Carina Winner Of  (Photo by George Bekris )

Carina Winner Of St. David's Lighthouse Division At Start (Photo by George Bekris )

 

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)

  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
 
Genuuine Risk At Start Of Bermuda Race (Photo by George Bekris )

Genuuine Risk At Start Of Bermuda Race (Photo by George Bekris )

Bermuda executive Mark Watson made his first race to Bermuda memorable with a corrected time win in Genuine Risk in the Open Division for cant-keel boats. Speedboat, owned by Alex Jackson, took line honors for the race, finishing just before dawn at 3:47:56 with an elapsed time of 59:17:56, well off the course record.  Rán, the Fastnet and Sydney Hobart race winner, finished first in Class 10 and is a strong contender for the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse trophy.

Il Mostro (Puma) skippered by Ken Read, crossed the line second and corrected just behind Genuine Risk. “We were ahead of Il Mostro and Speedboat after we all came out of the Gulf Stream west of the rhumb line,” Watson said. “We decided to take a more easterly angle to avoid a cold eddy with negative current, but that let Speedboat separate from us.” Ralph Steitz, Sailing Director for the US Merchant Marine Academy (owner of Genuine Risk, which Watson sponsored), was one of many sailors who said how much they had enjoyed the race.  “This was the easiest Bermuda Race I’ve ever done and I’ve done a few.”  

Photos of Bermuda Race Start By George Bekris  HERE

PUMA Ocean Racing's IL Mostro (Photo by George Bekris)
PUMA Ocean Racing’s IL Mostro (Photo by George Bekris)

  Rán, Niklas Zennstrom’s JV 72, is the provisional winner in Class 10 for big professional boats in the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division after being pushed hard by Tom Hill’s Titan XV for more than 600 miles. George David’s Rambler matched up with Karl Kwok’s Beau Geste and took line honors for these fixed-keel boats. “I’ve never sailed a Bermuda Race when you’re head to head with another boat for so long,” said Rambler’s tactician, Jerry Kirby.  “It came down to the last tack to St. David’s Light.”
 
Vanquish, co-skippered by Bermudian Buddy Rego and Americans Russell Lucas and Jamie Hilton, crossed the line first in Class 8 for the big boats in the amateur St. David’s Lighthouse Division, but Gus Carlson’s Aurora is the provisional class winner. Some smaller boats have a good shot at winning the division. Carina, skippered by Rives Potts, has a 60-mile lead over her Class 3 competition. In the highly competitive Class 1, Sinn Fein, Peter Rebovich’s Cal 40 and the two-time defending St. David’s winner, has sailed farther west than anybody and is fighting for the lead with David Dickerson’s Lindy.
 
In the Double-Handed Division, iBoattrack showed Michael Hennessy’s Dragon at the head of the pack, 160 miles from the finish, with the four-time winner Lora Ann not far behind. The Cruising Division’s leader, Clover III, was about 70 miles out on Saturday afternoon with a healthy lead on the 80-footer Nirvana.

Genuine Risk  (Photo by George Bekris)

Genuine Risk (Photo by George Bekris)

 
Speedboat

Speedboat Crew On Deck

Alex Jackson’s maxi 100-footer sloop Speedboat finished the Newport Bermuda Race early Monday morning at 3:49 AM EDT. Finishing second at 6:25 was Il Mostro (Puma), a 70-foot Volvo Ocean Race boat sailed by Kenny Read, whose brother, Brad, was in Speedboat’s afterguard.  Boat boats sailed in the Open Division for racing yachts with canting keels.
Stan Honey and Crew Of Speedboat  Arrive In Bermuda

Stan Honey and Crew Of Speedboat Arrive In Bermuda

It was a slow race, with Speedboat making the 635-mile course in just over 59 hours after the start at Newport on Friday.  The crew of 25 never reefed the boat. In the light to moderate conditions that prevailed through most of the race, Speedboat was hard pressed by Il Mostro, Rambler, and several boats in the mini-maxi 70-80 foot range over the first third of the course.  “We really didn’t get away from them until we were in the Stream,” navigator Stan Honey said after Speedboat tied up at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club’s marina early Monday morning. “Then they gained a lot in the light stuff as we came into the finish.”
At 5 AM EDT the mini-maxi Rán on its blog reported less than 10 knots as she beat to windward toward the buoys guarding Bermuda’s reef.  “Titan is downwind from us and is not a threat. Rambler and Beau Geste are upwind and in front as we thought they would. We are still in a strong position although it now looks like Beau Geste is the biggest threat. Just a few more hours to go.”
At 6:30 the blog reported, “As we are approaching the finish slowly but surely, we are all on deck, no more watches, all are on duty for the final stretch. Coffee and tea served on the rail – black only as no more milk powder onboard. Very calm water. Wind speed of 9 knots –
just over – and land in sight.”

Dark n Stormys Being Prepared At The Dock

Traditional Dark n Stormys Being Prepared At The Dock For Speedboat Crew

 by John Rousmaniere
Speedboat From Above (Photo by Daniel Forster / PPL )

Speedboat From Above (Photo by Daniel Forster / PPL )

The lead boats entered the Gulf Stream at around sunset Saturday, heading upwind into a moderate southwesterly wind with as much as 4 knots of favorable current in the long, hot meander that they have been steering for since the race start on Friday afternoon. Speedboat, at 100ft the largest yacht in the fleet, was making more than 12 knots over the bottom. The earlier “champagne conditions” were behind them as they pounded into big, square, confused seas.

iBoattrack  positions at 11 AM EDT Sunday showed Speedboat averaging almost 11 knots with 175 miles to the finish. At this rate she is behind the  48-hour elapsed time race record for cant-keel, Open Division boats – She has to average 13knots for the whole race to beat this time.

Rán was 38 miles back. Following close on the heels of this English boat in the Gibbs Hill Division were Titan XV, Beau Geste, Bella Mente, Rambler, Il Mostro, Vanquish, and Genuine Risk. This tightly bunched pack of eight has been separated by only a few miles since the start.

Ran From Above (Photo by Daniel Forster / PPL )

Ran From Above (Photo by Daniel Forster / PPL )

By this morning the ‘big boat’ leaders were clear of the Stream and entering the 250-mile stretch of often confused wind and currents between the Gulf Stream and Bermuda. Race veterans wryly call this “Happy Valley,” for it is where the race is often won and lost.              

Chris Museler, on Titan XV, filed this report just before midnight:
“Now this is what we came for! The boat is literally crashing into waves close reaching onto the Gulf Stream and the water temperature has leapt into the 80s. It’s getting darker and the Aramid rigging has been humming and groaning, and the deck bounces from each loud crack when a sheet or the traveler is eased. This wild ride comes from being in a positive eddy heading south, straight into it! (Wind and current collide to stack up the seas that the boats are crashing into.) This is getting to be fun after losing a bit to competitors this afternoon. The bright sun and the flat water sailing are gone. Can’t write anymore, quite hot and uncomfortable down here. So I’m on watch and will be seeing you in the morning. Knew I wouldn’t want to sail a Bermuda Race without a proper ‘thrash,’ as Mr. Rousmaniere calls it!”

 'Sinn Fein' a Cal 40 skippered by Peter S. Rebovich Sr. leads 'Frolic', a Sabre 362 owned by Peter Brown, in class 1 of the St David's Lighthouse at the start of the 635 mile Newport Bermuda Race(Photo by Daniel Forster / PPL)

'Sinn Fein' a Cal 40 skippered by Peter S. Rebovich Sr. leads 'Frolic', a Sabre 362 owned by Peter Brown, in class 1 of the St David's Lighthouse at the start of the 635 mile Newport Bermuda Race(Photo by Daniel Forster / PPL)

The Smaller Boats

By dawn today, Rán was out of the Stream, and the team was speculating in their blog whether the smaller boats – a hundred miles astern, and just entering this zone – have had consistently more wind than the big ones.

In Class 1, the St. David’s Lighthouse Division class for boats of about 40 feet, Sinn Fein, the two-time defending St. David’s champion, has chosen a course well to the right of the fleet leaders, and her close class rivals sistership Gone with the Wind and the Tartan 41 Aurora, and charting a route 50 miles west of the rhumb line.   

In the Double-Handed Division, two of the light-displacement Class 40s, Dragon and KamoaE, have a healthy lead on elapsed time, but Richard du Moulin’s Lora Ann remains in contention. 

The Cruiser Division leader is the 56-foot Clover III, well ahead of the bigger boats in this Division.      

The Gibbs Hill Lighthouse and St David's Lighthouse Trophies (Photo by Barry Pickthall / PPL)

The Gibbs Hill Lighthouse and St David's Lighthouse Trophies (Photo by Barry Pickthall / PPL)

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Ran At Newport Bermuda Race Start (Photo by George Bekris )

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