Gathering entrants of a similar type

The Newport Bermuda Race has several divisions that seek to gather entrants of a similar type, and the Finisterre Division is reserved for boats with mostly amateur crew. Formerly known as the cruising class, there are also limits on sails, with participants of the biennial race often made up of families and close friends who have come together for the 636-mile ocean course.

In 2024, the division was won by Frank Sobchak’s Hinckley 48 Northeast Wind who had bought the boat to participate in the Newport Bermuda Race. When his team was handed the trophy in 2024, he recalled how the hull shape looked like that of his boat. “One of my crewmates has said that sailing Northeast Wind is like driving a nice old Cadillac over country roads,” noted Sobchak.

Sobchak’s crew two years ago was put together by a close friend from his time in the Army who shared his passion for sailing. About half of them are returning for the 2026 race. According to Sobchak, the Finisterre Division and the race in general are special because of the camaraderie and focus that is fostered amongst the crew.

“It’s a good sense of accomplishment to push the boat to the limit and to see the team work together. You can’t fake it with Newport Bermuda, you need the discipline to succeed.”

For 17-year-old Oliver Lee, the 2026 race will be his first time participating but the Phillip L. Rhodes-designed sloop Thunderhead he will be aboard is making a return to the race for the first time in 60 years.

“We are competitive, but we also want to do the race for the experience and to have fun together,” Lee says. The high school senior has been managing Thunderhead for the past year for owner Steve Ross. The crew for the race includes Lee’s father, two uncles, cousins, and close friends with whom he has been sailing since childhood.

“I am going off to college after this summer, and I couldn’t think of a better experience to have with my family and best friends before that.”

Similar to Sobchak and the Northeast Wind crew, Lee believes Thunderhead’s physical characteristics and the crew’s skills make Finisterre a good fit. “The Newport Bermuda Race has such an aura around it. I can’t wait to be on the starting line of a legendary race with the historic and iconic boats that are also competing.”

Fifty years ago, Beau Van Metre won the 1976 Bermuda Race aboard his S&S Custom 59 Running Tide. This year Van Metre and three of his crewmates from 1976 will be on board Running Tide again in the Finisterre Division.

“Ocean racing is really about camaraderie and having a special boat and crew around me is great. The boat is a living organism, and not just a piece of aluminum,” he says. Van Metre had sold Running Tide in the 1980s in France but bought the boat back in 2018 and rebuilt it.

For Van Metre, the Finisterre Division is a chance to relive the memories of the heyday of ocean racing. “I’ve made a few modifications to the boat that were targeted to doing the Bermuda Race. I’m looking forward to seeing how it performs in the long stretches of the race course.”

This will be Van Metre’s 13th race and the seventh for Running Tide, with more than 30 boats across three classes set to compete in the division for the Finisterre Trophy.

Details: https://bermudarace.com/

Source: Newport Bermuda Race