Marion Bermuda Race - Winners shine at Bermuda prizegiving

by Talbot Wilson on 24 Jun 2013 Marion Bermuda Race Chairman David Patton announced to a happy crowd at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club dock, that June 19, 2015 will be the 20th start for this classic ocean race. The crowd cheered and then he got on with the formalities of the night. His Excellency the Governor of Bermuda Mr. George Fergusson and RHADC Commodore Allan Williams presented all the prizes at the ceremony.

As a highlight of the 2013 Marion Bermuda Race prizegiving Saturday night, Ian Gumprecht of Oyster Bay NY and Mark Swanson of North Creek NY, co-skippers of Roust hoisted the Founders Trophy for their sterling performance in this 645-mile classic. They sailed their little Sea Sprite 34 to first place in Class C and for first place in the entire Founders Division won the top prize for the race, the Founders Trophy. Along the way they snagged the Double-Handed Trophy.

Roust was the smallest boat in the fleet. She finished at 7:38:14 Wednesday morning June 19 with their corrected time of 3d 17:44:35.

Gumprecht said, 'We did well because we had a good team,' he added. 'We changed headsails two times within two miles of the finish and seven changes the day before.'

Swanson added, 'I think we did well because we sailed hard and fast. We kept moving all the time, choosing to sail a little off a chosen course to get more speed.'

Shindig the biggest boat in the Founders Division finished more than a day earlier than Roust. The Andrews 68-footer took line honors at 4:55:13 ADT/3:55:13 EDT on Tuesday morning June 18. Shindig wins the Blue Water Sailing Club Board of Governors Trophy. At one point she led on the next boat by more than 80 miles but ran out of wind in the last 100 miles from Bermuda.

Before the race Ron Wisner was looking for starry nights and sunny days so he could celestially navigate Hotspur II, his 1968 Columbia 50, to Bermuda. He found them and skillfully guided Hotspur II to take second place in Class C and to win the coveted Beverly 'Polaris' Trophy which is awarded to the yacht with the best celestially-navigated performance.

Spirit Of Bermuda, as the sole entry in the Classic Yacht Division, won the inaugural Captain Ed Williams Trophy for the classic yacht with the best corrected time. The 118 foot long Spirit was co-chartered by Bermudian Preston Hutchings and Patrick McGee of Dallas TX and sailed by a crew of 32 men and women. Hutchings had said earlier, 'This race was Fanrtastic.'

Bermuda’s Governor Fergusson presented the new trophy to Ed Williams Jr. who had sailed aboard Spirit in the race. This was the first time the Marion Bermuda has had a Classic Division. Early invitations will be sent to qualifying boats for the 2015 race.

The winner of Class A was Gardner Grant ‘s J/120 Alibi from Westport CT. He also sailed double-handed with co-skipper Stephen Fisk. Alibi’s corrected time was 4d 01:53:12.

The fully crewed US Naval Academy Navy 44 Mk II, NA22, Integrity won class B with a corrected time of 3d 22:40:00. The skipper was Mario Avila.

The Commodore Faith Paulsen Trophy was awarded to Etoile, a Stellar 52, skippered by Anne Kolker from New York, NY the yacht crewed entirely by females finishing first. Etoile also won the Ancient Mariner's Golden Teapot Trophy for the crew having the highest average age that finishes the race.

Full Results are posted at Marion Bermuda. Every boat will receive a commemorative plaque for finishing the race and over 35 trophies were presented.