Newport Bermuda Race Competitor Briefing #1: NOR posted and entry opens today

A strong current set the fleet upwind approaching the Race Committee boat to start. In Class 8 of the Finisterre Division (above) Andy Burton's Masquerade (far right) makes an excellent start - 52nd Newport Bermuda Race © Daniel Forster / PPL

The Bermuda Race Organizing Committee (BROC) is pleased to announce the Notice of Race for the 53rd Newport Bermuda Race has been posted to our Official Notice Board and will begin accepting entries on Friday, June 16, 2023 at 1300 EDT - one year prior (3rd Friday in June) to the first gun of the 2024 Race.

This year, skippers and crew will find a vastly improved race entry process. Over the past eighteen months, BROC members have worked with the architects of the former entry system, SailGate, and another vendor Nautical Cloud, to create an entirely new race management platform that is easier and more intuitive for users. The new system simplifies registration, crew management, scoring, tracking, results, and more, all within the race website.

"We can't thank the team at Nautical Cloud enough," says Andrew Kallfelz, Vice Chair of the 2024 Race and former Entry Chair. "This has been a collaborative effort as their engineers have adapted the platform to fit our requirements for this international race. We are proud to work with Nautical Cloud to develop further new race management technology that our fellow offshore and coastal race organizers can benefit from."

All Bermuda Race entrants must create an account on the new Nautical Cloud system; no information from SailGate will be migrated. Once accounts are set up, user and boat information will roll over each year for future Bermuda Races.

After a Skipper creates an account, they may invite crew to register their own accounts and create their own crew profiles. A new feature of the system is a public profile that skippers and crew can create about their boat or themselves that includes a bio, pictures, and social media.

"We hope this system will not only create a better experience for our competitors but our fans as well," says Race Chair Mark Lenci. "Our goal for 2024 is to increase the profile of the Newport Bermuda Race, as this will help attract more competition in the years to come. Along those lines, in our next Competitor Bulletin, we will share some exciting news about the reconfiguration of the start of the 2024 Race. Stay tuned."

Entrants and Crew can start creating accounts on the new entry system starting today, prior to the opening of 2024 Bermuda Race registration on Friday, June 16th. After that date, entrants can apply for an invitation to the 2024 Bermuda Race by filling in their Offshore Experience qualification form. A step-by-step guide to the new entry system can be found here.

To create an account, visit bermudarace.com