SOUTHERN RACE REPORT Pro/Am Racing Adds to the Excitement of Bacardi Miami Sailing Week, March 2-8 By Marylinda Ramos
Samba Pa Ti, Hedgehog and Groovederci at the start of the Melges 32 Miami Winter Regatta. Photo by Marylinda Ramos.
The 87th Bacardi Miami Sailing Week (BMSW) hosted the world’s elite sailors in 192 boats from 15 nations across six one-design fleets on the waters of Biscayne Bay in early March. The Trofeo Bacardi was conceived in 1920s Cuba as a three-day, midwinter championship on the island. Amid political unrest in the 1960s, the Bacardi Cup moved to Coral Reef Yacht Club in Coconut Grove, where the focus that began with only the Star class has grown to include Melges 20, Melges 24, J/80, J/70, Viper 640 and VX One classes. This year, spectators and sailors with a need for speed had the opportunity to sail a drag race or a Pro/Am (professional/amateur) regatta on one of the fastest new boats on the horizon—the Marstrom 32, which ran its world cup during BMSW. Designers Göran Marström and Kare Ljung conceived the M32 as an intermediate step for sailors coming out of Olympic multihulls and aspiring to the America’s Cup. They envisioned a class that would pair racing legends with rising stars. Ken Read sailed one just for fun shortly after the 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Race. His enthusiasm for the boat has helped build Newport’s small but growing fleet of Marstrom 32s. The boat is perfectly situated to bring America’s Cup-style racing to spectators at Newport’s Fort
Hedgehog, winner of the Melges 32 event at Key West Race Week, challenges Robertissima on the downwind leg in the Melges 32 Miami Winter Regatta. Photo by Marylinda Ramos.
week had comparable results at the Miami Winter Regatta. Alec Cutler’s Hedgehog, which performed spectacularly in Key West, only began to hit its stride for the Miami event on the final day of racing. Dalton Devos’ Delta, which tied for first in Key West, did not race in Miami. Richard Goransson’s Inga, which earned third in Key West, fell in and out of the top ten in Miami. Interestingly, none of the top three finishes at the Miami Winter Regatta were at Key West—all of which will increase the stakes at the Melges 32 Miami Spring Challenge in April. Additional photos at www.mlramos.photoshelter.com. RESULTS (Boat, Skipper, Sail Number) Melges 32: 1, Robertissima (Roberto Tomasini Grinover, SUI 1); 2) Argo (Jason Carroll, USA 128); 3) Samba Pa Ti (John Kilroy, USA 13131); 4) Red (Joe Woods, GBR 275); 5) Ngoni (Tony Buckingham, GBR 5869); 6) Hedgehog (Alec Cutler, BER 1; 7) STIG, (Alessandro Rombelli, ITA 65); 8) Groovederci (Deneen Demourkas, USA 201); 9) Momo, (Dieter Schoen, GEB 164; 10) Inga, (Richard Goransson, SWE 322); 11) Swing (Keisuke Suzuki, JPN 233); 12) Dark ‘n Stormy (Edward Tillinghast, USA 151); 13) Stormvogel (Chris Wientjes, USA 155). 50 April 2014
SOUTHWINDS
For a 32-foot speed machine, the Marstrom 32 is relatively easy to ship for competition, furthering the designers’ concept of bringing sailing to the public right inside cities with bodies of water that provide a natural arena. Photo by Marylinda Ramos. www.southwindsmagazine.com