Artforms and Wells Fargo head to Bermuda |
| Friday, 03 June 2005 |
| A fleet of 34 yachts and solo skippers left Newport, Rhode Island today in the biennial Bermuda 1-2 race.
The race is reset to continue the rivalry between Kip Stone and Joe Harris started last year in the Transat which saw Kip Stone in Artforms, his Owen Clarke Design Open 50 come out top.
The larger boats in Class 5, which also included John Ryan in his modified Farr 40 Swordflounder and Michel Millard in his Open 40, Velocity, got off to clean start in a steady 12-14 knot SW breeze that saw the fleet beating out of Narragansett Bay and heading for Bermuda. By 'R2’ the first fairway mark when entering Newport, the early advantage went to Kip who had a small lead over the rest of the Class.
Over the last 6 weeks of preparation for the race Kip has been working closely Paul Cronin of PC Sailing Inc a local sailing coach from to gain a greater understanding the nuances of sailing in the area. After the start the 'coach’ gave Kip a 9.4 out of 10 for his start and exit from the bay.
The second leg is a double-handed leg back to Newport and Merfyn Owen from Owen Clarke Design will join Kip for the race back.
Both boats have recently been re-launched after a winter at New England Boatworks under going maintenance and in the case of Joe boat Wells Fargo the fitting of new daggerboards designed by this office.
For both boats the Bermuda 1-2 is the first race of busy year, which will see both boats match up three times. Following the Bermuda 1-2, is the Marblehead to Halifax Race with the year culminating in the Transat Jacque Vabre in November.
To follow Kip and Joe in the Bermuda 1-2 visit
www.bermuda1-2.org and http://iboattrack.mapsherpa.com/2005NB1
For more information on Kip Stone and Artforms visit www.ksopen50.com
For more information on Joe Harris and Wells Fargo visit www.gryphonsolo.com
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