Newport Bermuda winners receive their silverware

by Lynn Fitzpatrick on 30 Jun 2008
Peter S Rebovich and his crew from Sinn Fein, the classic Cal 40 were the toast of Hamilton last night, after scooping up much of the silverware from this year's Newport Bermuda Race.

Their haul included the St. David’s Lighthouse, one of the most coveted prizes in offshore racing, together with the new North Rock Beacon Trophy for the top finisher in both the Gibbs Hill and St. David’s Lighthouse Divisions under the IRC rating system. The North Rock Beacon Trophy was donated by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and awarded for the first time on Saturday evening.

This is Sinn Fein’s second consecutive St. David’s Lighthouse win and their fourth consecutive Class 1 victory. Only one other boat, Carleton Mitchell's Finnesterre, has won the St. David’s Lighthouse Trophy more often. That was in 1956, 1958 and 1960.

The best view of Bermuda is from atop the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, but the penultimate view for those who earned the privilege of an invitation, is from the lawn of Government House, the home of His Excellency, the Governor of Bermuda, Sir Richard Gozney. Between 500 and 600 sailors and distinguished guests strolled the lawns and gardens of Government House atop Langton Hill on the north shore of Bermuda in Pembroke Parish.

With 33 acres of lawns and gardens, Government House has one of the largest expanses of open space on this densely populated 20.75-square mile island nation. There could not be a better setting for the Prize Giving Ceremony for the Newport Bermuda Race. It is an equal match for the sea of silver trophies, which looked spectacular in the afternoon sunlight, sparkling across an expanse of the Atlantic from which the fleet arrived earlier in the week.

After cocktails on the lawn overlooking the ocean, Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Vice Commodore Peter Shrubb began the ceremony. Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Commodore Ralph Richardson, Cruising Club of America Commodore Ross Sherbrooke and Mark Bean, the Junior Minster of Tourism all welcomed the sailors and other guests to Bermuda. Then Sir Richard Gozney, Commodore Richardson and Commodore Sherbrooke presented over 90 trophies and prizes as RBYC Secretary Andy Burnett-Herkes announced the winners.

The Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Trophy was claimed by an elated Julien Dougherty and his crew of Tenacious, a Beneteau First 36.7, the giant killers of the professional Gibbs Hill Division. This was the third time a Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Trophy has been awarded.

RBYC Commodore Ralph Richardson shared a note from Ron O’Hanley, owner of Privateer, winner of the Royal Mail Trophy for the fastest Open Division yacht on corrected time.

O’Hanley wrote, 'On behalf of the entire crew of Privateer, I would like to thank the Cruising Club of America and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club for hosting and organizing an outstanding race. The Bermuda race is the preeminent ocean race. Since a young boy visiting my grandparents in Newport, I have dreamed of competing in this race. I have the good fortune of sailing for a long time with an outstanding corinthian crew, including my son, who are also very good friends. We are honored and humbled to have joined so many outstanding crews who have competed and won this race before us. Thank you.'

Bermuda resident Paul Hubbard was the big winner in the Cruiser Division. He wom the Carleton Mitchell Finisterre Trophy for the top performing yacht among the cruising classes for his crew’s performance on Bermuda Oyster, an Oyster 435. On his way to the top spot he also won Class 12. Fellow Bermudians Colin Couper in Babe and Stephen Sherwin in Nasty Medicine also took home their share of silver.

Richard du Moulin collected the Philip S. Weld Trophy as captain of Lora Ann, the top double-handed yacht to finish on corrected time. This is du Moulin’s fourth consecutive win in the double-handed division and his crew, Chris Reyling’s, third victory.

The Henry B. duPont Memorial Trophy for the yacht in the Newport Bermuda Race that is the overall winner of the Onion Patch Series was awarded to Randall G. Baldwin’s Cabady, a Taylor 42.

The US Sailing Team comprised of Rambler, Bella Mente and Flying Jenny VI won the Onion Patch Trophy for the winning team in the Onion Patch Series.

Newport Bermuda Race Class and Division Winners

First in Class 1 and winner of the entire St David’s Lighthouse Division, also the winner of the North Rock Beacon Trophy for all IRC-rated boats, Sinn Fein, Peter S. Rebovich, Corrected Time ORR: 61:06:38. Corrected time IRC 100:13:44

First in Class 2 of the St. David’s Lighthouse Division, Aurora, Andrew F. Kallfelz, Corrected Time: 63:22:21.

First in Class 3 of the St. David’s Lighthouse Division, Babe, Dr. Colin E. Couper, Corrected Time 63:03:41.

First in Class 4 of the St. David’s Lighthouse Division, Cabady, Randall G. Baldwin, Corrected Time: 63:44:58.

First in Class 5 of the St. David’s Lighthouse Division, Vamp, Leonard J. Sitar, Corrected Time: 65:50:44.

First in Class 6 of the St. David’s Lighthouse Division, Tabasco, John Levinson, Corrected Time: 64:55:44.

First in Class 7 of the St. David’s Lighthouse Division, Eden, Allen Fan, corrected Time: 68:48:04.

First in Class 8 of the St. David’s Lighthouse Division, Bombardino, James Sykes, Corrected Time: 68:04:14.

First in Class 9 of the St. David’s Lighthouse Division, Chippewa, Clayton Deutsch, Corrected Time: 69:45:24.

First in Class 10 of the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division and overall winner of the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division, Tenacious, Julien Dougherty, Corrected Time: 57:31:25.

First in Class 11 of the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division, Aquarius, Sam Fleet, Corrected Time: 63:04:10.

First in Class 12 of the Cruiser Division, Bermuda Oyster, Paul B. Hubbard, Corrected Time: 81:38:51.

First in Class 13 of the Cruiser Division, Il Bodacious, Jeffrey A. Urbina, Corrected Time: 86:41:16.

First in Class 14 of the Cruiser Division, Bandera, John Watts, Corrected Time: 87:51:47.

First in Class 15 of the Double-Handed Division, Lora Ann, Richard T. du Moulin, Corrected Time: 80:37:47.

First in Class 16 of the Open Division and winner of the Royal Mail Trophy, Privateer Ron O’Hanley Corrected Time: 60:40:09

The St. David’s Lighthouse Division is scored under ORR, with optional dual scoring under IRC. This Division competes for the St. David’s Lighthouse Trophy under ORR, and, together with yachts in the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division, for the North Rock Beacon Trophy under IRC.

The Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division is scored under ORR, with optional dual scoring under IRC. This Division competes for the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Trophy under ORR, and, together with yachts in the St. David’s Lighthouse Division, for the North Rock Beacon Trophy under IRC.

Cruiser Division is scored under ORR. Boats are allowed one 'cruising spinnaker' and must declare use of one 'cruising spinnaker', or no spinnaker, and be rated as such.

Double-handed Division is scored under ORR. Yachts in this division compete for the Weld Prize and the Moxie Prize and must be sailed in accordance with ORR Regulations.

Open Division is scored under ORR. Yachts with cant keel ballast must sail in the Open Division, whether sailing with or without professional crew. This Division competes for the Royal Mail Trophy.

Full results - visit www.bermudarace.com