El Rambler a pulverizado el récord de la regata !!!

Rambler smashed the Newport to Bermuda Race record finishing in 39 hours, 39 minutes and 18 seconds on Sunday morning.

George David’s 90ft maxi Rambler clipped a massive 14 hours off the previous best time set ten years ago by Roy Disney’s Pyewacket.

The new record now stands at 39hr, 39 minutes, 18 seconds (subject to ratification) an average speed of 16knots.

A delighted George David said. “These were perfect conditions. The most exciting moment was when we hit 26 knots. I’m so pleased with our performance. We have reduced the record by 25 percent not bad for a boat that is now ten years old. This Rambler is the best boat I have ever owned!”

Rambler not only slashed the race record, her crew also spanked their rivals, with Hap Fauth’s Bella Mente crossing the lighthouse line one hour 43 minutes behind, followed three minutes later by Shockwave skippered by George Sakellaris.

On corrected time however, Shockwave beat Rambler by 33 minutes, followed by Belle Mente in 3rd and Team Tiburon 4th.

Spirit of Bermuda suspended racing on Sunday night to respond to a medical emergency aboard a fellow Newport Bermuda Race entry.

At approximately 10.29 pm the sloop received an EGC call from Norfolk requesting assistance for a medical emergency.

After it was determined that Spirit was “the most qualified asset” in the vicinity to respond to the situation, the sloop lowered some of her sails, switched on her motor and changed course to respond to a “diabetic emergency” aboard the American 46ft yacht Seabiscuit whose crewman Nathan C Owen was reported to be suffering from complications from dehydration.

Spirit motored roughly 65-70 miles northwest towards Seabiscuit in heavy traffic before Enchantment of the Seas eventually took over the rescue effort.

The cruiseliner pulled alongside Seabiscuit and evacuated the sick crewman aboard the double-handed yacht before continuing to Boston early yesterday morning.

Spirit rejoined the race after returning to the location where she switched from wind to motor power to respond to the medical emergency.

The purpose-built sail-training vessel competed alone in the new “Spirit of Tradition” Division with a crew of 32.

Spirit made landfall in Bermuda last night.

Yesterday morning, Joe Harris and co-skipper Tristan Mouligne celebrated a fantastic race.

The duo sailed Joe’s double-handed Gryphonsolo2, an Akilaria RC2 Class 40, to a massive lead over the other yachts in the Double-handed Division. Gryphonsolo2 finished off St David’s Lighthouse, Bermuda, at 4:40:26 yesterday morning with an elapsed time of 60:20:26. By seven o’clock in the afternoon, only two other double-handers had finished.

“We never eased up,” Joe exclaimed. “I hold the single-handed record in the Bermuda 1-2 Race from Newport to Bermuda at 62 hours and 37 minutes, but sailed that in the 50ft Gryphon Solo. We beat that time today by more than two hours in a 10-foot shorter 40 footer.

“We never slowed down. We blew out two spinnakers, but kept on going. Totally soaked and stoked”

On board Gracie, a solid 69-foot McCurdy and Rhodes sloop sailed by father and son Steve and Simon Frank and a family crew, who barely got wet. Gracie still stands a provisional first in Class 7 with an elapsed time of 63:59.33 and a corrected time of 47:55.41.

Llwyd Ecclestone’s Kodiak, the Reichel/Pugh 66 ex Blue Yankee, still holds onto the lead in Class 8, and is the current front-runner for victory in the St David’s Lighthouse amateur division on corrected time.