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Continued
- William Hubbard and daughter with Princess RoyalPrincess Royal meets
Maximus' crewPrincess Royal meets Aggressive's crew
“The wonderful
enjoyment of sailing the Bermuda Race has brought people together for
over a century,” said the Princess Royal, Princess Anne, who was
greeted with a roar of applause when she added, “I went from sailing
as a young girl to riding horses but at the end of my career I am now
firmly back to sailing. I have to confess though, that I never felt seasick
on a horse.”
85 crews received Newport Bermuda Race awards, and the Princess Royal
presented the major trophies to each division winner. Richard Shulman
from Barrington RI and his crew on the IMX 45 Temptress, won first place
in the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse ORR Division and Timothy McAdams from Brewster
MA, owner of the First 44.7 Four Stars had an identical trophy for his
first place finish in the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse IRC Division.
In the St. David’s Lighthouse IRC Division, William Hubbard, from
New York, owner of the veteran Carter 37 Lively Lady II, brought his
12-year old daughter Alyssa on stage to accept the St David's Lighthouse
Trophy from the Princess Royal and Peter Rebovich, from Metuchen NJ,
owner of the Cal 40 Sinn Fein won the St David’s Lighthouse ORR
Division. Rebovich picked up an additional six prizes, including the
William C. Finley Trophy for the best-corrected time in the St. David’s
Lighthouse Division for a yacht older than 15 years. In fact, Rebovich
was back and forth to the winner’s podium so often that Lady Vereker,
wife of the Governor of Bermuda, asked jokingly if he would like to take
her seat in front of the stage.
In the Cruiser Division, the Princess Royal presented the new Carleton
Mitchell Finisterre Trophy for the best corrected time to a beaming Eleonara
de Haas from St. Maarten. Her all-women’s team on the Frers 49
Synergy, racing to raise awareness of their fledgling WAVES organization
- Women Against Violence Everywhere - are the first to win a major award
in this event.
The Royal Mail Trophy was presented to Joe Harris of Hamilton MA and
his Open 50 Gryphon Solo for the best-corrected time in the Demonstration
Division. The Princess Royal also presented the Philip S. Weld Prize
to Richard du Moulin of Larchmont NY and Chris Reyling aboard the Express
37 Lora Ann racing in the Double Handed IRC Division. Raymond Renaud
and crewmate Kristen Wenzel on the C&C 35 Aggressive from Warren
RI picked up the ORR division award.
The Princess Royal said “For those of you who have won a majority
of the trophies, your penalty is that you pay more for getting them all
back home. The prize for everyone is that you sailed to Bermuda and participated
in this historic race. Although most of us will not be here for the 150th
celebration, I hope that you will all keep trying.”
Earlier in the day, The Princess Royal greeted the winning crews on their
yachts during a walk around the RBYC marina. An avid sailor herself,
Princess Ann, who was accompanied by his excellency Sir John Vereker,
Governor of Bermuda and Lady Vereker, boarded yachts dressed overall
and spoke to many of the competitors “This is truly a destination
race with immense history and Bermuda is the best destination in the
world,” said Hap Fauth, who’s 66-foot Bella Mente was the
first to cross the finish line. “The hospitality in Bermuda is
exceptional and the facilities are excellent.”
In the Corinthian spirit of yacht racing, an initial awards ceremony
on Friday saw 2500 sailors gathered in Barrs Park next to the Royal Bermuda
Yacht Club where winners received secondary plaques and honorary trophies
for the Anniversary |
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Regatta and Onion Patch Series.
“What is great about this race for an amateur is that it pits
our skills against the professionals. We race against some of the best
in the business and we did well,” said Jeff White of Philadelphia
who owns Makai, the 2nd placed Class 14 finisher in the St David's Lighthouse
ORR division. White has been a crewmember in two previouis Newport Bermuda
Races and this was his first as skipper.
Swift, a Navy 44, skippered by Midshipman Evan Scott was the top US
Naval Academy entry, taking second in Class 4 . Midshipman Joe Campbell,
skipper of the US Navy 44 Vigilant placed sixth in Class 4 to win theCaptain
Scarritt Adams Trophy for second best performance by a US Naval Academy
Vessel in the St. David’s Lighthouse Division, said afterwards,
“This is a great honor for us to win this for our team and for
the Navy. It is something that I will never forget.”
In what turned out to be a navigator’s race, the Newport Bermuda
classic remains the highlight of a sailing career and remains one of
the few corinthian races run entirely by volunteers. The Cruising Club
of America and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club organize the race. For younger
sailors, the event is the first opportunity to gain offshore experience
and it bonds generations together. While many crews view winning one
of the Lighthouse trophies as the holy grail of an offshore yacht- racing
career, finishing well within each class is an achievable and coveted
goal. “For a navigator, this was one of the most challenging races
of our careers,” said Dirk Johnson, navigator aboard the first
to finish winner Bella Mente.
For most sailors who compete in this centennial event, the light air
breezes made the race more mental than physical. Many sailors admitted
that sailing for 4 days and nights on flat seas is no hardship but did
require intense concentration. Some competitors did find creative ways
to relax, however. “We had access to satellite radio and spent
our days listening to the Boston Red Sox. We took their wins as a good
omen,” said Sam Byrne, owner of the Langen-designed Captivity
from Hamilton MA which was third yacht to cross the St David's finish
line.
As the flags were lowered at sunset Saturday marking the finale celebration
of one hundred years of yacht racing to Bermuda, the words of the race
founder Thomas Fleming Day still ring true. “Sailors simply want
to get a smell of the sea and forget for the time being that there is
such a thing as God’s green earth and the universe,’ Now,
One hundred years later, sailors like His Excellency The Governor of
Bermuda Sir John Vereker agree. “It is not hard to understand
the bond with the sea when you go out in a small boat,” he said.
“I loved the vastness. It was just wonderful to be out there for
so long under the stars in the Milky Way. When we neared the finish,
and the other masthead lights appeared, I actually felt it was a bit
of an intrusion.”
- Laurie Fullerton |
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For more race news, go to
http://www.bermudarace.com/news/ |
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