Records and Rum for 2016 Jamestown Season

Competitors who successfully completed and set new records for the Mount Gay Rum Around Jamestown Record were recognized on December 9 at a prize giving party hosted by the IYAC in Newport, RI. During the five month period of the competition in 2016, four attempts were made at ousting the standing record, and Zach Marks of St. Petersburg, Florida, was able to come away victorious, beating the standing outright record set in 2015 by Lloyd Thornburg’s MOD70 Phaedo3.

Marks set his record on October 28 when he rounded Jamestown on his foiling kiteboard with an elapsed time of 53 minutes and 37 seconds. This time bested the previous record of 00:56:33 held by Phaedo3 by 2 minutes and 56 seconds. Marks was awarded his weight of 175lbs in Mount Gay Rum, which is equal to 4.5 cases, for setting the outright record.

On breaking the record, Zach Marks said, “Setting the record for this race was something that was always on my bucket list. The format and prize are so unique. It’s a refreshing break from traditional windward leeward racing. Thanks to the local Rhode Island support crew who came out to help me. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Dave Lussier, who attempted on the F31 Bazinga!, and Matt Reinhardt who attempted on his foiling kiteboard Delta Hydrofoil, were recognized for attempting the record this year. Both competitors were not able to complete the rounding due to weather circumstances. Skipper Jeremy Wilmot along with Sam Loughborough and Martha Fortin on the M32 Black Boat earned two handles of Mount Gay Rum for setting a division record for Multihull 32-feet and above with a time of 01:08:42.

“This was my first attempt, it was fun,” noted Fortin. “We [lost time in the attempt when we] had an issue with one of our rudders after the start and when we hit a lull where the breeze dropped as low as about 5 knots. For about 6 minutes we were all bodies in, and powering the boat up as much as we could to get through the lull. I definitely hope that we can try again next year, though I think that the new record set by the foiling kite board will be tough to beat in a Marstrom!”

Loughborough added, “I did the record once before in the monohull division which was very different than what we did [this year] on the cat. That was a lot of fun. It was a little more fast paced…some hairy times to say the least! Many thanks to Jerry Kirby for lending us the boat for the attempt.”

Five categories are recognized for annual divisional honors with the overall perpetual trophy going to the boat with the outright fastest time:

• Outright Record Holder (2016): Foiling Kiteboard, Zach Marks, 00:53:37
• Monohull 32’ & Above (2014): 71’ mini-maxi, Bella Mente, 01:19:35
• Monohull below 32’ (2013): Shaw 6.50, Manic, 02:00:29
• Multihull 32’ & Above (2016): M32, Black Boat, 01:08:42
• Multihull below 32’ (2014): F31, Bazinga!, 01:33:53
• Kiteboards & All Foiling Craft (2016): Foiling Kiteboard, Zach Marks, 00:53:37

About Around Jamestown Record
The Around Jamestown Record presented by Mount Gay Rum in association with IYAC is a perpetual all out record for sailing the 18 nm course around Conanicut Island (also known as Jamestown) in lower Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. Similar to other outright speed records, contenders decide when to make their record attempt and also which direction they will sail around Jamestown. This means contenders choose the most advantageous weather conditions and tidal flow in which to attempt the record. The 2016 record was open from Memorial Day until Halloween, October 31st during the hours of daylight. Details.

Source: Julianna Barbieri, Manuka Sports Event Management