IOD descend on Bermuda

Talbot Wilson previews the Bacardi sponsored Bermuda International Invitational Race Week

The IOD class in Bermuda International Invitational Race Week sponsored by Bacardi will have 13 entries this year. They represent Norway, Scotland, Great Britain, United States, Canada and Bermuda. Competition will be keen this year with Bill Widnall from Marblehead, an eight time IOD World Champion as the person to beat.

Other notable competitors are Sandy Yellot who is hoping to add a Bermuda Race week win to her wins in Edgartown Race Week and Block Island Race Week and Ken Ferrar from Fishers Island who was a past runner up at Bermuda Race Week. Also returning is perennial competitor and former Race Week winner Jan Petter Roed from Norway.

Several new faces will be in this year’s fleet, John Henry from North East Harbor Maine and Richard Ottaway from Great Britain. Ottaway is a British Member of Parliament so it will be interesting to see how he uses his diplomatic skills on the race course.

Retuning for a second shot at the title is our second female skipper Jennifer Miller from Long Island Sound. Also returning from Halifax Canada is Doug Ridgewell of the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron and David Peach from Scotland. Jamie Sheldon will be representing the Royal Yacht Squadron from Cowes. These returnees will be keen to improve on their finished from last year and previous race weeks. Of interest is the return of Dr. Noel Markley from San Francisco who last sailed in Race Week in the early 80s.

Bermuda is represented by Jordy Walker and Kevin Horsefield. Jordy Walker is a prior Race Week winner and both he and Kevin Horsefield have represented Bermuda at the IOD World’s. There will be terrific competition this year as any one of these skippers and crews will be able to win a race but the most consistent competitor will be the
overall winner. This is where Bill Widnall will have the advantage.

Racing starts at 1100hrs on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The Bacardi Gras Celebration on Race Week’s ‘Bat Tuesday’ leads into a ‘spare’ day on Wednesday, just right to enjoy the sights of Bermuda. The Prizegiving Party at RBYC concludes Race Week on Friday 30 April. In addition to the fantastic sailing competition, the week is sprinkled with fleet parties; and Bacardi presents daily awards for significant sailing.

Inaugurated by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in 1952, Bermuda's Bermuda International Invitational Race Week sponsored by Bacardi (for the 6th year) has become an established international yachting fixture each spring - attracting the top skippers from many countries. All classes with an active local racing program in Bermuda may invite international sailors to participate in Bermuda International
Invitational Race Week sponsored by Bacardi. International participation is required for a fleet to compete.