Line Honours to Belle Mente!

Bella Mente takes line in Bermuda Race
by Talbot Wilson

Hamilton, Bermuda: Bella Mente, the JV66 owned by Hap Fauth of Newport RI, did a horizon job on the 264 boat fleet and crossed the finish line off St David's Lighthouse at 15:12:18 EDT today.

The spectacular performance upset all predictions of a Maximus line honours victory in the Centennial Bermuda Race. Bella Mente led the light air contest much of the the 635 mile course that started from Newport RI on last Friday afternoon June 16th. The yacht chose to go down the west side of the rhumb line and found favorable current and better wind to carry them into Bermuda well ahead of Alchemy and Kodiak II, their nearest class rivals.

Belle Menta is first to finish, but the skipper and crew must now wait to see how the other competitors in the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division correct their time against Belle Mente's finish. The corrected time trophy is a silver replica of Bermuda's Gibbs Hill Lighthouse.

Richard Shulman's Tempest, an IMX 45 from Jamestown RI, may be within striking distance to grab the corrected time victory and the elegant silver Gibbs Hill Lighthouse trophy. Time will tell. Details on Bella Mente's spectacular performance will follow.

-Talbot Wilson