place is made for sailing. In a very short time, Les Voiles de St. Barth has become the place to be, very much like Saint Tropez in the Mediterranean. And the word is spreading around. Shortly there will be a waiting list to be a part of the event!

The weather forecast for the next few days calls for light winds, though the breeze is expected to increase throughout the week. Racing is scheduled to start tomorrow, Tuesday, April 3, two miles northwest of Sugarloaf Rock off Gustavia; one race is scheduled with a start time of 12noon.

 

 

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By Norma Trease

Emails are already flying back and forth from yachts, to skippers, owners, race crew, the Race Committee, to hotels on island and everything in between, just a short week in advance of the always breathlessly anticipated Saint Barths Bucket, March 22-25, 2012. Soon, yachts, owners and crew will be descending on this verdant little slice of Caribbean heaven, eager to share the tremendous excitement and pure sailing joy that is Bucket Racing.

Beautiful Video of Saint Barths Bucket Regatta 2011  by Superyacht Media

Just announced by the Race Chairman Peter Craig is a spectacular fleet of more than 40 vessels, representing builders and designers worldwide. Once again, the fleet will be split into three classes: Les Gazelles, Les Grandes Dames, and Les Elegantes.

Needless to say, there will be a huge variety in the fleet, which this year will range from 27 to 62m LOA. He has published a detailed description of the various factors involved in the devilishly complicated task of calibrating the classes, so for more details, please do check    St.  Barths Bucket

2012 Entries

Les Elegantes des Mers
Yachts (12)	Type	Builder	Designer	LOA
Adela	Schooner	Pendennis Shipyard	Dykstra & Partners	55m
Athos	Schooner	Holland Jachtbouw	Hoek	62m
Bequia	Ketch	Brooklin Boat Yard	Stephens	28m
BooToo	Sloop	Pendennis Shipyard	Holland	27m
Marie	Ketch	Vitters Shipyard	Hoek	55m
Meteor	Schooner	Royal Huisman	Dykstra & Partners	52m
Paraiso	Sloop	Alloy Yachts	Fontaine	33m
Rebecca	Ketch	Pendennis Shipyard	Frers	43m
This is Us	Schooner	Holland Jachtbouw	Hoek	42m
Whisper	Sloop	Holland Jachtbouw	Fontaine	35m
William Tai	Ketch	Royal Huisman	Hood	40m
Windcrest	Ketch	Hogdon	Fontaine	30m
Les Grandes Dames des Mers
Yachts (17)	Type	Builder	Designer	LOA
Andromeda la dea	Ketch	Perini Navi	Perini Navi	47m
Antara	Ketch	Perini Navi	Perini Navi	47m
Axia	Ketch	Palmer Johnson	S&S	38m
Baracuda	Ketch	Perini Navi	Holland	50m
Blue Too	Ketch	Alloy Yachts	Holland	34m
Clan VIII	Sloop	Perini Navi	Holland	45m
Destination	Sloop	Alloy Yachts	Dubois	41m
Fidelis	Ketch	Perini Navi	Perini Navi / Holland	56m
Ganesha	Sloop	Fitzroy Yachts	Dubois NA	39m
Genevieve	Sloop	Alloy Yachts	Dubois	37m
Helios II	Sloop	Perini Navi	Holland	45m
Hyperion	Sloop	Royal Huisman	Frers	48m
Koo	Sloop	Vitters Shipyard	Dubois	43m
Moonbird	Sloop	Fitzroy Yachts	Dubois	37m
Panthalassa	Ketch	Perini Navi	Holland	56m
Parsifall III	Ketch	Perini Navi	Holland	54m
Zenji	Ketch	Perini Navi	Holland	56m
Les Gazelles des Mers
Yachts (18)	Type	Builder	Designer	LOA
Bliss	Sloop	Yachting Developments	Dubois	37m
Endeavour	Sloop	Camper & Nicholson	Thomas Sopwith	40m
Firefly	Sloop	Claasen Jachtbouw	Hoek	35m
Hanuman	Sloop	Royal Huisman	Dykstra & Partners	42m
Hetairos	Ketch	Baltic Yachts	Dykstra / R/P	67m
Lady B	Sloop	Vitters Shipyard	Dubois	45m
Mari-Cha III	Ketch	Sensation	Briand	45m
P2	Sloop	Perini Navi	Briand	38m
Ranger	Sloop	Danish Yachrs	Burgess & Stephens	42m
Salperton IV	Sloop	Fitzroy	Dubois	45m
Sojana	Ketch	Green	Farr	35m
Symmetry	Sloop	Yachting Development	Frers	30m
Twizzle	Ketch	Royal Huisman	Dubois	58m
Unfurled	Sloop	Royal Huisman	Frers	34m
Varsovie	Sloop	Nautor Swan	Frers	30m
Velsheda	Sloop	Camper & Nicholson	Nicholson	38m
Virago	Sloop	Nautor Swan	Frers	30m
Zefira	Sloop	Fitzroy	Dubois	50m

CLASS BREAKS

 

Everyone has a soft spot for one repeat Bucket boat or another, and back this year will be fleet favourites Antara, Andromeda La Dea, Axia, Parsifal III, Ranger and Sojana to mention but a few. A couple of newer beauties will be making their second Bucket appearances including Huismans Twizzle, and Hanuman; joined by Hoek-designed Marie, who fired up the crowds last year with their spectacular air shows of historic WWII planes. Making Bucket debuts this year are Holland Yachtbouw schooner Athos, at 62m the largest Bucket Boat 2012; and of course, it wouldn’t be a Bucket without a couple of brand-new Perini Navis,  Clan VIII and Fidelis.

 

So, Bucket fans worldwide, prepare yourselves for the best week of the year coming up very soon, an annual treat for racing fans, and lovers of beautiful yachts alike. So it’s Bon Voyage and A Bientot until we see you next in Saint Barths!

 

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The 4th RORC Caribbean 600, starts at 1100 on Monday 20th February. There isn’t a single hotel room left near Antigua Yacht Club, as competitors fly in to the magical island of Antigua from all four corners of the world – Falmouth Harbour is filled to the brim with astounding yachts.

Niklas Zennström’s JV72, Rán, and George David’s RP90, Rambler, are the hot favourites for the RORC Caribbean Trophy, but the two highly impressive yachts are almost hidden in Falmouth Harbour. Rán were out practicing today and Navigator Steve Hayles reports that conditions were a bit lighter than usual, but he expects 15-20 knots of trade winds for the race with their weather routing predicting that they could finish the race in 48 hours, may be less.

RORC member, Stan Pearson has lived and sailed the sublime waters around Antigua for over 20 years. He was one of the creators of the RORC Caribbean 600 and will be racing this year on Adela, the 181′ twin masted schooner:

“I can’t remember ever seeing Nelson’s Dockyard and Falmouth Harbour with so many impressive yachts but I know why they are here; there is nowhere in the world quite like Antigua and the ’600 is a real celebration of all that the Caribbean has to offer. The sailing is just fantastic; constant trade winds, warm water and air temperature in the high 20′s provides brilliant sailing, but this is a tough race. The course has a lot of corners and there is a lot of activity for the crews. Looking at the fleet, there are going to be some great duels going on, it is going to be a very competitive race.”

For the first time, a Volvo Open 70 will be competing in the RORC Caribbean 600. Some might suggest that the canting keel carbon fibre flyer could have been designed for this course. Ernesto Cortina’s Gran Jotiti has a highly talented Spanish crew and could well be a contender for line honours and an overall win.

IRC Zero has 16 entries and may well be the class to watch for the overall winner. George David’s Rambler 100 is the trophy holder and George David’s all-star crew will not be giving it up without a fight.

With a combined water line length that would soar 500ft above the Eiffel Tower, there are some truly amazing yachts in IRC Zero. The 214′ ketch Hetairos is an impressive sight. The crew of 36 have been out practicing all this week and on board there are enough sails to cover a full size football pitch. Sojana is expected to have a Superyacht duel with 124′ Pernini Navi, P2, owned by businessman and philanthropist, Gerhard Andlinger. Sojana was on mark laying duty today. The only laid mark of the course is the North Sails mark, off Barbuda. No doubt the crew, will be using the exercise to practice the first 45 miles of racing.

In the Spirit of Tradition class Adela will line up against Windrose. This will be the first time these magnificent yachts have raced against each other offshore, however Adela did get the better of Windrose in The Superyacht Challenge inshore regatta. A close battle with these two powerful yachts fully off the leash is a mouth-watering prospect. Past RORC Commodore, Andrew McIrvine and a team of 11 RORC members including current Commodore, Mike Greville, have chartered the 145ft Windrose.

The multihull record for the RORC Caribbean 600 has not been beaten since the inaugural race in 2009. The 63′ Trimaran, Paradox, skippered by Olivier Vigoureux says the six crew on board are out to ‘beat the current record’. The American, French and British crew members have raced in the Figaro Race, Transat Jacques Vabres, America’s Cup and Mini Transat.

Anders Nordquist’s Swan 90, Nefertiti, has an international crew including Rolex Middle Sea Race winner, Christian Ripard from Malta. They should have a close battle with Wendy Schmidt’s Swan 80, Selene, and Irish entry, RP78, Whisper.

There are a huge variety of yachts racing in IRC One, including Hound, skippered by Hound from Maine USA. The 60′ classic will be competing in the Caribbean 600 for the first time with a family crew of avid racers. Hound has competed in the last 8 Newport-Bermuda races, winning her class twice.

Ondeck’s 40.7 Spirit of Venus is chartered to the Royal Armoured Corp Offshore Racing Team. The majority of the 11 strong crew are part of the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank Regiment which returned from Afghanistan last spring.

Lt Col Paul Macro RTR: “Soldiers have to work together as a team, under time pressure, when cold, wet and tired, in difficult and even dangerous conditions. The adventurous team spirit required by a successful offshore racing crew is the same as that required by the crew of a tank or any other armoured vehicle.”

There are four Class40s competing. Close duels are expected right through the fleet, but a hard fought and close encounter is expected in this class. Trade wind sailing provides perfect conditions for Class40s, with long reaches and downwind legs, these pocket rockets are capable of surfing at speeds of up to 25 knots. Class40s from America, Austria, France and Great Britain are taking on the 600 mile Caribbean odyssey; Tim Fetch’s Icarus Racing, Christophe Coatnoan’s Partouche, Andreas Hanakamp’s Vaquita and Peter Harding’s 40 Degrees, co-skippered by Hannah Jenner. The Class40s will be level-racing under their own rules. First to finish will claim the Concise Trophy; a full barrel of English Harbour rum.

IRC Two includes the smallest yacht in the fleet, Bernie Evan-Wong’s Mumm 36, High Tension. Antiguan dentist, Bernie has competed in all four RORC Caribbean 600 races, however last year, High Tension did not finish the race.

“It is definitely a case of unfinished business,” said Bernie. “We have actually used our downfall to modify the rig, so we have made something good out of the incident. Like many Antiguans, I am amazed how this race has developed since 2009, I have been sailing in the Caribbean for over 50 years and what has been really missing is a well-run, exciting offshore race. The RORC Caribbean 600 has provided that and made my dreams come true.”

 

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Down in Bermuda, the best spot to watch the yachts finish in Bermuda is from the grounds of St. David’s Lighthouse. Visitors will find that the Finish Line Committee is very hospitable and depending on the finishing traffic, they may be invited up into the tower for a tour. It is a straight up climb and not for people afraid of heights. The view from the lawn is almost as good and worth the trip to St. David’s.

The HD Gateway Finish Line Cam is new for 2010.  From the high definition camera mounted on the St. David’s Lighthouse tower, finish line action will be streamed worldwide 24/7. Spectators can use iBoattrack to follow their boat of interest to the finish, then actually watch them cross the line when they arrive.

In Bermuda, digital spectators can watch boats finish from the comfort of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. A Gateway ‘SMART Board’ will be available for viewing in the Calabash Lounge and a smaller HD TV monitor will be available over the Terrace Bar.

 by Talbot Wilson

New Bermuda Race Entrants

Yacht	Yacht Type	Division	Captain
ANGEL	Ctm 84	CD	Edward T. Anderson
ATALANTA	Little Harbor 54	CD	James F. Volkwein
ATTITUDE	Beneteau 423	CD	Shawn Dahlen
AVATAR	Ranger 37	CD	Janusz Kedzierski
BERMUDA OYSTER	Oyster 435	CD	Paul B. Hubbard
BLE U	C&C 51xl	CD	Dan Epstein
BLUEBIRD	Migrant 45 Ketch	CD	Harry Bird
BONSPIEL	Nordic 44	CD	James J. Richter
CADENCE	Apogee 50	CD	R. David Warters
CETACEA	Hinckley 59	CD	Christopher J. Culver
CHECKMATE	Alden44	CD	Frank J. Flores
CLOVER III	Swan 56	CD	Neal F. Finnegan
CONVERGENCE	Jeanneau 43 DS	CD	James Linsley
EAGLE	J-40	CD	Dana Oviatt
ECLIPSE	Hinckley 59	CD	Barbara & Robert Cavanagh
FOX	Swan 53	CD	Ruth M. Pecherek
FREEDOM	Sabre 452	CD	Cary W. Thomson
HAERLEM	Swan 55	CD	Hendrikus (Henk) P L Wisker
I’LL THINK ABOUT IT	Beneteau 523	CD	Marc Tandourjian
ISOLA	Baltic 52	CD	Howard M. Eisenberg
KALUE	Wooden Ketch	CD	Rudy Schreiber
LAURA B	Island Packet 45	CD	Joseph R. Triggs, Jr.
LIBERTY CALL	HR 43	CD	Matthew G. Pilon
LILLA	CNB 76	CD	Simon M. De Pietro
MANANA	Swan 48	CD	Michhael V. Johnson
MISTY	Little Harbor 54	CD	Eric G. Thorkilsen
NIRVANA	Maxi 80	CD	Charles F Kiefer III
NOSTOS	Alden 44	CD	Lorenzo D. Weisman
NOVA	Swan 56	CD	Mark DiStefano
PILGRIM	Alden 44	CD	Mark Rice
POESKE	First 42	CD	Richard Donn
RESTIVE	Alden48 Ctm	CD	George P Denny III
RUTAINE	C&C 37/40+	CD	David P. McLoughlin
SCEPTRED ISLE	Ctm 63	CD	Rex G. Herbert
SHEARWATER	Morris 40	CD	Conrad Hall
SHINDIG	Pearson 39-2	CD	Kevin G. Flannery
TEMPTRESS	IMX-45	CD	Arent H Kits van Heyningen
WHISKEY GIRL	Hinckley 70	CD	Michael McAllister
WINDWALKER II	Lyman Morse 60	CD	Daniel Levangie
ALIBI	J-120	DH	Gardner L. Grant, Jr.
BOLANDS MILL	Class 40	DH	John Ryan
CHOUCAS	Jeanneau SF36	DH	Frederic Cosandey
CORDELIA	Valiant 42	DH	Roy F. Greenwald
CUTLASS	Class 40	DH	Alex / Nick Mehran / Halmos
DAWN TREADER	Swan 48 MK II	DH	Lawrence G. Cohen
DELAWANA	Swan 51	DH	Hans F. Himmelman
DIRIGO	C&C 41	DH	Eric M. Johnson
DRAGON	Class 40	DH	Michael S. Hennessy
ESMERALDE	Sabre 386	DH	Bruce R. Beard, Jr.
GREAT SCOT	J-35	DH	Darren T Garnier
HERON	J-120	DH	Greg R. Leonard
KAMOA’E	Class 40	DH	Eric Lecoq
KILLUA	Aphrodite 101	DH	James G. Binch
KIVA	Hinkley SW51CB	DH	Mark Stevens
LORA ANN	Express 37	DH	Richard T. du Moulin
MIREILLE	J-120	DH	Edwin Gaynor
NEXT BOAT	Morris 45	DH	Mark Ellman
OCEAN WANDERER1	Montivideo 43	DH	Erwin Wanderer
PALADIN	J-35	DH	Jason A Richter
PLUM CRAZY	Sabre MK II	DH	Michael R. Berg
RESOLUTE	J/122	DH	D. Scott Miller
SEABISCUIT	J-46	DH	Nathan C. Owen
SIR EDMUND	Ctm 49	DH	Fredrick R. Holt
TOOTHFACE	Akilaria Class40	DH	Michael W. Dreese
WHISPER	Hinckley 48	DH	Thomas J. Vander Salm
BEAU GESTE	Farr 80	GHL	Karl Kwok
BELLA MENTE	Mini Maxi	GHL	Hap Fauth
CAPTIVITY	Farr 60	GHL	Samuel T. Byrne
CATAPULT RACING	SouthernCross 52	GHL	Marc Glimcher
HOI AN	Custom 50	GHL	Heilner Marc
NATALIE J	TP52	GHL	Philip D. O’Niel III, D.D.S.
NOONMARK VI	Swan 56	GHL	Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy
RAMBLER	Ctm 90	GHL	George David
RAN	JV 72	GHL	Niklas Zennstrom
RIMA2	R/P 55	GHL	John Brim
SNOW LION	Ker 50	GHL	Lawrence S. Huntington
TITAN 15	ctm75	GHL	Tom Hill, Mr.
VELA VELOCE	Southern Cross	GHL	Richard H Oland
GENUINE RISK	Dubois 90	Open	Mark E / USMMA Watson III
ILMOSTRO	VOR70	Open	Ken Read
SPEEDBOAT	Maxi	Open	Alex Jackson
ACTAEA	Hinckley B40	SDL	Michael M. Cone
AKELA III	Swan 43	SDL	Djoerd Hoekstra
AKUBRA	J44	SDL	Reginald H. Goodday Dr.
AMADEUS	IMX-40	SDL	Jack R. Yaissle
AMERICAN GIRL	King 40	SDL	Daniel Galyon
AMIGO VI	J-42	SDL	Bernie P. Coyne
APSARA	J-109	SDL	Mike Sleightholme
ARBELLA	First 44.7	SDL	James P. Shaughnesy
AURORA	Tartan 41	SDL	Andrew F. Kallfelz
AURORA	Reichel/Pugh 66	SDL	Gus Carlson
AVENIR	C&C 41	SDL	Joseph T. Murray
AVRA	J/120 Mod	SDL	George Petrides
BABE	Swan 46	SDL	Colin E. Couper MD
BACCI	Swan 53	SDL	Lorenzo Vascotto
BARLEYCORN	NYYC Swan 42	SDL	Brendan J. Brownyard
BEAGLE	J-44	SDL	Philip H. Gutin
BEAUSOLEIL	Beneteau 456SD	SDL	Richard A Parent
BELLE AURORE	Cal 40	SDL	R Douglas Jurrius
BIG BOOTY	Lutra 42	SDL	Patrick Eudy
BOMBARDINO	Santa Cruz 52	SDL	James W. Sykes
BRAND NEW DAY	J-65	SDL	James C. Madden
BUZZ	Sydney 38	SDL	Richard E. Stevenson, Jr
CARINA	CTM 48	SDL	Rives Potts
CHARLIE V	J-44	SDL	Norman H. Schulman MD
CILISTA	J-130	SDL	Jeffrey L. Eberle
CONVICTUS MAXIMUS	Farr IRC 42	SDL	Donald W. Nicholson
CYBELE	IMX-45	SDL	Richard M. Burnes, Jr
CYGNETTE	Swan 441	SDL	William J. Mayer
DENALI	Nelson Marek 70	SDL	Michael A. D’Amelio
DOGSLED	Kaufman 47	SDL	Todd F. Barnard
DOLPHIN	J-42	SDL	Henry S. Morgan
DONNYBROOK	Ctm Sloop	SDL	James P. Muldoon
FEARLESS	Farr 395 OD	SDL	Shaun J. Ensor
FINESSE	J-42	SDL	Newton P.S. Merrill
FLIRT	Navy 44 MK1	SDL	US NAVAL ACADEMY
FLYING GOOSE	Ctm 56	SDL	Daniel C. van Starrenburg
FROLIC	Sabre 362	SDL	Peter G. Brown
GLORY	J-44	SDL	Jack Neades/ USCGA
GOLD DIGGER	J-44	SDL	James D. Bishop
GONE WITH THE WIND	Cal 40	SDL	William M. LeRoy
GRACIE	Ctm 69	SDL	Stephan A. & Simon W Frank
GREY MATTER	Hanse 470e	SDL	Brian R. Parselle
GREYGHOST	Zaal 38	SDL	Philip W. Parish
HAKUNA MATATA	Cal 39	SDL	Christopher J. Andrews
HIGH NOON	Tripp 41	SDL	Colin Rath
HIRO MARU	Swan 43 Classic	SDL	Hiroshi Nakajima
HOUND	Ctm 60	SDL	Eberhart Frank
INVICTUS	TP52	SDL	US Naval Academy
JACKNIFE	J-133	SDL	Andrew Hall
JACQUELINE IV	Hinckley SW42	SDL	Robert S. Forman, Jr
JADE	J-42	SDL	Robert W. Thuss, Jr.
KALEVALA II	Grand Soleil 37	SDL	Tapio O. Saavalainen
KODIAK	Swan 601	SDL	E. Llwyd Ecclestone
LAPIN	Benn Frst 40.7	SDL	Christopher Clark
LINDY	Peterson 38	SDL	David G. Dickerson
MAGIC	Santa Cruz 52	SDL	Kenneth Laudon
MERLIN	Swan57	SDL	John H Duerden
MISCHIEVOUS	Ctm 65	SDL	Albert J. Fitzgibbons
MISTY	J-40 WK	SDL	Fred A. Allardyce
MOJOE	Peterson 43	SDL	Joseph M. Naroski
MORGAN OF MARIETTA	Centurion 42	SDL	Colin G Golder
NASTY MEDICINE	Corby 41.5	SDL	Stephen J. Sherwin MD
RAGANA	Cape Fear 38R	SDL	Darius Peleda
RAINMAKER	Swan40	SDL	Kenneth P. Hylwa Mr.
REGATTA	CARTER41	SDL	Constantine G. Koste
REINDEER	Morris 47	SDL	Peter/Tony Driscoll/Parker
RELATIVITY	Beneteau 53F5	SDL	Hall Palmer
RESOLUTE	J-44 WK	SDL	Fred Madeira
RICOCHET	J-120	SDL	USCGA
ROCKET SCIENCE	J-120	SDL	Rick F. Oricchio
RUNAWAY	J-44	SDL	Lawrence R. Glenn
SAILOR BANDIDO	Quest 33	SDL	Christopher A. Palabrica
SARAH	X-41	SDL	Gregory B. Manning
SFORZANDO	Ker 55	SDL	Clayton G. Deutsch
SHINNECOCK	J-120	SDL	James C. Praley
SINN FEIN	Cal 40	SDL	Peter S. Rebovich, Sr.
SIRENA BELLA	J44	SDL	Joe Murli
SIRENSONG	J-133	SDL	Thomas J Carroll
SLIDE RULE	First 44.7	SDL	Scott Bearse
SPIRIT	Baltic 38DP	SDL	A. John Gregg
STAR CHASER	Swan 51	SDL	Wijnand (Boogie) van den Boogaard
STARLIGHT	Simonis Voogd 56	SDL	Michael Dybvik
SWIFT	Navy 44 MK1	SDL	US Naval Academy
TEMPTATION	Taylor 45	SDL	Arthur & Peter Santry
TERRAPIN	Beneteau 40.7	SDL	Jonathan Litt
THEJACKAL	Beneteau 40.7	SDL	John DeFilippo
THREEBEANS	Santa Cruz 37	SDL	Christopher Rosow
TIGER	Swan 46	SDL	Thomas & Nancy Grieb
TRIPLE LINDY	Swan 44 MK II	SDL	Joseph Mele
TRUE	J-42 (mod)	SDL	Howard B. Hodgson, Jr.
UPGRADE	Farr 395	SDL	Peter Gibbons-Neff
VALKYRIE	First 44.7	SDL	David Andril
VAMP	J-44	SDL	Leonard J. Sitar
VANQUISH	STP 65	SDL	Rego / Riker Lucas / USMMA
VORTICES	J 145	SDL	Christopher L Saxton
WAZIMO	Aerodyne 38	SDL	W. Barrett Holby, Jr.
WESTRAY	Concordia 39	SDL	John D. Melvin
WHISPER	Canning 48	SDL	Sheldon Brotman
WHITE RHINO	Swan 56	SDL	Todd Stuart
WINDBORN	J-120	SDL	Richard W. Born
XCELSIOR	IMX-45	SDL	Alice O. Martin
XENOPHON	Swan 44 MKII	SDL	Jeffrey V. Rabuffo, MD
ZEST	Hinckley SW42	SDL	Brian E. Swiggett
ZWERVER	S&S 57′ Berm Cut	SDL	Frans van Schaik

The above list subject to change.

 

For More Photos of the Newport bermuda Race 2008 by George Bekris click  HERE

 From the June 18^th start in Newport to finish in Bermuda 635 miles later, this classic ocean race is almost a spectator sport.

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After all was said and done, it was the J-Class Ranger  that took the 2010 Bucket.  John Williams and his crew raced consistently and well, earning a well-deserved victory.   Second place belonged to the the Perini Navi Andromeda la Dea, with the Perini Navi P2 in third place overall.

The third and final race of the 2010 St. Barths Bucket (the “Wrong Way Around” course) was sailed in conditions very similar to the previous days: fluky winds in the 10 to 15 knot range.  The usual noon start was preceded by a couple of Bucket Scholarship holders, thus spoiling Gloria’s virtual deadlock on the Escargot Cup, which was awarded to the consistently sailed Toto.  P2 and Unfurled earned second and third place in the Gazelle fleet, while Axia and Hetairos were runners up in the Grande Dames contingent. 

It would be a mere redundancy to add that the sailing and the shore side activities were of the customary caliber, with Visione a hands-down winner of the yacht open house on Friday night — after all the rest of the fleet had closed she kept the party going until midnight!  We expected marvelous sailing (this is, after all, the Caribbean) and indeed we got it.  The combination of St. Barths, 39 megayachts, and the blue skies and waters worked their usual magic!

As Tony Hambrook, Managing Director of Alloy Yacht stated, “This was the best regatta ever, anywhere!”

Results: Race 3 

	Race 3 Points	Finish Time	Time Delta
ANDROMEDA LA DEA	1	3:21:25 PM	0:00:00
RIELA	2	3:24:27 PM	0:03:02
HELIOS	3	3:25:10 PM	0:03:45
METEOR	4	3:26:06 PM	0:04:41
ANTARA	5	3:28:03 PM	0:06:38
AVALON	6	3:29:38 PM	0:08:13
GEORGIA	7	3:30:50 PM	0:09:25
GLORIA	8	3:33:16 PM	0:11:51
DSK	9	3:37:26 PM	0:16:01
RANGER	10	3:37:42 PM	0:16:17
REBECCA	11	3:38:49 PM	0:17:24
LIARA	12	3:39:29 PM	0:18:04
UNFURLED	13	3:39:43 PM	0:18:18
SALUTE	14	3:40:22 PM	0:18:57
HIGHLAND BREEZE	15	3:40:45 PM	0:19:20
P2	16	3:41:15 PM	0:19:50
VARSOVIE	17	3:41:16 PM	0:19:51
SALPERTON IV	18	3:42:01 PM	0:20:36
WHITE WINGS	19	3:42:11 PM	0:20:46
AXIA	20	3:43:18 PM	0:21:53
SOJANA	21	3:44:56 PM	0:23:31
WHISPER	22	3:46:17 PM	0:24:52
GANESHA	23	3:47:35 PM	0:26:10
VISIONE	24	3:47:58 PM	0:26:33
GHOST	25	3:48:31 PM	0:27:06
ADELA	26	3:48:43 PM	0:27:18
HANUMAN	27	3:48:44 PM	0:27:19
SAUDADE	28	3:48:56 PM	0:27:31
MYSTERY**	29	3:49:04 PM	0:27:39
ARTEMIS	30	3:49:39 PM	0:28:14
WINDCREST	31	3:50:33 PM	0:29:08
HETAIROS	32	3:52:05 PM	0:30:40
SHAMOUN	33	3:52:26 PM	0:31:01
HYPERION	34	3:53:45 PM	0:32:20
DESTINATION	35	3:53:50 PM	0:32:25
HAMILTON II	36	3:53:59 PM	0:32:34
SYMMETRY	37	4:01:29 PM	0:40:04
TOTO	38	4:33:55 PM	1:12:30
BARACUDA	39	DNF	‘

* Safety Penalty: 5 Minute
** Over Early Penalty: 5 Minute

Results: Cumulative

	Race 1 Points	Race 2 Points	Race 3 Points	Total Points	Rank
RANGER	13	1	10	24	1
ANDROMEDA LA DEA	4	26	1	31	2
P2	10	5	16	31	3
AXIA	3	11	20	34	4
UNFURLED	19	4	13	36	5
GANESHA	7	10	23	40	6
GEORGIA	9	25	7	41	7
AVALON	5	31	6	42	8
REBECCA	30	2	11	43	9
SAUDADE	8	8	28	44	10
DSK	20	15	9	44	11
SALUTE	2	29	14	45	12
GHOST	17	3	25	45	13
HANUMAN	12	6	27	45	14
WHITE WINGS	6	20	19	45	15
HETAIROS	1	13	32	46	16
HELIOS	24	23	3	50	17
ANTARA	11	34	5	50	18
RIELA	16	35	2	53	19
WINDCREST	14	9	31	54	20
LIARA	28	14	12	54	21
VISIONE	26	7	24	57	22
SOJANA	29	12	21	62	23
ADELA	18	19	26	63	24
HAMILTON II	15	16	36	67	25
WHISPER	23	22	22	67	26
VARSOVIE	34	17	17	68	27
METEOR	36	33	4	73	28
SALPERTON IV	27	28	18	73	29
HIGHLAND BREEZE	32	27	15	74	30
HYPERION	22	18	34	74	31
MYSTERY	25	21	29	75	32
BARACUDA	21	24	40	85	33
GLORIA	39	39	8	86	34
ARTEMIS	33	32	30	95	35
SHAMOUN	35	30	33	98	36
DESTINATION	31	36	35	102	37
SYMMETRY	37	38	37	112	38
TOTO	38	37	38	113	39

 

A full recap of the St. Barths Bucket and Race Information about the Upcoming Newport Bucket Regatta is available at  www.bucketregattas.com

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Who would have guessed that all those navigating fluid libations we so freely poured to Poseidon a few years back (in the days of windless Buckets) would bear compounded interest.  Once again — we sailed in near perfect conditions, under proper Caribbean blue skies.  The word “near” is used advisedly, as the day saw wind speeds ranging from 8 to 15 knots, with direction swings from SE to NE.  This, needless to say, scrambled some otherwise predictable finishes and may well have been a cause of some frustration. 

The 39 yachts were sent off in close formation, with tight starts sometimes a mere 30 seconds apart.  The traditional second day “Wiggley Course” was revised into the “Not So Wiggley” course in the interest of safety, although the dramatic wind shifts reintroduced some of the Wiggles back into the equation. 

In the end it looked like a photo finish between Ranger and Rebecca until the latter hit a wall in the form of a massive header, allowing Ranger claim a well deserved first place.  Some liberal interpretations of the safety protocol for finishing yachts provided some interesting finishing tactics, although good general seamanship avoided any potential problems. 

The traditional owners’ party was again held at the Carl Gustaf Hotel which offered a beautiful view of the fleet below, followed by general merriment on the quay.  Sunday’s race, the “Wrong Way Around” course, promises to enjoy more good weather and lovely sailing for all.

Results: Cumulative

	Race 1 Points	Race 2 Points	Race 3 Points	Total Points	Rank
RANGER	13	1		14	1
HETAIROS	1	13		14	2
AXIA	3	11		14	3
P2	10	5		15	4
SAUDADE	8	8		16	5
GANESHA	7	10		17	6
HANUMAN	12	6		18	7
GHOST	17	3		20	8
UNFURLED	19	4		23	9
WINDCREST	14	9		23	10
WHITE WINGS	6	20		26	11
ANDROMEDA LA DEA	4	26		30	12
SALUTE	2	29		31	13
HAMILTON II *	15	16		31	14
REBECCA	30	2		32	15
VISIONE	26	7		33	16
GEORGIA	9	25		34	17
DSK	20	15		35	18
AVALON	5	31		36	19
ADELA	18	19		37	20
HYPERION*	22	18		40	21
SOJANA	29	12		41	22
LIARA	28	14		42	23
ANTARA	11	34		45	24
BARACUDA	21	24		45	25
WHISPER	23	22		45	26
MYSTERY	25	21		46	27
HELIOS	24	23		47	28
RIELA	16	35		51	29
VARSOVIE	34	17		51	30
SALPERTON IV	27	28		55	31
HIGHLAND BREEZE*	32	27		59	32
SHAMOUN	35	30		65	33
ARTEMIS	33	32		65	34
DESTINATION	31	36		67	35
METEOR	36	33		69	36
TOTO	38	37		75	37
SYMMETRY **	37	38		75	38
GLORIA	39	39		78	39

* Safety Penalty: 5 Minute
** Over Early Penalty: 5 Minute

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The first race of the 2010 St. Barths Bucket was blessed with a crystalline Caribbean day that served up a 13 knot easterly breeze and smooth seas for the record fleet of 39 superyachts, to race the 25 miles counterclockwise around the island.  This set the stage for a magnificent day on the water and remarkably close racing, with 30 of 39 yachts finishing within 16 minutes!

 

The big winner of the day was HETAIROS, the 132′ Abeking and Rasmussen ketch that sailed the course flawlessly.  SALUTE, the 184′ Perini Navi which is the tallest sloop rig yacht afloat, finished three minutes later to claim second with AXIA, the 124′ Palmer Johnson finishing third, four minutes later.

In the racing division, “Les Gazelles des Mers”, SAUDADE  the 148′ Wally finished first, with P2, the 125′ Performance Perini Navi sloop claiming second just over a minute behind.  The J Class yachts, Hanuman and Ranger, finished third and fourth just a minute later, with only 21 seconds between them after 25 miles of racing! 

Last night’s festivities in St. Barths was centered around the fleet Open House, the highlight of the weekend during which the nearly 1,000 participating crewmembers will visit and celebrate the day aboard the yachts. 

 

Race #2 of the St. Barths Bucket Regatta will take place today on “The Not So Wiggly Course” around and between the islands northeast of St. Barths. 

Race Entries

Boat Name Length Builder/Designer Adela 180’ Pendennis Rebuild Andromeda La Dea 154’ Perini Navi Antara 154’ Perini Navi Artemis 144′ Dubois/Fitzroy Yachts Avalon 108’ Southern Pacific Yachts Axia 124’ Palmer Johnson Baracuda 164’ Perini Navi Destination Fox Harbr 134′ Alloy Yachts/Dubois DSK 90′ Swan Ganesha 128′ Dubois/Fitzroy Yachts Georgia 159′ Alloy Yachts Gloria 126′ Jongert & Lowland Ghost 122′ Vitters Shipyard Hamilton II 117′ CNB Hanuman 138′ Royal Huisman Helios 148′ Perini Navi Hetairos 132′ Abeking & Rasmussen Highland Breeze 112′ Swan Hyperion 156′ Royal Huisman Liara 100′ Performance Yachts Meteor 169′ Royal Huisman Mystery 112′ Swan P2 125′ Perini Navi Ranger 137′ J Boat Rebecca 141′ Pendennis Riela 184′ Perini Navi Salperton IV 147′ Dubois/Fitzroy Salute 184′ Perini Navi Saudade 148′ Wally Shamoun 108′ Klaasen Sojana 115’ Custom Farr Ketch Symmetry 96’ Yachting Development Toto 110′ Palmer Johnson Unfurled 112′ Royal Huisman Varsovie 100′ Swan Visione 148′ Baltic Whisper 116′ Holland Jachtbouw White Wings 76′ Rockport Marine Windcrest 98’ Hodgdon Yachts

 

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Final day at the 20th Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup dawned with blue sky and a gentle north-easterly breeze between 8 and 10 knots. One more opportunity for those already at the top of the standings to prove themselves worthy of winning. Good news also for those yachts still within touching distance of the top. A race would mean opportunity and in yacht-racing opportunity is everything, but only if you are prepared to take it. Getting your name inscribed on the trophies at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is no easy feat. Only those most deserving achieve the feat. At close of play those truly in clover were: Ronald de Waal and Velsheda (GBR); Claus Peter Offen and Y3K (GER); Mick Cotter and Whisper (IRL); Filippo Faruffini and Roma-Aniene (ITA), and, Neville Crichton and Alfa Romeo (NZL). Flush with victory and the spoils associated – the Maxi Yacht Cup and a Rolex Yacht-master Chronometer.

If only it were so simple. In Cruising/Spirit of Tradition, Velsheda had wrapped up her division a day early by virtue of winning every race to that point. In Wally, Y3K was also impregnable, by virtue of having scored more firsts than her closest rival, Open Season (GER), which could only match Y3Ks score however badly Offen’s crew sailed the last race; a situation where count-back would favour Offen.

In Racing/Cruising, Roma-Aniene never seemed likely to be overtaken by DSK Pioneer Investments, but the door was still open if DSK could repeat yesterday’s result and finish ahead of Roma. The chances of this seemed slim given Roma had not given DSK a sniff all week until her mainsail issues of yesterday. The same scenario existed in Mini Maxi Racing/Cruising, where both Aegir (GBR) and OPS 5 (ITA) had a mathematical chance to overtake Whisper, should she finish seventh or worse, something Whisper had not done all week. She had had problems yesterday, though, finishing fifth. So a glimmer of hope flickered on. In both cases you had to think lightning does not strike twice.

The classification where the duelling would go closest to the wire looked to be Mini Maxi Racing. Tight battles looked likely in both Mini Maxi Racing (Owner/Driver) and the larger overall Mini Maxi Racing 00 group. The Owner/Driver contest was between Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeo 3 (NZL) and Hap Fauth’s Bella Mente (USA). The stakes were high; the pressure was on. The maths were simple for Bella Mente, she had to come first. Anything less would not be enough. For Alfa, if she could win or prevent the American crew from winning she would prevail.

The 00 group was also a two-way tussle and also involved Alfa Romeo, with the likes of triple Olympic Gold medallist Ben Ainslie in the crew roster, along with Niklas Zennström’s Rán (GBR). With a three-point separation, the onus was on Alfa to win and hope Rán would finish no better than fourth. Heading out to the start there was every possibility that Crichton might be distracted by his battle with Fauth, since that was where the major prize would be awarded. At the beginning of the week, though, Crichton had stated his aim was to win both groups. Given his competitive streak is longer and wider than most, no one would bet against the New Zealander attempting to win outright from the front.

In the end, the excitement came in only one spot.

Velsheda confirmed her supremacy in Cruising/Spirit of Tradition winning the final race. Hasso Plattner’s Visione (GER) did enough to beat Charles Dunstone’s Hamilton II (GBR) in the race today and to take second on the podium. Roma-Aniene confirmed yesterday’s problems were no more than a blip by adding a fourth bullet to her Racing/Cruising scoreline. Danilo Salsi’s DSK’s second place in the race and the overall standing will be some compensation. Whisper, too, asserted herself once more adding a fourth bullet to her Mini Maxi Racing/Cruising record and securing the class by 10-points over Brian Benjamin’s Aegir.

Ronald de Waal skipper and helmsman of Velsheda attributed his victory in Cruising/Spirit of Tradition to his crew, “the team we sail with has been together for a long time, some have been with us for eight years. Of course, we sail with some of the very best in the world and that helps.” This is de Waal’s first overall win at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup; he has sailed several times before and really enjoys the competition and the location, “it’s a combination of nature, the area, we always have beautiful wind, really beautiful surroundings and always a very good fleet.”

Claus Peter Offen sealed his Wally Division victory with another win. Not bad for a yacht launched in July this year. Sailing with designer Mani Frers onboard as a guest, Offen was understandably delighted with his yacht and the win, “we thought we could get in the top three, but to win with a brand-new boat is unexpected. You usually will have some technical problems, but in all six races we were always first over the line and never had any problems.” Offen paid tribute to his crew, particularly acknowledging the work on the first two days when conditions were at their most difficult.

Filippo Faruffini came, saw and conquered for the second time; Roma confirming her superiority over the series in Racing/Cruising. Faruffini was surprised given how they had come into the competition, “this is sport and you can leave nothing to chance. We only decided only one month ago to race and were really under-prepared. Our sails are old and we broke many, many things.” A number of his crew, from the Circolo Canottieri Aniene (a sporting club in Rome), were new to sailing and to turn them into a team capable of holding their own against the likes of DSK is a true achievement, as tactician Vascotto explains, “all the guys made a real effort today. We pushed hard. We had 22 guys that are not professional at all, but at the end of the week we look to be doing the same manoeuvres as we do with professional guys. Everyone has improved and they can see this, which is our aim.”

Mick Cotter’s emphatic result with Whisper in Mini Maxi Racing/Cruising was a revelation, but had been hinted at last year’s Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup when Cotter’s crew won a sub-division prize, “it’s been a wonderful week, everything went really well. I had a great team and that’s what did it for me. We had few mistakes yesterday, but you can’t expect to go through a week’s regatta and not have a few. The conditions were ideal for us, which helped us considerably in the overall results. The crew know the boat well and the pros have got to know both us and the boat.”

As predicted, the true battle came in Mini Maxi Racing and it was fought tooth and nail between two boats – Bella Mente and Alfa Romeo. Fauth’s crew knew they had to win. Tactician Dee Smith saw to it that Bella Mente won the start at the pin end, whilst Alfa went for the committee boat end. As both yachts sailed their own race for the first leg, the first crossing was a critical moment. It went to Bella Mente and she held off her larger rival until the top of the second beat. At this point the Americans were still within a shout of victory. They were sailing so well that within the Owner/Driver category they were undoubtedly winning. With three more legs it was never going to be easy and, unfortunately for them, Alfa had no thoughts of mercy in mind. She forced her way past and then proceeded to match-race Hap Fauth’s yacht progressively out of the running. Conceding waterline length and therefore speed it was never going to end happily for Fauth. Bella Mente corrected out ahead of Alfa, but critically Andres Soriano’s Alegre (GBR) and Sir Peter Ogden’s Jethou (GBR) corrected out ahead of her. Crichton won by one point.

Crichton knew he had been in a scrap and paid due compliment to the tenacity and sailing skills of Fauth and his crew, as did his tactician, Michael Coxon, and relief helm, Ben Ainslie, who knows plenty about the need for ruthlessness in such circumstances. Crichton was thoroughly pleased with the result “we’re delighted. It was pretty tough out there today. We had to do what we had to do, and we got there in the end. They (Bella Mente) camped on us on the first beat. We finally got them back and then just sat on top of them.”

Meanwhile, Zennström and his Rán crew were able to sail their own race with the fight going on far behind. Once again, Rán took the gun and in doing so walked away with an eight-point victory over Alfa Romeo in the Min Maxi Racing 00 grouping. Zennstrom readily admitted they were flattered by the gap, which had been accentuated by the duel between the Alfa Romeo and Bella Mente.

All in all it has been an enthralling week of competition. The weather has played ball. Each day of racing has produced quality conditions and allowed the crews of the gathered maxis to strut their stuff in style. We’ll allow a newcomer to capture the sensation of racing here. Rachel Howe is the sole female navigator competing this week. Not only that, but she did so on Jethou in the intense environment of the Mini Maxi Racing group. Jethou went out on a high today, finishing the race first in Owner/Driver and second in 00. According to Howe, “this is the most prestigious event that I’ve done, the field that we’re racing in is absolutely spectacular. It’s an inspirational fleet to be part of. To get the opportunity to race against the people we’re racing against is just incredible. It is a real privilege. It’s intimidating at first, but once you are out there getting on with your job you realise everyone is pretty normal.once you see past the (Olympic) gold medals and the America’s Cups!”

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