Bella Mente Racing - 'All systems go'
by Kirsten Ferguson on 13 Jan 2015
Bella Mente racing fellow Maxi 72s at the 2014 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Sardinia Jesus Renedo
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For Bella Mente Racing this year it is 'all systems go' as the team dives into another exciting sailing campaign aboard its namesake Maxi 72. With owner Hap Fauth (Minneapolis, Minn./Naples, Fla.) at the helm, Bella Mente and its team of 26 sailors will take on seven of the year’s most esteemed regattas, incorporating new crew talent and rig modifications into the program.
'We’ve made some significant changes to the core crew,' said Fauth, adding that Terry Hutchinson has signed on with Bella Mente Racing for the entire year and has brought with him renowned professional sailors Skip Baxter, Brian MacInnes, James Dagg and Jim Turner. 'Terry has been the key ingredient for a number of very successful programs. He brings great discipline as well as a winning point of view. I speak for the team when I say we are very excited about the fresh perspective these sailors will bring to racing.'
Fauth, a business entrepreneur, runs a number of high-profile companies, and his management skills on the water closely resemble those in the boardroom. Last November, his success with Bella Mente Racing was recognized when the New York Yacht Club and Storm Trysail Club together presented him with the coveted John B. Thomson Award for campaign excellence.
'There are three very important components to running a campaign,' said Fauth. 'First, you need to be continually working to build the strongest team. It’s more than just professional resumes; it’s about guys that have good chemistry together. Second, you have to have a well thought-out campaign each year, with objectives for each race and objectives for the whole season. Third is logistics management. Everything from plane tickets and room accommodations to onboard food provisioning needs to be completed in a regimented fashion.'
Bella Mente Racing took to the water in December to practice with the new team members and test out its new Southern Spars mast with C6 rigging by Composite Rigging. Racing will kick off next week in Florida with Quantum Key West Race Week. The team will then head to the Caribbean for the RORC Caribbean 600 in February and Les Voiles de St. Barth in April. From there, Bella Mente will be shipped to the United Kingdom where the team will take on the challenging waters of the Solent for the RYS International Bicentennial Regatta and Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week before starting the world-class Rolex Fastnet Race in August. Bella Mente Racing’s pinnacle event, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Sardinia, will conclude the season in September.
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