2023 Marion Bermuda Race wrap-up
by Marion Bermuda Race 26 Jun 06:30 PDT
June 16-24, 2023
The crew of race-winning Boudicca © Fran Grenon / Spectrum Photo
The 2023 Marion Bermuda Race was not for the faint of heart. The fleet saw conditions ranging from fast-moving squalls to completely still air; the mostly light winds tested both patience and skill for the 32 skippers and their crew that set sail on June 16th from Buzzards Bay in Marion, Massachusetts.
In an unusually slow race, the final boat did not cross the finish line off of St. David's Lighthouse in Bermuda until 7:45 EDT on Friday morning — with more than 163 hours of elapsed sailing time under her keel.
What ended up being one of the slowest Marion Bermuda Races for the majority of the fleet was also the fastest for the very front of the pack. Richard Moody's Boudicca crossed the Marion Bermuda Race finish line off of St David's Lighthouse, having sailed a total of 705 miles in just 2 days, 17 hours, 16 minutes, 14 seconds. This incredible performance beats the previous record, set in 2011 by the 76-foot Briand sloop Lilla, owned by Simon and Nancy DiPietro, which was 2 days, 20 hours, 58 minutes, 45 seconds.
On Saturday evening, racers and their family and friends gathered at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club in Bermuda for a Gala and Awards Ceremony to honor not only the top finishers but also a number of special awards given to different categories of racers and boats, including the boat with the best-combined performances in consecutive Newport Bermuda and Marion Bermuda races, those navigated celestially, those raced short-handed, those raced by crew from the same family, and the crew with highest average age during the race.
Line Honors, Top 3 - *indicates Celestial class
1.) Boudicca, Richard Moody (Jamestown, RI) - Reichel-Pugh 66, 65:16:14
2.) Lyric, Jay Hansen (Jamestown, RI) - X-Yachts X 49, 115:21:49
3.) The Rover, Steven Yang (Westbrook, CT) - Swan 44 MKII, 117:14:11
Corrected Time, Top 3 - *indicates Celestial class
1.) Boudicca, Richard Moody (Jamestown, RI) - Reichel-Pugh 66, 65:16:14
2.) Defiance, Phillip Pacheco and Dylan Medina (Annapolis, MD) - Pierson Composites Navy 44 MKII, 77:35:34*
3.) Mara, Alex Tarakhovsky (Newport, RI) - Able Apogee 50, 79:16:29
Winners By Class - *indicates Celestial class
Performance Class
1.) Boudicca, Richard Moody (Jamestown, RI) - Reichel-Pugh 66
2.) Lyric, Jay Hansen (Jamestown, RI) - X-Yachts X 49
3.) Scylla, Aneas Dodd-Noble (New Jersey) - Sirena Marine Azuree 46
Founders Class A
1.) Mara, Alex Tarakhovsky (Newport, RI) - Able Apogee 50
2.)The Rover, Steven Yang (Westbrook, CT) - Swan 44 MKII
3.) Arkana, Bradford Gibbs (Newport, Rhode Island) - Jeanneau SunFast 3300
Founders Class B
1.) Defiance, Phillip Pacheco and Dylan Medina (Annapolis, MD) - Pierson Composites Navy 44 MKII *
2.)Yaquina, Charles Samuelson (Padanaram, MA) - Beneteau First 42 *
3.) Integrity, Aidan Johnson and Jaden Tabak (Annapolis, MD) - Navy 44 MK II STC *
Founders Class C
1.) Silhouette, David Caso (Duxbury, MA) - Cherubini 44
2.) Wind Chime, Thomas Greaves (Boston, MA) - Bristol 35.5 CB
3.) Yankee Girl, Thomas Vander Salm & Johnathan Bixby (Marblehead, MA) - Morris Justine *
Special Awards
Bermuda Ocean Cruising Trophy - Pinaccle, Peter Torosian (Atkinson, MA) - Tartan 4100
Sponsored by Sail Magazine and awarded to the skipper who has the best finish time in consecutive Marion Bermuda and Newport Bermuda Finisterre Division Races.
Goslings Founders Trophy - Boudicca, Richard Moody (Jamestown, RI) - Reichel-Pugh 66
Awarded to the yacht with the best overall corrected time.
Blue Water Sailing Club Board of Governor's Trophy - Boudicca, Richard Moody (Jamestown, RI) - Reichel-Pugh 66
Awarded to the yacht with the shortest elapsed time on the course.
Celestial Trophy presented by Celestaire - Pinaccle, Peter Torosian (Atkinson, MA) - Tartan 4100
Awarded to the celestial navigator who is judged 'best' according to the panel of Celestaire Judges.
Navigator's Trophy and Beverly Yacht Club Polaris Trophy- Defiance, Phillip Pacheco and Dylan Medina (Annapolis, MD) - Pierson Composites Navy 44 MKII
Awarded to the navigator of the first-finishing celestial yacht.
L. Bryon Kingery Jr. Memorial Trophy - Silhouette, David Caso (Duxbury, MA) - Cherubini 44
Awarded to the first-finishing short-handed yacht, with 3 or 4 people aboard.
Double-Handed Trophy - Ventus, Henri Brink and Leon Brink-Bredella (Boston, MA) - Hanse 415
Awarded to the first-finishing yacht of 2 sailors.
Beverly Family Trophy - Leviathan, Dennish Walsh (Mattapoisett, MA), Queen Long Stevens Custom 47
Awarded to the first family crewed yacht - with either 5 or more or all but one member of the crew being members of a single household or family.
Offshore Youth Challenge Trophy - Defiance, Phillip Pacheco and Dylan Medina (Annapolis, MD) - Pierson Composites Navy 44 MKII
Awarded to the yacht with at least 4 youths aboard.
Bartram Tophy - Integrity, Aidan Johnson and Jaden Tabak (Annapolis, MD) - Navy 44 MK II STC
Awarded to the best-performing yacht from a US Service Academy, maritime college or ROTC program.
Ancient Mariners Golden Teapot - Yankee Girl, Thomas Vander Salm & Johnathan Bixby (Marblehead, MA) - Morris Justine
Awarded to the crew with the highest average age.
Hickley/Morris Mini Class Trophy - Yankee Girl, Thomas Vander Salm & Johnathan Bixby (Marblehead, MA) - Morris Justine
Thirteen boats from the fleet retired during various points of the race due to either equipment issues or lack of wind. Some returned to Massachusetts, others continued under engine power to Bermuda. Among these was the Spirit of Bermuda, which was also the only boat in the Sail Training Class. Therefore, no awards were given in that class.
For full results, timing calculations, and penalties, visit here.