(Newport, Rhode Island)- With the entry deadline nearing on April 15th,
it's not too late to get in you entry for this year's Cruising Club of
America's Newport-Bermuda Race. As of Sunday March 25th, 172 boats
have been entered. According to information supplied on the
applications, there are 48 boats that are new to the race. This does not
mean that there will be 48 new skippers because some these are
experienced owners with new boats.Colin McGranahan of Larchmont NY has already entered his J/130 DRAGONFLY. McGranahan is a new skipper in the race, but the boat is a veteran. The J/130 CHRISTOPHER DRAGON that sailed the centennial 2006 Newport Bermuda Race will sail in 2012 as DRAGONFLY with first-time skipper Colin McGranahan of Larchmont NY.
Jimmy Sykes sailed his first of eight Bermuda Races to date on that same J/130 then named BOMBARDINO. She has passed through another owner and is now DRAGONFLY. Andrew Weiss raced her to Bermuda as CHRISTOPHER DRAGON. Sykes is competing this year with his current Bombardino, an SC 52. Plus, they will be up against another small fleet of J/120s (like the boat pictured above).
"With three weeks to go" said Brin Ford, of the Bermuda Race Organizing Committee, "things are slowing down a bit. We are about 20 boats behind the 2010 pace." The 2010 race had 183 boats, the third largest fleet in the 106-year-old event. The classic 635-mile race offers racing in five divisions - The St. David's Lighthouse (amateur) Division, The Cruiser (amateur) Division, the Double Handed Division, the Gibbs Hill (professional) Division and the Open (professional) division. There is great competition for all levels of commitment and experience. For more CCA Newport-Bermuda Race sailing information
