Major Events 2010 America's Cup US Sailing US College Sailing Events

 

Ready, Set, Drift?

Every raceboat that's heads/headed out for the start of today's Bermuda Race, the 47th start of this iconic 635-mile 'thrash to the Onion Patch', has a story of preparation to tell.

Antigua 21 02 2010 RORC 600 Caribbean Start in Antigua: BEAU GESTE   Carlo Borlenghi ©

Maybe it's that last-minute call to the sailmaker pleading for the new high-cut number-three blade jib to be delivered by dock call; maybe it's scrambling to find a rigger to fix that upper shroud that parted on the delivery, or maybe it's a last-ditch effort to get all the electronics to all play nicely (good luck there, mate!).

Everyone's got a story to tell, but perhaps no one's is as impressive as Karl Kwok and the crew of his magnificent new Farr-designed Beau Geste. Their 'delivery' commenced when Beau Geste pierced the starting line of the Annapolis-Bermuda Race, where she promptly took line honors and set a new course record. Crews quickly swapped out, and tactician Gavin Brady and company had the bow pointed toward Newport within an hour of finishing.

While this year's Newport-Bermuda race currently has 184 boats registered—its third-highest registration in its rich, 104 year history—early forecasts are calling for a nice sea breeze to carry the fleet offshore before they confront a substantial high-pressure system filled with possible light westerlies.

Ran -Rolex Sydney Hobart Race 2009 - amongst the favorites for 2010 Newport Bermuda race  © Rolex/Daniel Forster

Likely not the year for breaking course records, but given this year's impressive line up of sleds big and less big — including Beau Geste, il mostro (Volvo Open 70), Rambler (R/P 90), Titan 15 (R/P 75), Ran (J/V 72), Speedboat (Juan K-designed 30-meter supermaxi) — the hardware is clearly onstage. Now, 184 boats and their crew just need the weather gods to cooperate with a fast, safe passage.

Follow the race here and on www.bermudarace.com for the latest news and fleet trackers.

David Schmidt Sail-World USA Editor

Newport Bermuda Race - 184 boat fleet for Friday's start John Rousmaniere, The 47th Newport Bermuda Race starts Friday off Newport R.I. Nearly 2,000 sailors will compete. The course runs 635 miles from the mouth of Narragansett Bay into the Atlantic Ocean and across the Gulf Stream to the finish line off St. David's Head, Bermuda.... [more] Share this story

Newport Bermuda Race - 30 years of Gulf Stream studies John Rousmaniere, This year marks the 30th anniversary of the marriage of two technological revolutions that brought the Newport Bermuda Race into the modern age. In 1980 for the first time sailors were allowed to use Loran-C navigation throughout the race. One of the first sailors to appreciate the implications of Loran was 30-year-old Richard Wilson.... [more] Share this story

470 US National Championship win to Kopp and Costello SHYC Sailing Foundation, The Sailing Foundation had the great pleasure and honor of hosting the US 470 National Championships, the weekend of June 11-13th. The Manton Davis Scott Memorial Trophy for the winner of the US 470 National Championship was awarded to Brendan Kopp and Michael Costello, of Pequot Yacht Club, Connecticut.... [more] Share this story

Giraglia Rolex Cup - A magic race KPMS, Giraglia Rolex Cup - The Giraglia Rolex Cup keeps attracting sailors from all the parts of the planet and leaving them with all kinds of achievements related to their battles with the elements.... [more] Share this story

Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race - Cork sets sail for home Heather Ewing, Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race - At 1615 local time (1915 GMT) Cork, Ireland, crossed the start line at Royal Cape Breton Yacht Club to begin the 2,075 mile race to Kinsale. The team, led by Hannah Jenner, has 48 hours to build the biggest possible lead before the fleet of nine Clipper 68s starts to hunt them down.... [more] Share this story

Newport Bermuda Race - Puma Ocean Racing preview Brigid Murphy, As the PUMA Ocean Racing powered by Berg Propulsion team preps for the Bermuda Race on Friday, we caught up with our skipper yesterday. Kenny, a Rhode Island native grew up with this race. “I did my first Bermuda race when I was seventeen, so I think that puts my count up to 12 of these races (?!?).... [more] Share this story

Audi MedCup Circuit's Marseille Trophy - Today's roller-coaster result Audi MedCup Circuit, Audi MedCup Circuit's Marseille Trophy regatta - Out on the Rade Nord, a switch from yesterday's southern arena, the breeze was equally hard to read and several teams results roller-coastered from one race to the next... [more] Share this story

Court extends ban on Dutch teen sailor Nancy Knudsen, After a new case brought by Dutch child care authorities, judges in a Dutch court have extended a ban on a 14-year-old schoolgirl's bid to do a circumnavigation by long range cruising by one month.... [more] Share this story

Sinn Fein boys go after second North Rock Beacon Trophy Talbot Wilson, Newport Bermuda Race is dual scored in the Gibbs Hill and St. David's Divisions under ORR and IRC systems. The North Rock Beacon Trophy was designed and crafted by Bermuda artisan, Bill Wivel, at Walker Christopher. It was awarded for the first time in 2008 to Sinn Fein for finishing first on corrected time in the combined fleet.... [more] Share this story

Newport Bermuda Race - Conditions likely to determine winning crews Talbot Wilson/John Rousmaniere, Newport to Bermuda Race begins on Friday 18th June and navigators and tacticians are currently hunched over computers trying to get a sense of race conditions for the 47th start of the event. Today's forecast predicts a healthy sea breeze for the start.... [more] Share this story

Qingdao Match Cup added to 2010 World Match Racing Tour WMRT, Qingdao Match Cup has been added to 2010 World Match Racing Tour. Qingdao Match Cup will be utilising 10 brand new Beneteau First 40 yachts to be delivered in mid July and the event will have as the new standard a total prize pool of USD$500,000.... [more] Share this story

Beau Geste sets Bermuda Ocean Race mark Bill Wagner, Hometown Annapolis, Skipper Karl Kwok took his magnificent new boat Beau Geste to the USA this summer to capture line honours and set course records in two Bermuda races. It's one down and one to go for the Farr-designed 80-foot racing machine. Beau Geste has destroyed the Annapolis-to-Bermuda record and now will set her sights on the Newport-to-Bermuda Record.... [more] Share this story

Coutts Quarter Ton Cup images from Paul Wyeth Sail-World.com/Paul Wyeth images, Coutts Quarter Ton Cup images from photographer Paul Wyeth.... [more] Share this story

Coutts Quarter Ton Cup 2010 final day a stunner Fiona Brown, Coutts Quarter Ton Cup 2010 final day. Sun, wind, great competitors and a tense finish that went right down to the closing seconds of the final race made the final day of the Coutts Quarter Ton Cup 2010 an absolute stunner. Nine races in conditions that tested the competitors to the max... [more] Share this story

Quantum Racing ahead on day 1 of Audi MedCup Marseille Trophy races Sabina Mollart-Rogerson, Audi MedCup Marseille Trophy day one. As 2008 champions Quantum Racing rekindled their winning mojo with back to back wins in Races 2 and 3 to lead the regatta at the end of the first day, the reigning champions came off the water in ninth of ten and 2007 circuit winners in tenth.... [more] Share this story

Giraglia Rolex Cup - Esimit Europa 2 leads around Giraglia Rock KPMS, Giraglia Rolex Cup - The wind increased during the afternoon and a top group accelarated with 20 knots toward the rock with Igor Simcic's Esimit Europa 2, the former Alfa Romeo in the lead, followed by Shockwave, Container and Alegre.... [more] Share this story

Audi MedCup: All on as Champions trail after Opening Races Audi MedCup Media, It was a day of sharply contrasting fortunes for past and present Audi MedCup Champions on the Rade Sud today, as the second event on the 2010 Audi MedCup circuit, the Marseille Trophy, opened with three races - which proved a very different test to last month's breezy curtain raiser in Cascais, Portugal. Iberdrola won the GP42 Series Practice Race.... [more] Share this story

Giraglia Rolex Cup - More images by Carlo Borlenghi Carlo Borlenghi, Giraglia Rolex Cup - More images of the day's action from photographer Carlo Borlenghi.... [more] Share this story

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