The last race was held in light northerly breezes, and the Race officer bravely issued a course with a downwind start, passing the crowded spectator fleet off Fort Adams and Castle Hill.

Both yachts got away cleanly but Velsheda elected the pin end, closer to the next gate and gained a quick advantage. A gybing duel followed, but after a few inside gybes, Ranger caught her spinnaker high in the rigging and it quickly split, loosing them more ground for the recovery.

At the bottom mark Velsheda had gained a 2 minute lead, enough for them to command the windward berth on the long slow upwind leg back to the shortened course finish line, right in front of the many spectators at Castle Hill.

 

 

The exciting tactical race was a fitting end to a great regatta,  where many thousands of spectators were enthralled by these great yachts.  Just a few of the comments included
” It was wonderful to see these boats from a past era”
“we could not believe the size and power of these yachts”
“and the teamwork on these boats is astounding”
“we can’t believe that they were designed and built in the 1930′s

 

Corum  Watches  presented a wonderful perpetual trophy to Ranger, the overall winner, who also won a unique timepiece – a Corum Tide Watch

Challenge and Adventure would like to thank Jock West and David Pittman for coordinating a spectacular event.  Special thanks go out to Brian Rochelle and Vicki Bray for making it happen smoothly.  Nick Innacone we thank you for going above and beyond helping us out.  We look forward to the next J-Class Regatta.

For more images of the action from all five races by George Bekris click HERE

Crew of Velsheda (Photo by George Bekris)

Crew of Ranger (Photo by George Bekris)

 

 

 

 

 

More Images of the J-Class regatta are available on our Photo Gallery Page.

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A simply stunning day of racing was experienced by the thousands of spectators who took to the waters to see Ranger and Velsheda battle in the near perfect conditions of Newport Harbour – 16 knots southerly with sunshine.

The two yachts circled and manouvred for best position to cross the start line , laid across the bay from Fort Adams. Both got away cleanly, but Ranger quickly got the advantage and covered Velsheda most of the way up to the first mark, laid well out into the bay. nly several boat lenghts seperated them along the next four mile power reach with their massive spinnakers driving them at around 16 knots.

Downwind the yachts had to pass a gate at Fort Adams, where many spectators had lined the shore to see these yachts glide past with more than 16,000 square feet of area in the mainsail and spinnaker. Sailing through the gate, the gap was down to half a boat length. Both gybed simultaneously in true America’s Cup style and trimmed sails for every inch of advantage, continuing alongside each other under the Newport bridge and down to the leeward turning mark.

Ranger, just managed to turn the leeward island one boatlength ahead, giving them the advantage to hold a cover up to the finish. Ranger, the bgger boay, gives Velsheda a small handicap in these conditions, but won by 27 seconds on corrected time. Ranger now has a 2:0 win with three races to go in the series.

There is plenty more to see this weekend as the J-Classes take to the waters off Newport this weekend for racing.  The racing starts at 1:00 pm Saturday and Sunday off Fort Adams.

For More Images by George Bekris of the J-Class action click HERE

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Velsheda battles to catch Ranger (Photo by George Bekris)

 

 

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The J Class yachts Velsheda and Ranger will be participating in the J Class  Newport Regatta, the first of a series of global J Class events, cultimating in the Hundred Guinea Cup race, Cowes 2012.

In 1930, Newport was the venue for the start of the remarkable J Class era. Between 1930 and 1937 there were just 10 of these stunning yachts constructed for the purpose of winning the America’s Cup.

A series of 5 races will be run from June 15th to 19th, 2011 with starts and finishes off of Fort Adams. Viewing stands will be set up on the Northwestern corner of Fort Adams and other excellent viewing options will be at Castle Hill Inn and various spots in Jamestown.

Working with the US Coast Guard, Sail Newport will establish safe water viewing areas along the entire course.

This will be the first competitive J Class regatta in the USA since the America’s Cup event of 1937 between the Defender Ranger, and the Challenger Endeavour II.”?:7

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Newport will once again play host to a J-Class regatta, Governor Lincoln D. Chafee said on Thursday. The announcement was made to a roaring crowd of sailing enthusiasts during a special presentation at the Jane Pickens Theater.

Scheduled for June 15-19, it will be the first competitive J-Class regatta in the United States since the 1937 America’s Cup.

Chafee was joined by Sail Newport Executive Director Brad Read and RI Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Keith Stokes.
The event is being organized by Regatta Partners, and will kick off a summer of world-class racing that could be bookended by the first America’s Cup World Series regatta in September.

 

 

 

 

 

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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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Newport Bucket Regatta Image Gallery by George Bekris

 

(click on image below to view gallery)

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Newport Bucket Regatta 2009

 

(Click on Hanuman photo above to view Gallery of Newport Bucket Regatta Photos By George Bekris)

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Athena, the 295′ Huisman yacht and this year’s race committee boat, was even hard to make out in the foggy start conditions on Saturday for the first race start .  Soon after the start the sea breezes kicked in and blew the fog out leaving a beautiful New England summer day. The breeze held for the afternoon at around 20kts. The 19 boat  Bucket Regatta fleet flew around the course in the ideal conditions.

Timoneer, the 147′ DuBois/Vitters Ketch, dominated the day. Her seasoned crew racing flawlessly and furnishing first by 5 minutes. The new Perini Navi Performance 125′ Sloop, P2, came in second.

The two J Class yacht entries Ranger and the newly launched  Hanuman (Endeavour II)  were reminiscent of the old America’s Cup days with their beautiful long lines. The New Hanuman took third place after a close contest between the two boats. They beat Ranger ,who placed fourth, by only 38 seconds. Avalon finished fifth, followed 13 seconds later by the Swan 100, Virago in 6th, and the Swan 80, Selene 36 seconds later in 7th.

(click on images to enlarge)

Broken down into classes the results were: Les Gazelles des Mers (Racing Division), P2 finished first, Hanuman second, with Ranger in third place. Among Les Grandes Dames des Mers (Cruising Division), Timoneer is in first place, Avalon in second and Taza Mas in third place.

It was hard to tell which boat team won the party following the race.  Clearly a great time was had by all the crews.

In another Bucket first, the 156′ Pendennis Shipyards, MITSEAAH, engineered to power at over twenty knots and sail with respectable performance, was challenged on day one in keeping up with the racing yachts on the upwind leg.  Respecting the fact that the Bucket is also here to showcase the best attributes of each yacht while cultivating good racing, MITSEAAH was invited to start the race under full power, then execute a high speed 360 degree turn and roar off to the windward mark, where she re-converted to a sailing yacht, shut down the power and got into the race!   Her left-field handicap worked well too; she crossed the finish line in fifth position.

Sunday’s racing started out with Mitseeah blasting across  the start line  at 20 kts without a bit of sail up.

The  racing  started out with light wind but sea breezes filled in during the afternoon. Summer Wind placed first, followed by Taza Mas in second , Sea Diamond took third for Sundays racing.

Jerry Kirby must not have gotten enough sailing time in during the Volvo Ocean Race. He was onboard Hanuman  as Bowman.

These awards, first through third, are presented for the best performance overall for combined results, all classes, all races
Overall

1st     P2
2nd   Avalon
3rd   Timoneer

Les Gazelles   (Racing Class)

1st       P2
2nd    Hanuman
3rd      Wild Horses

Les Grand Dames   (Cruising Class)

1st       Summerwind
2nd     Taza Mas
3rd      Timoneer

All Star Crew Award presented by Holland Jachtbouw
(also presented by The Yacht Report and Crew Report Magazines)

At each Bucket Event, every yacht is asked to cast a ballot for the yacht crew among the fleet that demonstrates the most professional service in all tasks, while maintaining the best voie de vivre, camaraderie, teamwork and respect among the crew.  This is the crew that displays the pinnacle of the profession and has the most fun at it – the yacht that everyone wants to work aboard.   Because the award is earned by peer recognition, it has earned serious stature within the marine industry.

Sea Diamond

Vitter’s Shipyard Seamanship Trophy

The Vitters Seamanship Trophy is awarded to the yacht that demonstrates the best seamanship and sportsmanship in the interest of promoting safety on the race course.  All participants in the Bucket acknowledge that superyachts have serious limitations operating safely in close quarters and therefore, the RC has always valued safety well above performance.  This award will recognize the yacht that best demonstrates that understanding.  It also goes to prove that nice guys don’t always finish last!!

Taza Mas

Skullduggery Cravat

Avalon

Newport Bone

Easterner

The  Chippewa Bomb

MitSeaah.

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