Under the backdrop of the Manhattan Skyline, with over 100 spectators at the Thomson Reuters race start line, The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing took off in lightconditions on Saturday, May 7th. As part of Sailors for the Sea’s Clean Regattas certification for the race, the boats sailed the course using bio-diesel, hydro-generators, solar power, and reusable water bottles.

 Team Dragon crossed the finish line at 9:23pm ET Sunday, May 8 with an elapsed time of 30:48:44 to capture first in the off-shore leg of the Atlantic Cup. The race was a back and forth with five lead changes and the top three finishers completing the race within 1 hour 17 minutes of each other.

 The Atlantic Cup off-shore course took the fleet out of New York Harbor Saturday afternoon south to the only turning mark on the course at Barnegat Light and from the turn boats headed straight to Newport, RI. The start of the race was in light air and saw Team Cutlass cross the line first. Team Icarus took the False Hook Channel out of New York Harbor and was the only boat to do so and in taking that route they were able to get a jump on the competition and arrive at the turning mark off Barnegat Light first. However, after Team Icarus broke a halyard on their Code 0, they saw their lead dwindle and slowly the competition over took them. As daylight rose on Sunday morning, Team Cutlass/11th Hour Racing, Dragon and Toothface all followed a similar course and traded the lead throughout the morning. Team Icarus chose a more northern route and hugged the Long Island Coast, which ultimately proved to be costly and they fell further and further back from the fleet.

With a win in the off-shore leg of the Atlantic Cup, Mike Hennessy and Rob Windsor were thrilled to have arrived first after a questionable start to the race, “I think everyone suffered at different points during the race, we suffered before the gun, we were a little far north of the line, caught a no wind and headed in the wrong direction,” said Skipper Mike Hennessy.  After the start, Team Dragon made up ground and going into Sunday morning they were in a close second with Team Cutlass/11th Hour Racing when they ran into a light air patch. They tactically decided to get some separation from their competition and go to the west of Block Island and that decision paid off, said Skipper Rob Windsor, “once we got to Point Judith and I had to use binoculars to see the next boat behind us, I knew we were pretty good.”

 Team Cutlass/11th Hour Racing crossed second with an elapsed time of 31:38:07.  For most of Sunday, Team Cutlass/11th Hour Racing was leading the fleet by close to 13 nautical miles. However, their good fortune turned when they got to Block Island and chose to go the eastern side of the Island. Skipper Rob MacMillan explained his decision, “Basically just based on wind I was a little terrified of the current to the western side and I didn’t think there was going to be as much wind based on the direction the wind was coming from, which was due east. As we approached Block we kept getting headed…and that made our easy decision kind of difficult and at that point we saw Dragon which was kind of was, uh, a Holy Cow moment.”

 Team Toothface finished just 27 minutes after Team Cutlass/11th Hour Racing with an elapsed time of 32:05:22. Skipper Mike Dreese on the off-shore leg said, “I just thought it was amazing, the venue was unbelievable…and you’re racing past the Statue of Liberty, it doesn’t get any better than that, then for us to come home to Newport where we race out of all the time was reallyfun. I think that the organization, to see the ambition, to have a high quality, credible, exciting format be birthed and to be part of that first race, to me, I think I’m going to look back, [and say] I’m really glad we did this race.”

 

The final team to cross the line was Team Icarus coming in early Monday morningwith an overall elapsed time of 38:42:20. Team Icarus faced a number of hurdles just making it to the start line as up until one week ago they did not have a boat. In addition to having a dated set of sails, their boat was in poor condition with many electrical malfunctions. However, Skippers Ben Poucher and Tim Fetsch took a number of tactical risks throughout the race to make up for their less than speedy boat. Said Skipper Ben Poucher, “We knew from the beginning we were going to have to take some risks to compete.  We’re not going to have enough speed with the sails we have and we don’t know the boat that well so the only way to make any gains is to take risks and the first risk we took really paid off.” Their second risk, hugging the coast of Long Island did not pay off as well and they watch what was once a 6nm lead disappear to a gaping 40 mile deficit. 

 

Attention now turns to the in-shore series, which will be held Saturday and Sunday May 14-15 in Newport, RI. Teams will use a crew of six for the three races heldeach day. Inshore races are weighted less in points, however any of the teams could see their current position change dramatically. The overall lowest point scorer will win The Atlantic Cup.

 

Presented by 11th Hour Racing
11th Hour Racing’s establishes a dynamic new platform for public education about the responsible use of energy and resources in the context of an exciting recreational and competitive sport. The use of hydro-generators and bio-diesel in the boats competing in the Atlantic Cup is a direct result of 11th Hour’s commitment to the environment.
New York City events are hosted by Thomson Reuters
Atlantis Weather Gear is the official apparel provider
The Newport Shipyard is the official Newport home of the Atlantic Cup
Boomer Esiason Foundation is the Atlantic Cup’s Official Charitable Partner
Run under Sailors for the Sea ‘Clean Regattas guidelines
Using canteen water bottles on the boats while racing and set up and maintain water filling stations during the event
Using environmentally friendly cleaning products on all boats
Recycling at all sites during the race
Recycling by all boats when completing the off-shore and in-shore portion of the race
Using biodegradable plastic throughout the race including at pre and post-race parties and dinners
Using 100% post-consumer recycled paper for all event packets
Organizing a green team to maintain a trash-free site at both hospitality events
Preventing discharge of untreated sewage or black water in harbor areas and on race courses throughout the event
Asking all race participants to use water only when washing down their boats during the course of the regatta
Open to Class40 boats
$15,000 prize purse
One day of Pro-Am racing held May 6, 2011 in New York Harbor
Depart New York Harbor May 7, 2011
Race double-handed from New York to Newport
Off-shore course is approximately 260 nautical miles
Two days inshore fully crewed buoy racing held over the weekend of May 14 in Newport, RI
Finish Party and prize giving in Newport at Newport Shipyard on May 15
 

 History of The Atlantic Cup

·       Having sailed professionally and worked on some of the biggest sporting events in the world, the creators of The Atlantic Cup have watched professional sailing grow in popularity around the world, however interest has not been as strong in the United States. They realized that professional sailing in the United States has remained a secondary sport largely because there is a lack of races that are sponsor driven, have mass media attention, professional competitors and award prize money.

·       The organizers of The Atlantic Cup, therefore, came together to fill the void and create a top-level premier sailing race in the United States. The goal is to produce hard fought, intense sailing competitions featuring the top U.S. and international short-handed sailors. The races will be surrounded by entertaining, engaging events that will engage the casual fan’s interest.

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While the water views from anywhere along Newport Harbor (R.I.) are already magnificent, they will be absolutely breathtaking in late June and early July when 32 ocean-going yachts set sail in the Transatlantic Race 2011, which charts a course that stretches 2,975 nautical miles from Newport to Lizard Point, at the end of a peninsula in South Cornwall (UK).  This history-making event is organized by the Royal Yacht Squadron, New York Yacht Club, Royal Ocean Racing Club and Storm Trysail Club, with pre-start activities taking place at the New York Yacht Club’s Harbour Court clubhouse in Newport and the awards taking place at the Royal Yacht Squadron’s Cowes Castle clubhouse on the Isle of Wight.

 The fleet runs the gamut from sleek traditional designs, such as the 94’ William Fife-designed Sumurun, to sophisticated super yachts, such as the 289’ custom Perini Navi clipper sailing yacht Maltese Falcon, with three masts so tall (190’) they barely clear Newport’s towering Pell Bridge, which serves as a gateway to Rhode Island’s famous City by the Sea.  And as those who are veterans of ocean racing will attest, crossing the Atlantic Ocean is no small feat, especially when storms, testing seas and even icebergs (still a danger in the North Atlantic in June) are included in the mix of challenges encountered.

 “What I find so incredible with open-ocean racing is that there are very few things that you can do these days that are the same as what people did 400 years ago,” said Sumurun’s owner Robert Towbin . “You have such a sense of history when you’re out there and for a couple weeks you get to feel, in effect, the same way Columbus felt.”

 Towbin has sailed Sumurun in two previous transatlantic races, winning the Classic Division in the 2005 Rolex Transatlantic Challenge and taking overall victory in the 1997 Atlantic Challenge Cup presented by Rolex.  He is currently preparing his classic yacht, which was built in 1914, to endure what will be its first challenge of the 2011 sailing season.  “If you have an older boat, a race of this complexity takes a lot out of it, so we are putting a lot of work into it to get it up to date,” said Towbin.

Three separate starts – June 26, June 29, and July 3 – are planned (Sumurun will be in the first start) to “stagger” the yachts of different sizes and ability so that they will arrive in England in proximity to each other. Challenging their crews both mentally and physically, the larger boats hope to finish the race in 8 to 12 days, while the smaller boats may take up to 18 to 22 days to finish. 

 In addition to class winners, whichever yacht finishes the course with the fastest elapsed time will set the benchmark for a new  racing record from Newport to Lizard Point, to be ratified by the World Speed Sailing Council. Rolex watches will be awarded to the record holder and the overall winner (on corrected time) under IRC.

 It’s anyone’s guess which of the true racing thoroughbreds entered might prevail.  Among them, scheduled to depart in the final race group, are the VOR 70 crewed by PUMA Ocean Racing Team, the Newport-based second-place finisher in the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race and entrant in the next edition as well; Rambler 100, George David’s  maxi rocket ship that has been tearing up race courses since the beginning of the year, including breaking the record for the RORC Caribbean 600 and taking line honors at the Pineapple Cup-Montego Bay Race; and ICAP Leopard, which holds the current record from Ambrose Light to Lizard Point for monohulls using powered sailing systems. 

 And if that’s not impressive enough, there will be two all-youth teams competing, one from Germany (aboard the Andrews 56 Norddeutsche Vermoegen in race start two) and one from the U.S.A. (the All American Offshore Team’s IRC 65 Vanquish in race start three).  In addition, four Class 40s, high-performance monohulls designed specifically for shorthanded sailing, will have their own class (starting in the second group).

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Owned and sailed by Rives Potts (Westbrook, CT) with a crew blending four families, Carina is the 46th winner of the race’s top trophy in the 104-year history of the race, which runs 635 miles from Newport, RI to St. David’s Light, Bermuda.
The 48-foot McCurdy & Rhodes designed sloop won on corrected time under the Offshore Racing Rule by the very large margin of 3 hours, 35 minutes over Gregory B. Manning’s Sarah  (Warwick, RI). Belle Aurore, a Cal 40 owned by R. Douglas Jurrius (Easton, MD) was third, seven minutes behind Sarah.

Carina’s chances for winning looked good but hardly certain when she finished the race at dawn Tuesday. Her chief challenge came from Belle Aurore and three other boats in Class 1, the small-boat class. Any of them could save their time and elbow Carina off the victory podium should she finish by about 7 PM. Many sailors at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and elsewhere spent much of Tuesday following the quartet’s progress on the online iBoattrack tracker. In the end, nobody was able to save their time on Carina.

Those four smaller boats still did well. Belle Aurore won Class 1 and took third place in the St. David’s Lighthouse Division. Two other Cal 40s, Peter Rebovich’s two-time defending champion Sinn Fein (Metuchen, NJ) and Bill Leroy’s Gone with the Wind (Tiburon, CA), took second in the class and seventh in the division, and third in class and eighth in the division, respectively.  The fourth boat, David G. Dickerson’s Peterson 38 Lindy, was fourth in class and 20th in the division.

Carina also won the North Rock Beacon Trophy as the top boat under the IRC Rule, with a margin of nearly four hours over Gracie, a custom 69-footer owned by Stephen and Simon Frank (Darien and Rowayton, CT). Gracie was also designed by McCurdy & Rhodes. Third under IRC was Arbella, a First 44.7 owned by James Shaughnessy (Greenwich, CT).

As of Noon ADT Wednesday, 9 boats in the 183-boat fleet were still on the race course. This is the third largest Newport Bermuda Race since it was founded in 1906. The St. David’s Lighthouse Division, for amateur crews, is the largest of the race’s five divisions, with 103 boats this year. 

  Invictus At Start (Photo by George Bekris)

FOR NEWPORT BERMUDA RACE START PHOTOS CLICK HERE

2010 Newport Bermuda Race

PROVISIONAL RESULTS

Place, Yacht, Owner, Origin, Results (ORR(Cls, Div) / IRC(Cls, Div))

Class 1 (11 Boats) – St. David’s Lighthouse Division 1. Belle Aurore, Cal 40, R Douglas Jurrius, Oxford, MD, 1, 3 / 1, 8 2. Sinn Fein, Cal 40, Peter S. Rebovich, Sr., Metuchen, NJ, 2, 7 / 2, 10 3. Gone With The Wind, Cal 40, William M. LeRoy, San Francisco, CA, 3, 8 / NA, NA 4. Lindy, Peterson 38, David G. Dickerson, Niantic Bay, 4, 20 / NA, NA 5. Aurora, Tartan 41, Andrew F. Kallfelz, Jamestown, RI, 5, 22 / 3, 26 6. Frolic, Sabre 362, Peter G. Brown, Greenwich, CT, 6, 26 / 4, 37 7. Hiro Maru, Swan 43 Classic, Hiroshi Nakajima, Stamford, CT, 7, 34 / 5, 40 8. Spirit, Baltic 38DP, A. John Gregg, Philadelphia, 8, 90 / 6, 98 Class 2 (15 Boats) – St. David’s Lighthouse Division 1. Cygnette, Swan 441, William J. Mayer, Jamestown RI, 1, 5 / 1, 19 2. Swift, Navy 44 MK1, US Naval Academy, US Naval Academy, 2, 13 / 2, 24 3. Avenir, C&C 41, Joseph T. Murray, Bristol, RI, 3, 16 / NA, NA 4. Jacqueline IV, Hinckley SW42, Robert S. Forman, Jr, West Islip, NY, 4, 28 / 3, 47 5. Akela III, Swan 43, Djoerd Hoekstra, Oxford, MD, 5, 36 / NA, NA 6. Flirt, Navy 44 MK1, US NAVAL ACADEMY, US Naval Academy, 6, 44 / 4, 60 7. Mojoe, Peterson 43, Joseph M. Naroski, Marblehead, MA, 7, 45 / 5, 65 8. Rainmaker, Swan 40, Kenneth P. Hylwa Mr., Jamestown, RI, 8, 58 / NA, NA 9. Misty, J-40 WK, Fred A. Allardyce, Watch Hill, RI, 9, 62 / 6, 69 10. Beausoleil, Beneteau 456SD, Richard A Parent, New Harbor, ME, 10, 64 / 7, 79 11. Zwerver, S&S 57′ Berm Cut, Frans van Schaik, Rotterdam (NLD), 11, 65 / 8, 83 12. Morgan Of Marietta, Centurion 42, Colin G Golder, Newport RI, 12, 85 / 10, 93 13. Greyghost, Zaal 38, Philip W. Parish, Georgetown, MD, 13, 89 / 9, 87 14. Zest, Hinckley SW42, Brian E. Swiggett, Jamestown, RI, 14, 93 / 12, 97 15. Regatta, Carter 41, Constantine G. Koste, Oxford, MD, 15, 97 / 11, 95 Class 3 (14 Boats) – St. David’s Lighthouse Division 1. Carina, Ctm 48, Rives Potts, Westbrook, CT, 1, 1 / 1, 1 2. Dolphin, J-42, Henry S. Morgan, Annapolis, MD, 2, 10 / 2, 13 3. Xenophon, Swan 44 MKII, Jeffrey V. Rabuffo, MD, Newport, RI, 3, 12 / 5, 27 4. Triple Lindy, Swan 44 MK II, Joseph Mele, New York, NY, 4, 15 / 6, 32 5. Finesse, J-42, Newton P.S. Merrill, St. George, ME, 5, 17 / 3, 21 6. Babe, Swan 46, Colin E. Couper MD, Newport, RI, 6, 18 / 4, 25 7. Amigo VI, J-42, Bernie P. Coyne, Marblehead, MA, 7, 33 / 7, 45 8. True, J-42 (mod), Howard B. Hodgson, Jr., Newport, RI, 8, 37 / NA, NA 9. Whisper, Canning 48, Sheldon Brotman, Martha’s Vineyard, 9, 43 / 9, 56 10. Kalevala II, Grand Soleil 37, Tapio O. Saavalainen, Annapolis, MD, 10, 49 / 8, 55 11. Apsara, J-109, Mike Sleightholme, New Rochelle, NY, 11, 76 / 10, 76 12. Jade, J-42, Robert W. Thuss, Jr., Atlantic Highlands, 12, 81 / 11, 90 13. Tiger, Swan 46, Thomas & Nancy Grieb, Newport, RI, 13, 82 / NA, NA 14. Sailor Bandido, Quest 33, Christopher A. Palabrica, Chicago, IL, 14, 96 / NA, NA Class 4 (13 Boats) – St. David’s Lighthouse Division 1. Windborn, J-120, Richard W. Born, Annapolis, MD, 1, 31 / NA, NA 2. Lapin, Benn Frst 40.7, Christopher Clark, Greenwich, CT, 2, 32 / 2, 41 3. Thejackal, Beneteau 40.7, John DeFilippo, Annapolis, MD, 3, 35 / 3, 43 4. Slide Rule, First 44.7, Scott Bearse, Barnstable, MA, 4, 46 / 1, 5 5. Hound, Ctm 60, Eberhart Frank, Vinalhaven, ME, 5, 50 / 9, 74 6. Shinnecock, J-120, James C. Praley, Annapolis, MD, 6, 51 / 4, 48 7. Valkyrie, First 44.7, David Andril, West River, MD, 7, 55 / 8, 72 8. Ricochet, J-120, USCGA, New London, CT, 8, 57 / 5, 61 9. Terrapin, Beneteau 40.7, Jonathan Litt, Riverside, CT, 9, 59 / 6, 62 10. Dogsled, Kaufman 47, Todd F. Barnard, Halifax, NS, 10, 60 / NA, NA 11. Ragana, Cape Fear 38R, Darius Peleda, Stmford, CT, 11, 71 / 10, 75 12. Star Chaser, Swan 51, Wijnand (Boogie) van den Boogaard, London, UK, 12, 74 / 7, 66 13. Rocket Science, J-120, Rick F. Oricchio, Black Rock, CT, 13, 84 / 11, 85 Class 5 (9 Boats) – St. David’s Lighthouse Division 1. Glory, J-44, Jack Neades/ USCGA, New London, CT, 1, 29 / 2, 36 2. Runaway, J-44, Lawrence R. Glenn, Oyster Bay, NY, 2, 40 / 3, 38 3. Vamp, J-44, Leonard J. Sitar, Atlantic Highlands, 3, 41 / 1, 34 4. Resolute, J-44 WK, Fred Madeira, Cumberland, ME, 4, 42 / 5, 53 5. Beagle, J-44, Philip H. Gutin, New York, NY, 5, 53 / 4, 46 6. Gold Digger, J-44, James D. Bishop, Jamestown, RI, 6, 73 / 6, 70 7. Charlie V, J-44, Norman H. Schulman MD, Glen Cove, NY, 7, 83 / 7, 80 8. Sirena Bella, J-44, Joe Murli, Mystic, CT, 8, 91 / 9, 94 9. Akubra, J-44, Reginald H. Goodday Dr., Halifax, NS, 9, 99 / 8, 91 Class 6 (13 Boats) – St. David’s Lighthouse Division 1. Sarah, X-41, Gregory B. Manning, Warwick, RI, 1, 2 / 2, 4 2. Arbella, First 44.7, James P. Shaughnesy, Greenwich, CT, 2, 9 / 1, 3 3. Relativity, Beneteau 53F5, Hall Palmer, St. Thomas, USVI, 3, 48 / 3, 42 4. Buzz, Sydney 38, Richard E. Stevenson, Jr, Falmouth, ME, 4, 54 / NA, NA 5. Sirensong, J-133, Thomas J Carroll, Larchmont, NY, 5, 61 / 4, 63 6. Cilista, J-130, Jeffrey L. Eberle, Manchester, MA, 6, 63 / 5, 64 7. Merlin, Swan 57, John H Duerden, Stonington, CT, 7, 68 / NA, NA 8. Avra, J-120 Mod, George Petrides, New York, NY, 8, 70 / 7, 77 9. Fearless, Farr 395 OD, Shaun J. Ensor, Branford, CT, 9, 75 / 6, 68 10. American Girl, King 40, Daniel Galyon, Stamford, CT, 10, 87 / 10, 92 11. Amadeus, IMX-40, Jack R. Yaissle, Royal Oak, MD, 11, 88 / NA, NA 12. Upgrade, Farr 395, Peter Gibbons-Neff, Annapolis, MD, 12, 94 / 8, 84 13. Bacci, Swan 53, Lorenzo Vascotto, Oyster Bay, NY, 13, 95 / 9, 88 Class 7 (16 Boats) – St. David’s Lighthouse Division 1. Temptation, Taylor 45, Arthur & Peter Santry, Newport, RI, 1, 4 / 2, 9 2. Barleycorn, NYYC Swan 42, Brendan J. Brownyard, Newport, RI, 2, 11 / 1, 6 3. Vortices, J-145, Christopher L Saxton, Plymouth, MI, 3, 21 / NA, NA 4. White Rhino, Swan 56, Todd Stuart, Wilmington, DE, 4, 23 / 3, 12 5. Bombardino, Santa Cruz 52, James W. Sykes, Rye,NY, 5, 25 / 4, 17 6. High Noon, Tripp 41, Colin Rath, Norwalk, CT, 6, 27 / 5, 33 7. Xcelsior, IMX-45, Alice O. Martin, Chicago, IL, 7, 38 / 7, 51 8. Reindeer, Morris 47, Peter/Tony Driscoll/Parker, Annapolis, MD, 8, 47 / 6, 50 9. Cybele, IMX-45, Richard M. Burnes, Jr, Boston, MA, 9, 52 / 9, 71 10. Jacknife, J-133, Andrew Hall, Caernarfon, 10, 56 / 8, 54 11. Nasty Medicine, Corby 41.5, Stephen J. Sherwin MD, Hamilton, BDA, 11, 66 / 12, 82 12. Threebeans, Santa Cruz 37, Christopher Rosow, Southport, CT, 12, 79 / 11, 81 13. Magic, Santa Cruz 52, Kenneth Laudon, Rye, NY, 13, 86 / 13, 86 14. Convictus Maximus, Farr IRC 42, Donald W. Nicholson, Perth Amboy, NJ, 14, 92 / 10, 78 15. Wazimo, Aerodyne 38, W. Barrett Holby, Jr., Barrington, RI, 15, 98 / NA, NA 16. Flying Goose, Ctm 56, Daniel C. van Starrenburg, New York, NY, 16, 100 / 14, 96 Class 8 (12 Boats) – St. David’s Lighthouse Division 1. Gracie, Ctm 69, Stephan A. & Simon W Frank, Newport, RI, 1, 6 / 1, 2 2. Aurora, Reichel/Pugh 66, Gus Carlson, New York, NY, 2, 14 / 5, 22 3. Brand New Day, J-65, James C. Madden, Newport Beach, CA, 3, 19 / 2, 11 4. Denali, Nelson Marek 70, Michael A. D’Amelio, Buzzards Bay, MA, 4, 24 / 3, 16 5. Sforzando, Ker 55, Clayton G. Deutsch, Newport, RI, 5, 30 / 4, 18 6. Kodiak, Swan 601, E. Llwyd Ecclestone, Newport, RI, 6, 39 / 6, 29 7. Vanquish, STP 65, Rego / Riker Lucas / USMMA, Kings Point, NY, 7, 67 / 7, 39 8. Mischievous, Ctm 65, Albert J. Fitzgibbons,III, Stonington, CT, 8, 69 / 12, 89 9. Donnybrook, Ctm Sloop, James P. Muldoon, Annapolis, MD, 9, 72 / 9, 57 10. Invictus, TP52, US Naval Academy, US Naval Academy, 10, 77 / 8, 52 11. Starlight, Simonis Voogd 56, Michael Dybvik, Kings Point, NY, 11, 78 / 11, 73 12. Big Booty, Lutra 42, Patrick Eudy, Charleston, SC, 12, 80 / 10, 67 Class 9 (8 Boats) – Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division 1. Noonmark VI, Swan 56, Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy, Hamble, UK, 1, 1 / 1, 7 2. Snow Lion, Ker 50, Lawrence S. Huntington, New York, NY, 2, 2 / 2, 14 3. Hoi An, Ctm 50, Heilner Marc, London, UK, 3, 3 / 6, 44 4. Natalie J, TP52, Philip D. O’Niel III, D.D.S., Newport, RI, 4, 4 / 3, 15 5. Catapult Racing, SouthernCross 52, Marc Glimcher, Essex CT, 5, 5 / 5, 30 6. Vela Veloce, Southern Cross, Richard H Oland, RKYC, Saint John, NB, 6, 6 / 4, 23 7. Captivity, Farr 60, Samuel T. Byrne, Newport, RI, 7, 7 / 8, 59 8. Rima2, R/P 55, John Brim, Newport, RI, 8, 9 / 7, 49 Class 10 (5 Boats) – Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division 1. Ran, JV 72, Niklas Zennstrom, Ramsey, Isle of Man, 1, 8 / 1, 20 2. Bella Mente, Mini Maxi, Hap Fauth, Newport, RI, 2, 10 / 2, 28 3. Beau Geste, Farr 80, Karl Kwok, BVI, 3, 11 / 4, 35 4. Titan Xv, Ctm 75, Tom Hill, Mr., Newport, RI., 4, 12 / 3, 31 5. Rambler, Ctm 90, George David, New York, NY, 5, 13 / 5, 58 Class 11 (7 Boats) – Cruiser Division 1. Shearwater, Morris 40, Conrad Hall, Norfolk, VA, 1, 2 / NA, NA 2. Bluebird, Migrant 45 Ketch, Harry Bird, Essex, CT, 2, 3 / NA, NA 3. Temptress, IMX-45, Arent H Kits van Heyningen, Newport, RI, 3, 8 / NA, NA 4. Eclipse, Hinckley 59, Barbara & Robert Cavanagh, Sakonnet Point, RI, 4, 17 / NA, NA 5. Restive, Alden 48 Ctm, George P Denny III, Saunderstown, RI, 5, 31 / NA, NA Class 12 (16 Boats) – Cruiser Division 1. Laura B, Isl. Packet 45, Joseph R. Triggs, Jr., Avalon, NJ, 1, 4 / NA, NA 2. Cadence, Apogee 50, R. David Warters, Houston, TX, 2, 5 / NA, NA 3. Poeske, First 42, Richard Donn, Thornwood, NY, 3, 6 / NA, NA 4. Bonspiel, Nordic 44, James J. Richter, East Boothbay, ME, 4, 9 / NA, NA 5. Nostos, Alden 44, Lorenzo D. Weisman, Sag Harbor, NY, 5, 11 / NA, NA 6. Bermuda Oyster, Oyster 435, Paul B. Hubbard, Hamilton, BDA, 6, 14 / NA, NA 7. Pilgrim, Alden 44, Mark Rice, Old Lyme, CT, 7, 20 / NA, NA 8. Shindig, Pearson 39-2, Kevin G. Flannery, Newport, RI, 8, 21 / NA, NA 9. Convergence, Jeanneau 43 DS, James Linsley, New York, NY, 9, 24 / NA, NA 10. Freedom, Sabre 452, Cary W. Thomson, Georgetown MD, 10, 25 / NA, NA 11. Liberty Call, HR 43, Matthew G. Pilon, Newport, RI, 11, 27 / NA, NA 12. Eagle, J-40, Dana Oviatt, Mystic, CT, 12, 29 / NA, NA 13. Misty, Little Harbor 54, Eric G. Thorkilsen, Pt. Judith, RI, 13, 32 / NA, NA 14. Haerlem, Swan 55, Hendrikus (Henk) P L Wisker, Newport, RI, 14, 33 / NA, NA Class 13 (15 Boats) – Cruiser Division 1. Clover III, Swan 56, Neal F. Finnegan, Newport, RI, 1, 1 / NA, NA 2. I’Ll Think About It, Beneteau 523, Marc Tandourjian, Baltimore, MD, 2, 7 / NA, NA 3. Cetacea, Hinckley 59, Christopher J. Culver, Newport, RI, 3, 10 / NA, NA 4. Nova, Swan 56, Mark DiStefano, Newport, RI., 4, 12 / NA, NA 5. Lilla, CNB 76, Simon M. De Pietro, Kingstown, SVG, 5, 13 / NA, NA 6. Whiskey Girl, Hinckley 70, Michael McAllister, Providence, RI, 6, 15 / NA, NA 7. Windwalker II, Lyman Morse 60, Daniel Levangie, Newport, RI, 7, 16 / NA, NA 8. Nirvana, Maxi 80, Charles F Kiefer III, Marblehead, MA, 8, 18 / NA, NA 9. Isola, Baltic 52, Howard M. Eisenberg, Newport, RI, 9, 19 / NA, NA 10. Fox, Swan 53, Ruth M. Pecherek, Chicago, IL, 10, 22 / NA, NA 11. Manana, Swan 48, Michhael V. Johnson, Nantucket, MA, 11, 23 / NA, NA 12. Angel, Ctm 84, Edward T. Anderson, George Town CI, 12, 26 / NA, NA 13. Sceptre’D Isle, Ctm 63, Rex G. Herbert, Newport RI, 13, 28 / NA, NA 14. Blue, C&C 51xl, Dan Epstein, Newport, RI, 14, 30 / NA, NA 15. Rutaine, C&C 37/40+, David P. McLoughlin, Wickford, RI, 15, 34 / NA, NA Class 14 (12 Boats) – Double-Handed Division 1. Paladin, J-35, Jason A Richter, Port Jefferson, NY, 1, 1 / NA, NA 2. Great Scot, J-35, Darren T Garnier, Marblehead, MA, 2, 2 / NA, NA 3. Lora Ann, Express 37, Richard T. du Moulin, Larchmont,NY, 3, 3 / NA, NA 4. Kiva, Hinkley SW51CB, Mark Stevens, New Castle, NH, 4, 4 / NA, NA 5. Dirigo, C&C 41, Eric M. Johnson, Annapolis, MD, 5, 8 / NA, NA 6. Esmeralde, Sabre 386, Bruce R. Beard, Jr., Newport, RI, 6, 9 / NA, NA 7. Choucas, Jeanneau SF36, Frederic Cosandey, City Island, NY, 7, 11 / NA, NA 8. Ocean Wanderer1, Montivideo 43, Erwin Wanderer, Halifax, NS, 8, 12 / NA, NA 9. Plum Crazy, Sabre MK II, Michael R. Berg, Stage Harbor, MA, 9, 14 / NA, NA 10. Whisper, Hinckley 48, Thomas J. Vander Salm, Salem, MA, 10, 16 / NA, NA Class 15 (14 Boats) – Double-Handed Division 1. Seabiscuit, J-46, Nathan C. Owen, Mount Desert, ME, 1, 5 / NA, NA 2. Alibi, J-120, Gardner L. Grant, Jr., Westport, CT, 2, 6 / NA, NA 3. Delawana, Swan 51, Hans F. Himmelman, Lunenburg, NS, 3, 7 / NA, NA 4. Heron, J-120, Greg R. Leonard, Annapolis, MD, 4, 10 / NA, NA 5. Mireille, J-120, Edwin Gaynor, Southport, CT, 5, 13 / NA, NA 6. Resolute, J-122, D. Scott Miller, Blue Hill, ME, 6, 15 / NA, NA 7. Dawn Treader, Swan 48 MK II, Lawrence G. Cohen, Gloucester, VA, 7, 17 / NA, NA 8. Next Boat, Morris 45, Mark Ellman, Mamaroneck, NY, 8, 18 / NA, NA 9. Sir Edmund, Ctm 49, Vince E. Todd, San Francisco, CA, 9, 19 / NA, NA 10. Bolands Mill, Class 40, John Ryan, Dublin, 10, 20 / NA, NA 11. Kamoa’E, Class 40, Eric Lecoq, Portsmouth, RI, 11, 21 / NA, NA 12. Dragon, Class 40, Michael S. Hennessy, Mystic, CT, 12, 22 / NA, NA 13. Cutlass, Class 40, Alex / Nick Mehran / Halmos, Newport, RI, 13, 23 / NA, NA 14. Toothface, Akilaria Class40, Michael W. Dreese, Boston, MA, 14, 24 / NA, NA Class 16 (3 Boats) – Open Division 1. Genuine Risk, Dubois 90, Mark E. Watson III – USMMA, Kings Point, NY, 1, 1 / NA, NA 2. Ilmostro, VOR70, Ken Read, Malta, 2, 2 / NA, NA 3. Speedboat, Maxi, Alex Jackson, Georgetown,GC, 3, 3 / NA, NA

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The Newport Bermuda Race fleet made their upwind starts in 16 classes over a period of more than two and a half hours on Friday afternoon. There now are 183 boats, after Avatar didn’t start. In addition, Blue sailed back to the shipyard to get her broken centerboard cable fixed; she’s expected to start again after the repair.

The start found some skippers were surprisingly aggressive. Apparently forgetting that this isn’t a day race but a 635-mile marathon running several days, they also seem to have experienced a touch of amnesia about the tide table.  As the new ebb tide ran with every great velocity out of Narragansett Bay, it pushed them inexorably toward Bermuda, but also over the starting line a little earlier than their tacticians had planned.

Of the 13 boats in Class 4 (St. David’s Light Division, 45-55 footers), four found themselves over early at the pin end, with Star Chaser getting what one of her crew called “the best start in the fleet” in an email to media@BermudaRace.com. “We were at the committee boat end of the line with some of the J-Boats but higher and faster. We all chose to be slightly late on the gun: no use being OCS  on a race of 635 nm!”

In Class 8 (St. David’s Light, 65-footers) two boats were premature. One was Aurora (with Gary Jobson in the afterguard), and she had to pick her way back to the line, losing at least three minutes in the process.

The current new on the Newport Bermuda Race  is that  Speedboat took the lead from Titan XV at sunset Friday night as the big 183-boat fleet raced toward Bermuda on a fast close reach in a flat sea, clear visibility, and a moderate southwest wind that gradually strengthened and clocked toward the west.  Two boats set Code Zeros.

For current boat positions click HERE

 Chris Museler reports from Titan XV:  a collision, a Code Zero, and a champagne wake

 Friday, 2045 EDT.  What an incredible day we’ve had! When I woke up to clear skies and glassy conditions, I knew the sea breeze was setting up nicely. After our delicious hot lunch aboard Tom and Dotty Hill’s Titan XIV, we set out in a relaxed mood, everyone smiling about the conditions. The spectators were all smiles and cheers. There were so many people camped out on the Castle Hill lawn that you couldn’t see any grass.

We started well to weather of the other mini maxis in Class 10 (Gibbs Hill Division) and from then until sunset (a few moments ago) it’s been champagne sailing conditions – sailing at 13-15 knots in a steady wind.   We’ve been the lead boat for a few hours, but now as it’s getting dark, Speedboat is passing us to leeward.  She started at 4:30, an hour after we did, and it’s now after 8.  Rán (in our class) isn’t far behind.

At about 5:30 we hit a large marine animal of some kind.  It may have been a basking shark, maybe as long as 20 feet. The hit was soft and we almost stopped. The fish made a few squiggles, spun off, and swam away in our wake.  The boat appears to be undamaged.

We’ve switched to a Code Zero, and as our grinders are getting busy they look a lot bigger than before. Mark Strube, who finished second at the Star Class Europeans two weeks ago, is 250 pounds of muscle.  The crew has just had dinner – hot rice and chicken with pineapple, which took an hour to cook in two large pots, plus the usual Snickers and Pringles for snacks . . . and apples, too.

Photos By George Bekris

More Photos Of The Newport Bermuda Race Start by George Bekris click HERE

 The leader for several hours was Titan XV, in the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division. She was caught by Speedboat (Open Division, which started an hour later) at about 8:45 pm.  Other positions have been changing in the extremely competitive group of mini maxis sailing in the Gibbs Hill Division, with Hap Fauth’s Bella Mente overtaking Niklas Zennstrom’s Rán soon after midnight, and Rán then catching Rambler and Beau Geste in parking-lot conditions. The wind slowly faded during the night, swung into the north for a while. After dawn, two boats reported a very light breeze from the southeast, which is the course to Bermuda.  Later on Saturday morning the wind filled in nicely with a report of 15-plus knots, whitecaps, and the first sighting of cumulus clouds over the Gulf Stream ahead.  There also were reports of U.S. Navy exercises in the area of some boats.

By John Rousmaniere

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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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On Sunday night in St. Petersburg, the final prizegiving was an opportunity to remember and celebrate all that has happened on this magnificent adventure.

It was an emotional evening, with all of the teams, their families and friends finally able to truly relax after living in the pressure-cooker of the past nine months. It was also time to say goodbye, with most of the teams disbanding as early as Monday, airplane tickets taking them to all corners of the globe already in hand, booked months in advance.

The most poignant moment came with the inaugaral awarding of the Hans Horrevoets Rookie Trophy, which was created in memory of Hans, who was lost at sea during the last edition of the race. The Dutchman was washed over the side of ABN AMRO TWO on the transatlantic leg. He had played a key role in ABN AMRO’s unique and ambitious project to help young talent break into the top level of offshore sailing.

His wife, Petra, was on hand to present the award and her emotional speech saw even the most hardened of sailors wiping tears from their eyes.

The award was created to recognise a rookie sailor who was younger than 30 when the event commenced. Each skipper was asked to nominate a who has shown a significant drive to make an improvement to their own skills and to the skills of the team and who has shown a significant contribution in strengthening the team onboard. The Race Committee made a selection from those nominated.

Images by Rick Tomlinson and Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race

(click on image to enlarge)

The winner of the inaugural Hans Horrevoets Rookie Trophy is Michi Mueller from PUMA Ocean Racing, whom skipper Ken Read said had grown from a raw, untested rookie, into a linch-pin of the team.

It was a good night for PUMA as the Inmarsat Media Prize went to Rick Deppe, who was recognised for his outstanding work across the entire race. Deppe won the prize for leg 10 (his fourth win), as well as the overall prize (which included a cheque for 10,000 euros), and he was quick to pay tribute to his colleagues, asking all of the media crew members to join him on stage.

Presenting the prize, Perry Melton, COO, Inmarsat said: “The Volvo Ocean Race selected Fleet Broadband before its launch. They have described its global performance as flawless. We are delighted that the innovation of media crew members was paired with our newest service to deliver media coverage from the harshest of maritime conditions.”

The advent of the media crew members has allowed the race to secure HD footage that has never been recorded in past races, when regular crew were asked to to double duty as media men as well. In this race, the media crew members have not been allowed to participate in the sailing of the boat. As a result, they are more like ‘embedded reporters’, bringing the true story of their teams to life.

Deppe wasn’t the only media crew recognised on the night. Green Dragon’s Guo Chaun was presented with a new market media award in recognition of the media interest generated across China.

The Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Seamanship Award was given to the PUMA Ocean Racing shore crew (Neil Cox, Sean Healey, Will Oxley and Kimo Worthington) for rending assistance to Telefonica Blue, after they ran aground at the start of Leg 9 in Marstrand.

And finally, to the sailing teams themselves. All eight teams were recognised for their achievements while Ericsson 4, the winner of the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race, was presented with the ‘Fighting Finish’ trophy by Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, patron of the Volvo Ocean Race; a just reward for a team that has dominated the competition, securing the overall title in Stockholm, with one in-port race, and one offshore leg to spare.

In closing the ceremonies, Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad paid tribute to his team in addition to all of the sailing teams and was already looking forward to the start of the next race, in 2011 in Alicante, Spain.

Following the formalities, the celebrations started in full force and continued long into the night and indeed well into the morning. With no more racing scheduled, there was no reason to stop the party. Until next time, this is, the end of the road.

Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 Prizes

 

 

Best 24-hour run - Ericsson 4, 596.6 nautical miles

Hans Horrevoets Rookie Trophy - Michi Mueller, PUMA Ocean Racing

Inmarsat Media Prize – Rick Deppe, PUMA Ocean Racing

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Seamanship Award - PUMA Ocean Racing shore crew

Volvo Ocean Race, 3rd place – Telefonica Blue

Volvo Ocean Race, 2nd place – PUMA Ocean Racing

Volvo Ocean Race, 1st place – Ericsson 4

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It was an historic moment tonight in St Petersburg, Russia, when as the
White Night turned to dawn the Volvo Ocean Race fleet, led by Telefónica
Black in a thrilling climax,  crossed the tenth and final finish line of
this nine-month, 37,000 nm race around the world.

Spanish skipper, Fernando Echávarri said, ³It¹s a prize for all the crew and
all the shore crew. We have been trying to do it in all the legs but
couldn¹t; this was our last chance. We had a nice battle with PUMA in the
last 100 miles. We are really happy.

“It has been really difficult. We prepared the boat for light conditions and
the first 150 miles we had more wind than expected so we suffered a lot.
Then it got lighter and we got faster. We have been fighting with PUMA,
Telefónica Blue and Ericsson 3 for the last 250 miles. It has been really
close. It has been like a match race. I don¹t know how many tacks we have
done! It is a great way to finish the Volvo Ocean Race. I am really proud of
everyone in the group. They have done an excellent job.”

Victory for Telefónica Black was hard-fought and a match race developed with
PUMA, who had led the fleet for the majority of this 400-mile sprint from
Stockholm.  At just after midnight GMT and while on the additional triangle
added to lengthen the course, Telefónica Black gained a small advantage,
which translated into a two and a half boat length win, denying PUMA a
second leg win in a row.  However, with a total of 105.5 points, PUMA takes
second place overall. 

PUMA skipper Kenny Read said: “Congratulations to all those guys, they have
worked very hard for their first leg win. We will take our second and our
second overall. You know what? We just sailed around the world. I guess I
said a thousand times that we know no other way but to make it hard for
ourselves.  It¹s a shame, because we usually win these close battles and
today we didn¹t.

“The big picture is we finished this race, everyone is safe and the boat has
been spectacular. We flew the flag well for Volvo and I think we flew the
flag well for PUMA. We have everything to be proud of. Relief is the right
word. Right now, it is relief and, as always, we are a pretty tired group
onboard. Let the celebrations begin because all the group deserves it.”

Images by Dave Kneale  and Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race

(click on image to enlarge )

 

Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/NED) filled the third spot both on leg 10 and
overall, to close the team¹s account on 98 points.

Bekking said on finishing: “We’re tired and hungry! It has been full on.
Lots of tacking. It was a beautiful leg in that it was sunny. But we have
been a bit unlucky. That¹s how it goes. But well done to the Telefónica
Black boys, they deserved to win. They had a superb leg. Good for them. We
were all very close. It is a very nice feeling to have finished and got all
the boys home safely. We had a podium finish which is nice as well.”

Fourth place finishers tonight and fourth overall with 78.5 points was
Ericsson 3 and Swedish skipper, Magnus Olsson was exhausted.   “I feel so
tired I cannot say anything! Everybody is happy because they have sailed
around the world, but they are also very tired. After a day or two we can
say more intelligent things. You always want to do well in every leg, but
this was special because it was the short one and the last one. We were up
there so we are happy, but we couldn¹t keep up until the finish. They beat
us fair and square.”

Runaway overall leaders, with a final tally of 114.5 points and nine points
clear of PUMA, Torben Grael and his 10 crew of Ericsson 4 finished this leg
in fifth place.  In an interview with Guy Swindells, skipper Torben Grael,
who raced every offshore leg with the same crew, was reflective in his
comments as overall victory in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 finally became a
reality.

“I think it is a mixed feeling because we know this is the end of the story
for the project. It¹s a funny feeling because some of these guys you have
never met before and you become like brothers. Now we go our own ways and
it¹s a strange feeling.

“On the other hand it has been a long race. It was a very long race around
the world. We are completely drained and tired so I think everyone is
looking forward to a nice rest. We have had a wonderful time. We enjoyed our
training time in Lanzarote and the race as well. We have had our ups and
downs, but it has been fun. After we won, it was a bit of a relaxing leg. It
has been so intense and so consuming so I think it is normal that after you
achieve your goals you relax. I am very glad for Telefónica Black and
Fernando and his guys for winning this last leg.”

Green Dragon kept her slender lead over Delta Lloyd to finish the leg in
sixth place, and fifth overall with 67 points.

To conclude the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09, Delta Lloyd, the only generation
one Volvo Open 70 to compete in the race, finished shortly after Green
Dragon to finish the race on a total of 41.5 points. 

Skipper Roberto Bermúdez said: ³We made a good job and everyone enjoyed
their time. Everyone is happy and that is the most important thing. It
started well but then there was some fighting with the Dragons. They did a
fantastic job with the manoeuvres and I say congratulations to them for
that. It has been fun.²

Ian Walker, skipper of Green Dragon, should have the last word:

 ³It is a privilege to sail in this fantastic race and I am very proud to
have had the chance.  I am proud of every member of our team, and I am proud
of what we have achieved together.  We promised to give it everything and to
never, ever give up and that is exactly what we have done.  We haven¹t won
this race, but we have won many battles and achieved more than many dreamed
possible.  It has been a very special year.²

The full story of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 is chronicled in Mark
Chisnell¹s book, Spanish Castle to White Night, published in October.  Order
your copy now: http://www.volvooceanrace.org/multimedia/book/  

Overall Leaderboard (provisional)
1. Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA): 114.5 points
2. PUMA (Ken Read/USA):  105.5 points
3. Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/NED): 98.0 points
4. Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson/SWE): 78.5 points
5. Green Dragon (Ian Walker/GBR): 67.0 points
6. Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri/ESP): 58.0
7. Delta Lloyd (Roberto Bermudez/ESP): 41.5 points
8. Team Russia (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT): 10.5 points

Leg Ten Finishing Order St Petersburg
1. Telefónica Black
2. PUMA
3. Telefónica Blue
4. Ericsson 3
5. Ericsson 4
6. Green Dragon
7. Delta Lloyd

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