Newport Bermuda Race - Fleet's in. Warrior Won leads
by Talbot Wilson and John Rousmaniere on 23 Jun 2016
WARRIOR WON an Xp44 skippered by Christopher Sheehan, (with grey sails extreme right) from Larchmont YC New York, getting a clear start off the Newport line is provisionally winner of the St David's Lighthouse Trophy Talbot Wilson / PPL
2016 Newport Bermuda Race - Based on Wednesday’s provisional results, Warrior Won, the Xp44 skippered by Christopher Sheehan out of Larchmont YC has emerged as the St David’s Lighthouse winner for the 50th Thrash to the Onion Patch, the 2016 Newport Bermuda Race. She finished Tuesday morning at 10:10:25 and her corrected time was 70:40:03.
The St. David’s Light House Trophy goes to the corrected time winner of the largest division. This year Warrior Won defeated 70 boats vying for the silver lighthouse replica. Only amateurs are allowed to drive the boats in the St. David’s Lighthouse Division.
Provisional St David's Lighthouse winners! The crew of the second finisher, the Xp44 WARRIOR WON, 2nd on elapsed time. From left to right: Roland Schulz, Ryan Zupon, HL Devore (Navigator), Andres de Lasa, Peter Carpenter, Chris Simon, Chris Sheehan (Skipper) Paul 'Whirly' van Dyke (Watch Capt) Jost Olan, Carter Hollida, & Doug Lynn (Watch Capt.) © Barry Pickthall / PPL
Second place in the St. David’s Lighthouse Division goes to the little Cal 40, Flyer, owned by Douglas Abbott. She finished Wednesday morning at 7:20:24 with a corrected time of 71:33:05. High Noon, the first ‘Traditional’ boat to finish, came third on corrected time.
After a slow approach to Bermuda, the Newport Bermuda race organizers expect the entire fleet to be in Hamilton Harbour Wednesday night. There were nine boats moored at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club marina overnight.
At 08:00 this morning three more had made their way around from St. George’s where yachts are asked to stay after arriving after dark. By mid-afternoon 102 boats had finished off St. David’s Head in Bermuda. Another 25 were closing in on the line. 133 boats started in Newport and nine had retired during the race for various mechanical problems or gear failures.
The Double Handed Division leader by mid-afternoon was Yankee Girl, a Morris Justine 36 co-skippered by Zachary Lee and Gust Stringos. Standing second was Jeroboam, Jonathan Green’s Oceanis 351.
The Cruiser Division leader was Shearwater in Class 12. She’s a Mason 43 skippered by Daniel Biemesderfer. Eight of her class-mates were still racing, but expected in by 20:00 Wednesday.
The Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Trophy will not be awarded. All seven boats in the Gibbs Hill Division decided not to start because of wind and weather concerns. The Gibbs Hill Division allow unlimited professionals aboard.
Note: A four-hour delay is imposed on reports to prevent competitors from taking advantage of learning about other boats’ positions and performance.
Virtual spectators can watch the race unfold as their favorite yachts, skippers, or crewmembers in this 635-mile ocean classic tack and gybe their way through the Gulf Stream and hunt for the wind in the ‘happy valley’ north of Bermuda. All boats in the 2016 fleet will be tracked by YB satellite trackers as live as it can be on Pantaenius Race Tracking — your link to all the action in the race.
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