Cordelia wins Marion Bermuda Race

(June 19, 2019) – Roy and Gail Greenwald’s Valiant 42 Cordelia is the overall winner of the 2019 Marion Bermuda Race, also claiming Class D honors and winning the coveted Beverly Yacht Club ‘Polaris Trophy’ as the best celestially navigated yacht and the ‘Navigators Trophy’ for Gail Greenwald.

“I make the boat go fast and she tells me where to go,” said husband and skipper Roy Greenwald.

Mark Riley’s Farr 63 Kiwi Spirit, skippered by his 18-year-old son Jo Riley, earned line honors yesterday for the 645nm course, finishing off St. David’s Lighthouse at 2:27:59 (local time). Their elapsed time for the race was 3d 12:17:59.

Kiwi Spirit was a family effort — father, son and daughter plus three cousins and a brother-in-law make up the family part of the crew. Joining them was Chuck Fontaine a lifelong friend who has run the Mass Maritime Sailing Program.

“All the boats are finished,” reports Mary Pierce, Marion Bermuda’s Principal Race Officer. “We’re still doing compliance and we’ve got the [Spirit of Bermuda] redress hearing this afternoon. We have one or two compliance requests… the numbers are the numbers.”

Spirit of Bermuda’s redress pertains to her failure to start correctly, resulting in her DNS score.

Cordelia and all of the class winners steered by the sun, moon and stars purely by celestial navigation. James Geil, Master of Tabor Boy for 32 years said, “Our celestial navigation was spot on for the last two days. We didn’t turn on our electronic GPS navigation until after we finished.”

This race was Tabor Boy’s first Marion Bermuda adventure. Geil said, “We’ll be back in 2021 and we’ll help bring more Classic Division entries.”

Race details – Entry list – Tracking – Results – Facebook

RACE RESULTS:

Founder’s Division
Class A
1. Abigail— Robert Buck, Aquidneck 52, Marion MA – Celestial
2. Kinship — Francis Selldorf, Baltic 52, Padanaram MA
3. Sunflower — Mark Lenci, Beneteasu Oceanis 523, Harpswell ME

Class B
1. Gallant, Christian Hoffman, Navy 44, USNA Annapolis MD, Celestial
2. Momentum, Paul Kanev, Hinckley Sou’wester 51, Newport RI
3. Defiance, George Hamilton/Kevin Navarro, Navy 44 MKII, USNA Annapolis MD, Celestial

Class C
1. Pinnacle— Peter Torosian, Tartan 4100, Rye NH, Celestial
2. Escapade II— Tom Bowler, Morris 46, Ocean, Marion MA
3. Scappare— David LeBlanc, Catalina 42 MKII, Stillhouse Cove RI

Class D
1. Cordelia— Roy Greenwald, Valiant 42, Marion MA, Celestial
2. Frolic— Ray Cullum, Dixon 44, Marion MA, Celestial
3. Silhouette— David Caso, Cherubini 44, Portsmouth RI

Classic Division
1. Tabor Boy— James Geil, Schooner 92, Tabor Academy Marion MA, Celestial
DNS. Spirit of Bermuda—Jordan Smith, Tall Ship 118, Dockyard, Bermuda

Background: The 22nd Marion Bermuda Race and the 42nd year for the 645-mile open ocean challenge attracted 39 teams for the 2019 edition on June 14.

The first Marion-Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race in 1977 saw 104 starters cross the line. Over the forty-two years since that first race the race has evolved into a true offshore challenge for cruising yachts, amateur, family and youth sailors. Special prizes abound to emphasis celestial navigation, short handed sailing, family crews and regional competition. The race is handicapped under the ORR rating system to assure the fairest scoring available for ocean racing yachts.

Source: MBR