News & Interest

August 22nd, 2010

Ida Lewis Distance Race – Results

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Shortened Courses Deliver Overnight Challenges, Satisfaction

NEWPORT, R.I. (August 22, 2010)-George David (Hartford, Conn.) was shocked at how much wind there was during the sixth annual Ida Lewis Distance Race, even if 17 knots is nothing compared to what his crack crew aboard the 90-foot Rambler has endured before on its many race outings around the world. When Friday’s (August 20) 1p.m. start had to be delayed an hour due to a dieing gradient wind, David wasn’t hopeful that the shortened 122-nm course set for his IRC class would offer much in the way of thrilling winds, but Rambler wound up averaging an impressive 10 ½ knots of speed throughout 12-plus hours of racing, finishing at 2:18 the next morning and correcting out two hours ahead of Ron O’Hanley’s (Boston, Mass.) Privateer.

“We put ourselves in the right places most of the time,” said David, explaining that wind in the teens appeared mostly between turning marks at Montauk and Noman’s Land, and the rest of the legs had navigator Matt Wachowicz and tactician Peter Isler collaborating doggedly on weather transitions, avoiding light spots and determining whether going north of Block Island rather than south had its benefits. Turns out it did-Rambler and a few others in the 36-boat fleet that chose that route gained considerably-and for its spot-on decisions Rambler received the event’s Navigator’s Award in addition to trophies for best elapsed and best corrected time in the five-boat IRC class.

Arthur Burke’s (Dartmouth, Mass.) Andrews 70 Shindig also took home three trophies, one each for best corrected and elapsed time in PHRF Division 1–in which 11 boats sailed–and one for overall best corrected time in PHRF (a second division hosted 12 boats). Organizers chose a 104-nm course for PHRF and Double-handed boats to sail, and Shindig made it home in just under 15 and ½ hours, with Robert MacMillan’s Class 40 Cutlass taking second, behind by just over nine minutes on corrected time.

“Like everyone else, we were searching for wind,” said Burke, who literally drifted right after the PHRF start, which was combined for both classes. “But when we found it, then we really started to move.” Burke said his crew, which has countless Newport to Bermuda races under their belts, changed sails 17 times during the race and the boat was becalmed at multiple times during the race. “We just kept pressing.”

Within the PHRF division there were six Youth Challenge teams that proved the concept’s inaugural push was a popular one that will have legs for the future. Teams comprised of at least 40 percent junior sailors between the ages of 14 and 18 qualified and sailed in the PHRF Division–scored as such but then also scored separately for the new Arent H. Kits van Heyningen Trophy provided by Finish Line sponsor KVH Industries. To present the trophy at Ida Lewis Yacht Club on Saturday night was Mr. van Heningen himself, who at age 94, competed in the event and remains an inspiration to all sailing generations. The proud recipient was the crew aboard the X-41 Sarah, owned by Greg Manning (Warwick, R.I.) and representing East Greenwich Yacht Club, which also finished third in PHRF Division 1. The top Youth finisher in Division 2 was Tom Rich’s (Middletown, R.I.) second-place finisher Settler.

In the Doublehanded Class, sailing under PHRF, Michael Hennessy’s (New York, N.Y.) Class 40 Dragon took top spot, sailing the course in just under 19 and ½ hours, while Teri and Pete Binkley’s (Branford, Conn.) Quest 33 Wildeyes finished in just under 24 hours for second.

The Ida Lewis Distance Race is the only distance race that starts and finishes in Newport, R.I. It features a signature champagne finish inside Newport Harbor and was named one of Sailing World magazine’s “14 great events” in its guide for “The Ultimate Summer.” It is also a qualifier for the 2010 New England Lighthouse Series; Northern and Double-Handed Ocean Racing Trophies; and the US-IRC Gulf Stream Series.

Image – Rambler – Amory Ross

Class 1 – IRC (IRC – 5 Boats)
1. Rambler, RP 90 W B 90, George David, Hartford, Conn.
2. Privateer, Cookson 50 50, Ron O’Hanley, Boston, Mass.
3. Rocket Science, J 120 40, Rick Oricchio, Fairfield, Conn.
4. Barleycorn, NYYC Swan 42 42.5, Brendan Brownyard, Bay Shore, N.Y.
5. Fearless, Farr 395 39.4, Shaun Ensor, East Haven, Conn.

Class 2 – PHRF Division 1 (PHRF – 11 Boats)
1. Shindig, Andrews 70, Arthur Burke, Dartmouth, Mass.
2. Cutlass, Class 40, Robert MacMillan, Newport, R.I.
3. Sarah (Youth), X-41, Greg Manning, Warwick, R.I.
4. Eagle, J 120, Steven Levy, Greenwich, Conn.
5. Toothface, Akilaria Class 40, Mike Dreese, West Newton, Mass.

Class 2 – PHRF Division 2 (PHRF – 12 Boats)
1. Different Drummer, Cape Bay Fast 40 39.6, Frank Atkinson, Coconut Grove, Fla.
2. Settler (Youth), Peterson 42, Tom Rich, Middletown, R.I.
3. Act One (Youth), Summit 35, Bill Titus, Newport, R.I.
4. Lark, Beneteau First 40.7, Edmund Flynn, Marlborough, Mass.
5. Coco, Swan 36, Ian Scott, Newport, R.I.

Class 3 – PHRF – Double-Handed (PHRF – 8 Boats)
1. Dragon, Class 40, Michael Hennessy, New York, N.Y.
2. Wildeyes, Quest 33′, Teri & Pete Binkley, Branford, Conn.
3. Samba, Quest 30, Tristan Mouligne, Boston, Mass.
4. Dark ‘n Stormy, J 105, Michael Lachance, Wolcott, Conn.
5. Paladin, J 35, Jason Richter, Mt. Sinai, N.Y.