Three days of racing in Newport, Rhode Island featured a variety of conditions. In the end, Pete Cusick and Drew Plominski claimed top honors.

Four races were sailed on Friday just north of the Pell Bridge and the racing was tight in a fresh Northerly breeze. The fleet fought tooth and nail to get out of the current amid the mooring field along the eastern shore of Conanicut Island. Cusick / Plominski were the top team with bullets.

Saturday morning showed light winds and overcast skies – atypical for Newport in July. The race committee took the fleet out to Block Island Sound and held two races in light to moderate winds. Bill Watson and Roger Sharp mastered the tricky conditions and won both races to take the series lead.

Sunday morning started with a short postponement on shore but by 1100 the fleet was under tow and headed for Block Island Sound. By noon the sea breeze was filling in and the fleet was treated to two races in idyllic conditions for sailboat racing – 10 to 15 knots out of the Southwest with rolling waves to carry the fleet down the runs. Unfortunately Watson / Sharp had to retire before racing began due to a mechanical issue. Pete Cusick and Drew Plominski seized the moment with a first and a second to claim the regatta. Congratulations to Pete and Drew as well as to Keith Donald & Kevin Elterman for winning the last race of the series.

Many thanks to Bacardi and the efforts of the Sail Newport Race Committee. There were a few hiccups along the way but all in all it was a great three days of racing. Next up is the Ned Hay regatta hosted by the Cape Ann Star Fleet in Rockport, MA. This is always a top notch event - do whatever you need to do to get to Rockport and race for some art!

Report by Jan Harley:

Bringing together its signature combination of on-shore and on-the-water activities, the third edition of BACARDI® Newport Sailing Week presented by EFG Bank concluded this weekend with the 29th running of New England’s premiere one-design event – the Newport Regatta®. Sail Newport, Rhode Island’s Public Sailing Center, demonstrated its considerable logistical and race management skills in hosting the three-day event (July 12-14) that featured racing in 21 one-design classes. A staggering 148 races were run for the more than 260 boats that were competing on five courses on Narragansett Bay.