Ostar 2009 images - JanKees Lampe on La Promese finish

by Leighton O'Connor images/Event Media on 12 Jun 2009
JanKees Lampe (La Promese) crossed the OSTAR 2009 line at 01.10 this morning 12th June and broke the existing record for a 40 foot yacht.

Newport was shrouded in thick fog for last night’s finish of OSTAR 2009. The OSTAR Race Office team were out in their rib and were joined by Newport Yacht Club Commodore Norm Bailey in his motor yacht and Dr Robin Wallace of Rhode Island State Yachting Committee. The visibility was not much more then 100 meters and there was a damp drizzle in the air making it only too easy to get lost.

We left the Newport YC dock at 2230 local time and made our way out to Castle Hill Light on the finish line. It was not until Midnight that we made contact with La Promesse by VHF radio and established that he had 6 miles to go. At 0100 Norm Bailey picked up La Promesse on radar and shortly after we had visual contact as JanKees massive mast and mainsail appeared out of the fog with his bright starboard light creating a green halo over the boat. At 0110EDT (0510UT)we sounded the finish horn to welcome the winner of OSTAR 2009.

We then had the difficult job of guiding La Promesse back to the Newport YC. It is fair to say that without the help of Norm Bailey’s Trouper we would not have been able to accomplish this task as no lights or navigation buoys were visible anywhere. As we neared Newport, a Harbour Master’s launch took over the lead and we all followed it’s blue flashing light into the gloom, until finally we could pick out the shore lights of Newport.

On the dockside JanKees was met by Dutch supporters lead by Hans Gieskes from the Netherlands Consulate of Boston waving a large Dutch Flag. A few minutes later JanKees was reunited with his wife and three young children.

The race is now on for second place with Rob Craigie (Jbellino) having only 122 miles to go and having a lead of 20 miles over Roberto Westerman (Spinning Wheel). Newport this morning is still shrouded in mist and rain and another wet night on the finish line seems probable.

Photographer Leighton O'Connor was dockside and captured these images of the finish.

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