Talbot Wilson reports from the St David's Lighthouse finish line
Dateline: Bermuda - 21. 06 2010Photos: Barry Pickthall & Daniel Forster/PPL
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.”
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,iBoattrackshowed 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.
All results are provisional until certified by the Race Committee on Friday.
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2010 Newport Bermuda Race
The race started on June 18 at Newport, where the New York Yacht Club’s Sailing Center served as race headquarters.
Divisions and prizes: There are five divisions. The St David’s Lighthouse Trophy is awarded to the top boat in the race's largest and most historic division, which is for amateur crews. The Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Trophy goes to the winner of the professional division. The Cruiser Division winner is awarded the Carleton Mitchell Finisterre Trophy. First prize in the Double-Handed Division is the Moxie Trophy, given in memory of Philip S. Weld. The winner of the Open Division (for cant-keelers) is presented with the Royal Mail Trophy. In addition, the top boat under the IRC Rule receives the North Rock Beacon Trophy.
There also are prizes for first to finish, the winning navigator and family participation, plus the famous Galley Slave Trophy for the cook in the last boat to finish.
Commodores Peter Shrubb and Sheila McCurdy pass across the champagne to 'Speedboat' crew
(Left) 'Rán' crosses the St David's Lighthouse finish to win Class 10
'Speedboat' - takes elapsed time honours in the Open division
'Genuine Risk' won the Open division on corrected time.
Click on thumbnails to download hi-res image.
Mark Watson celebrates 'Genuine Risk's victory..
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The St David's and Gibbs Hill Lighthouse trophies
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Newport Bermuda Race Facts
The Newport Bermuda Race is a sailing classic that stands with the Fastnet, the Sydney-Hobart and the Transpac as one of the world’s top four ocean races. One of very few international races, it is historic, prestigious, and challenging. It inspires remarkable loyalty among the many thousands of sailors who have raced 635 miles across blue water since the first 'thrash to the Onion Patch' in 1906. More than 50 men or women have sailed at least 15 races. Since 1968, an average of 160 boats has competed, in good economic times and bad. The biggest turnouts were in the most recent races—the 265-boat fleet in the 2006 Centennial Race, and the 198 starters in 2008. More
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The Newport Bermuda Race
