Three new ORC Pacific Coast Champions crowned at Rolex Big Boat Series
by Offshore Racing Congress 16 Sep 2025 03:39 AEST
September 10-14, 2025
San Francisco Bay, one of the finest venues in the sailing world, site of the ROLEX Big Boat Series © ROLEX / Peter Lyons
With a three-hour-long Bay Tour race as the final test for competitors, the 61st edition of the Rolex Big Boat Series hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club came to a stunning close yesterday afternoon.
The skippers at the top of the podium in the J/105 and ORC B classes were awarded coveted Rolex Submariner Dates. Bruce Stone and Nicole Breault's ARBITRAGE came away victorious among the J/105s, the regatta's largest fleet, and Peter Wagner's J/111 SKELETON KEY was the victor in the ORC B division.
Going into the final day of racing, leaders in both Rolex contending classes were ahead by five points over the nearest competitor, however that differential did not guarantee a win for either yacht before the last race. The heightened stakes made for striking competition on the water, with all fleets crossing the finish line in style in front of the StFYC Clubhouse.
The ORC B division has seen Cape 31s dominate the podium for the past two years, but Wagner sailed his J/111 to its full potential to secure the Rolex, as well as the ORC B Pacific Coast Championship.
"Our team has sailed in San Francisco for many years, so the big breeze is very familiar," Wagner said. "Teams spend a lot of time preparing for RBBS, making it the featured event of the season. It really brings out the best in people and is just a great week."
ORC A was won by the visually stunning Infinity 52 ZEUS, skippered by Simon Fenwick and equipped with her distinctive DSS foils on this Hugh Welbourne design. ZEUS was the only international entry in the fleet visiting the Bay Area from Australia.
"We are thrilled to be here at Big Boat Series and to be based on the US West Coast for the coming year," said Fenwick.
In the ORC C division, Zach Berkowitz's J/100 FEATHER prevailed against 7 rival teams for the second consecutive year at RBBS. "We have a great mix of young and old sailors on our crew, which makes it really fun sailing," Berkowitz said.
The race management team brought some creativity to course selection, presenting fresh challenges for sailors who know the Bay well. The first three race days started with a 1-hour long windward-leeward race that started in one of two course areas, followed by a longer race of up to 3 hour duration that finished in front of spectators assembled at the Race Deck of the StFYC. The fourth day featured a lengthy course that traversed nearly all of San Francisco Bay to test skills in not only speed and tactics but navigation, boat handling and strategy in the famous tidal currents of the Bay.
"I'm really pleased with how the Race Committee team performed these four days. A big thanks to all our volunteers and visiting race officers," said Gerard Sheridan, Deputy Course Race Officer. "It was great to get back to running races on the western face of Alcatraz after a long multi-year break, which required us to rewrite a new set of courses. The racers also loved the new course out the Golden Gate Bridge to Point Bonita."
"This edition of the Rolex Big Boat Series served up perfect conditions to test the wide range of boat types we had in this fleet," said ORC's US Communications Manager Dobbs Davis. "The rating and scoring system developed with input from St. Francis Yacht Club definitely contributed to producing close racing under handicap, with even the longer races were often won or lost by only a few seconds in corrected time."
He noted that the 24-mile course raced by ORC B on Sunday saw a two second margin of victory for SKELETON KEY, and the top three finishers were within 34 seconds after nearly three hours of racing. "It does not get any closer than this!"
Sailors, mark your calendars for the 62nd edition of Rolex Big Boat Series and the ORC North American Championship—September 16-20, 2026.
ORC A (5 entries)
Competing for the St. Francis Perpetual Trophy.
1 — ZEUS, Michael Fermin / Simon Fenwick (i52)
2 — MERLIN, Chip Merlin (Bill Lee 68)
3 — HALAWA, Kimo Winterbottom (Andrews 56)
ORC B (9 entries)
Competing for a Rolex Submariner Date, as well as the City of San Francisco Perpetual Trophy.
1 — SKELETON KEY, Peter Wagner (J/111)
2 — SITELLA, Ian Hill (Cape 31)
3 — M2, Marc McMorris (Cape 31)
ORC C (8 entries)
Competing for the Atlantic Perpetual Trophy.
1 — FEATHER, Zach Berkowitz (J/100)
2 — REVERIE, John Arens (J/109)
3 — PEREGRINE, Mike O'Callaghan, Randy Smith, David Halliwill (J/120)
Complete detailed race results can be found here